Huskers Look to Extend Best Start Since 1997

This Week in Husker Baseball
Season Record (3-0, 0-0 Big 12)
National Rankings (16/23/17/21 - as of Feb. 23)

Crowne Plaza/Rice Invitational
Fri. (Feb. 27) vs. Northwestern State (3-4) Houston, Texas (Reckling Park) 1 p.m.
Sat. (Feb. 28) at No. 5/2/2/3 Rice (5-2) Houston, Texas (Reckling Park) 1 p.m.
Sun. (Feb. 29) vs. No.18/17/15/15 North Carolina (3-0) Houston, Texas (Reckling Park) Noon
Note: All rankings are listed as follows: Collegiate Baseball/Baseball America/Sports Weekly-ESPN Coaches/NCBWA

Nebraska’s Weekend Rotation
Fri. - Zach Kroenke, So., LHP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA vs. Northwestern State (TBA)
Sat. - Quinton Robertson, Sr., RHP, 1-0, 12.60 ERA vs. Rice (TBA)
Sun. - Justin Pekarek, Sr., LHP, 0-0, 13.50 ERA vs. UNC (Adam Kalkhof, So., LHP, 0-0, 2.25 ERA)

Media Information
Radio: None
TV: None
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Internet Video Streaming: All three games will be video-streamed live on HuskersNside, which is a subscription-based service of the Nebraska Athletic Department. Nearly every 2004 Husker baseball game will be shown live on HuskersNside. For more information and how to subscribe, log on to Huskers.com.

Huskers Look to Extend Best Start Since 1997
Lincoln -- After enjoying one of the best offensive weekends in school history, the Nebraska baseball team will face a crucial early-season test, as the Huskers travel to Houston, Texas, for the Crowne Plaza/Rice Invitational.

Nebraska, which is 3-0 on the season after an unblemished weekend at the Ultimate Dugout Baseball Fiesta, will open tournament play against Northwestern (La.) State Friday, Feb. 27, at 1 p.m. The following day, the Huskers will take on defending national champion Rice at 1 p.m., before facing 2003 NCAA Super Regional qualifier North Carolina on Sunday at Noon.

All three games this weekend will be video-streamed live on HuskersNside, visit Huskers.com for subscription information, and live stats will be available on Huskers.com.

Crowne Plaza/Rice Invitational Schedule
Feb. 27 Nebraska vs. Northwestern State 1 p.m.
Feb. 27 Rice vs. North Carolina 4:30 p.m.
Feb. 28 Nebraska vs. Rice 1 p.m.
Feb. 28 UNC vs. Northwestern State 4:30 p.m.
Feb. 29 Nebraska vs. North Carolina Noon
Feb. 29 Rice vs. Northwestern State 3:30 p.m.

The Huskers made significant jumps in two of the four weekly polls released Monday, climbing from 21st to 16th in the Collegiate Baseball poll, while moving from 21st to 17th in the Sports Weekly/ESPN Coaches poll.

The Huskers have become regular visitors to Reckling Park, as NU will be making its fifth straight trip to Houston since the park opened in 2000. Last season, Nebraska lost to then-No. 1 Rice, 4-1, on March 18, 2003, in a non-conference matchup, while NU has gone 1-2 in each of its three previous appearances at the Crowne Plaza/Rice Invitational

Unlike the previous three tournament appearances, Nebraska will head to Houston with a weekend of play under its belt, as the Huskers posted wins over Northwestern (19-3), New Mexico (12-8) and Kent State (22-9) last weekend.

While the Huskers enjoyed an offensive feast last weekend, this weekend’s fare will be significantly tougher. The host Owls are 5-2 and ranked as high as second in the national polls entering this weekend, while North Carolina (3-0) is ranked as high as 15th and enter the week with an unblemished weekend after a sweep of Seton Hall.

NU’s Crowne Plaza/Rice Invitational History (3-6)
2/11/00 Northwestern State L, 6-8
2/12/00 Rice L, 1-2
2/13/00 Arkansas State W, 10-6
2/9/01 at Rice L, 2-16
2/10/02 vs. Lamar W, 10-4
2/11/02 vs. Georgia Tech L, 8-15
2/15/02 vs. New Mexico W, 3-2
2/16/02 at Rice L, 7-8
2/17/02 vs. Wake Forest L, 8-9

While the Huskers posted gaudy numbers in the rarified air of Albuquerque, N.M., last weekend, NU will face a much more daunting challenge this weekend for the following reasons:

? - Rice ranked second nationally with a 2.74 team earned-run average in 2003 and returns its top four pitchers, including its entire rotation of preseason All-Americans (Jeff Niemann, Wade Townsend and Philip Humber)
? - North Carolina returns four of its top five starters from a team that went 42-23 and reached the Super Regional for the first time in 2003. The Tar Heels posted a staff ERA of 2.79 during a weekend sweep of Seton Hall.
? - Northwestern State has been ranked in the top-40 nationally in ERA in each of the past two seasons, including 12th in 2002 (3.54) and 36th last season (3.96).

Leading Off
? - With this week’s ranking in the national polls, the Huskers have now been ranked in each of the last 70 polls, dating back to April of 2000.

? - With three wins last weekend, Nebraska Head Coach Mike Anderson became the quickest Husker coach to win 50 games, accomplishing the feat in just 68 games. Only three coaches in school history have ever won 50 games, but that shouldn’t be that surprising since NU has only had four coaches (including Anderson) since 1947.

The Nifty Fifty (Husker Coaches to 50 Wins)
Coach 50th Win Record Pct.
Anderson 68th 50-18 .735
Sanders 70th 50-20 .714
Van Horn 80th 50-30 .625
Sharpe 91st 50-41 .549

? - This weekend’s tournament games against Rice and North Carolina begin a stretch of five NCAA Tournament teams over the next seven games (Rice, North Carolina, Florida State, Minnesota and San Diego).
? - Nebraska’s 3-0 start is not only the Huskers’ best start since 1997, but also the first time that NU won its first three road/neutral site games since 1998, when NU defeated Northern Colorado and swept Colorado State in a three-game series.
? - Nebraska reached double figures in each of the first three games for only the sixth time in school history (and for the first time since 1987). If the Huskers crack double figures against Northwestern State on Friday, they would tie a school record of four straight games set in 1990.

Double-Figure Run Totals to Open a Season
Year Consecutive Double-Figure Outputs
1990 4 (Feb. 11-21)
2004 3 (Feb. 20-22)
1987 3 (March 4-7)
1984 3 (March 1-3)
1948 3 (March 29-April 2)
1893 3 (entire season)

Recapping Last Weekend
Nebraska opened the season with a 3-0 record, winning the Ultimate Dugout Baseball Fiesta in impressive fashion.

Nebraska 19, Northwestern 3 ? The Huskers used the arm of southpaw Zach Kroenke and a 15-hit attack to down Northwestern Friday afternoon. Kroenke allowed two unearned runs and struck out a career-high 11 Wildcats over 6.1 innings. Kroenke, who improved to 1-0, easily topped his previous high of six set twice last season. Kroenke was backed by a prolific Husker offense that scored 19 runs, NU’s highest opening day total since 1996. Eight starters had at least one hit, including a pair of homers by Alex Gordon, who drove in a career-high five runs, and a three-run blast by Daniel Bruce. NU put the game away early, scoring five runs in the first ? highlighted by Bruce’s three-run blast, and adding eight more in the third.

Nebraska 12, New Mexico 8 ? Daniel Bruce went 3-for-5, including a seventh-inning RBI single to break a 7-all tie, as the Huskers rallied for a 12-8 win over New Mexico on Saturday. Bruce’s infield single highlighted a three-run outburst after the Lobos overcame a 6-2 deficit with five unanswered runs. Tim Schoeninger picked up the win in relief, allowing two runs in 2.2 innings, while Mike Sillman closed out the contest with 1.1 innings of one-hit relief for his first save. Other offensive heroes included Curtis Ledbetter, who drove in three runs, Jake Mullinax, who laid down three sacrifice bunts and drove in a pair of runs, and Jesse Boyer, who scored four times in the win.

Nebraska 22, Kent State 9 ? The Huskers blistered six Kent State pitchers for 22 hits in a 22-9 victory Sunday afternoon. Nebraska was led by the middle infield duo of Jake Mullinax and Joe Simokaitis, who each enjoyed four-hit performances. Mullinax drove in three runs, including his first career homer, while Simokaitis also tied a career best with three RBIs. Chad Steele, who had a pair of doubles, and Daniel Bruce also drove in three runs apiece, as eight different Huskers had at least one RBI. Quinton Robertson allowed a career-high seven runs, but picked up the win as NU plated at least two runs in six different frames.

Nebraska Briefly
Under the direction of second-year coach Mike Anderson, the Huskers are seeking their sixth straight NCAA Regional appearance and school’s third trip to the College World Series in the last four years. Nebraska returns a total of 17 letterwinners (eight position players and nine pitchers) from a squad that compiled a 47-18 record and won the school’s second Big 12 regular-season title in three years.

Despite having to replace the Big 12’s Player of the Year (senior Matt Hopper) and Pitcher of the Year (junior Aaron Marsden - a third-round pick of Colorado) from a year ago, the Huskers bring back seven position starters, including All-Big 12 designated hitter Curtis Ledbetter, who will move full-time to first base this spring. Ledbetter, who split time with Hopper at first last spring, is the only new face in an infield that returns two-year starting shortstop Joe Simokaitis, senior co-captain Jake Mullinax and third baseman Alex Gordon. All three were honorable-mention All-Big 12 selections in 2002, while Gordon was a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball and was named the league’s Freshman of the Year by the Waco Tribune. The outfield will be anchored by returning starter Daniel Bruce, who has started the past two years in right. Junior college transfer Colin Shockey and junior Jesse Boyer, who redshirted last season, are among several contenders to flank Bruce in the Husker outfield. The Huskers also return the services of senior co-captain John Grose, a two-year starter behind the plate.

On the mound, Nebraska welcomes back a majority of its staff from a year ago, including Quinton Robertson, who went 10-2 and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors. In addition to Robertson, a veteran starting rotation returns nearly intact from last year with sophomore Zach Kroenke, junior Phil Shirek and sophomore Brian Duensing, who redshirted in 2002. NU also has the services of senior closer Mike Sillman, returning relievers Tim Schoeninger and Jeremy Becker and a host of newcomers who could vie for mound time early on.

Bruce Enjoys Power Surge
The 2004 season could not have started better for junior outfielder Daniel Bruce. The Omaha native belted three round trippers and drove in a team-high nine runs in New Mexico last weekend.

Bruce, who has a six-game hitting streak dating back to last season’s regional, has also been on a power surge unseen in his Husker career. He has homered in each of NU’s first three games and in six of his last eight games dating back to last year’s regional. The last Husker to homer in at least three consecutive games was Jed Morris, who bashed homers in five consecutive games during the 2002 season (May 4-12).

Looking at this Weekend’s Tournament Field
Northwestern State heads to Houston with a 3-4 record after getting swept by Southern Miss last weekend. Under the direction of Mitch Gaspard (81-43 in three seasons), the Demons were picked third in the Southland Conference in the league’s preseason poll. NSU is led by first baseman Hunter Thoms, who is hitting .455 with 10 RBIs, and designated hitter Bobby Barbier, who leads the Demons with three of the team’s six homers. On the mound, junior right-hander Daniel Lonsberry is 1-1 with a 6.48 ERA in a pair of starts, covering 8.1 innings.

Nebraska is 1-1 all-time against Northwestern State, losing 8-6 at the 2000 Rice Invite, while the Huskers took a 13-1 victory in 2001. The Husker coaching staff has a distinctive Demon flavor, as Associate Head Coach Rob Childress served as the pitching coach for the Demons from 1995 to 1997, while Assistant Coach Andy Sawyers was a volunteer assistant at the school in 1999. Former Nebraska Head Coach Dave Van Horn was the head coach at Northwestern State from 1995 to 1997.

Rice heads into the weekend with a 5-2 mark after its game against Sam Houston State on Tuesday was postponed because of weather. The Owls only returned three position players, but bring back seven of their top pitchers from a staff that went 58-12 and won the school’s first national title for Coach Wayne Graham (543-226 in 13 seasons at Rice). The Owls’ strength is on the mound, as the weekend rotation of Jeff Niemann (17-0, 1.70 ERA), Wade Townsend (11-2, 2.20 ERA) and Philip Humber (11-3, 3.30 ERA) all are preseason All-Americans and projected first-round draft picks. Offensively, Chris Kolkhorst leads the Owl regulars with a .500 average, while pacing the team in runs scored (8), RBIs (7) and on-base percentage (.629).

Rice leads the all-time series 13-9 and has won the past two meetings, including a 4-1 win over NU last season in Houston. In that matchup, Nebraska was held to a season-low three hits, as Townsend struck out 12 in eight innings of work. Alex Gordon’s fourth-inning RBI single provided the lone Husker offense. That game also marked the first career start for NU left-hander Zach Kroenke.

The Tar Heels, who play host to Gardner-Webb on Wednesday, opened their season with a sweep of Seton Hall last weekend. North Carolina, which went 42-23 and won their first NCAA Regional since 1989, is coached by Mike Fox (206-105 record), who is in his sixth year at the helm of the Tar Heel program. Matt Ellington paced the North Carolina offense against Seton Hall last weekend, hitting .444 with three RBIs. The Tar Heels hit .282 against the Pirates, but were superb on the mound with a 2.79 ERA through the weekend. The Tar Heels will start sophomore left-hander Adam Kalkhof against Nebraska on Sunday. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound southpaw went 7-2 with a 4.26 ERA en route to Freshman All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball. Kalkhof struck out 77 in 80.1 innings of work as a freshman. Sunday’s game is the first meeting between the two schools.

Blending Youth and Experience
Of the 30 players on last weekend’s travel roster, nearly half (14 of 30) were making their first trip at the Division I level. A vast majority of the newcomers got a taste of Division I baseball, as 11 of the newcomers (including seven freshmen) saw action last weekend. Junior college transfer Jesse Boyer hit .385 and drew a team-best four walks in left, while another junior college transfer, Colin Shockey, and freshman Braden Keith combined to go 7-for-14 with nine runs scored in center.

Timm Makes Remarkable Return from Elbow Injury
One of the highlights for the Husker pitching staff was the return to form by junior Dustin Timm. The right-hander from Yutan, Neb., had Tommy John surgery on his elbow last March, but returned to the mound in the Huskers’ season opener. Timm pitched a career-long 2.2 innings, allowing one run on three hits against Northwestern.

For Openers
Nebraska’s 19-run outburst against Northwestern in the season opener was among the most prolific openers in school history. The 19 runs against the Wildcats was NU’s fourth-highest season opening total in school history and the second-most against a Division I team.

Most Runs on Opening Day
Runs Opponent Date
25 vs. Missouri Western 3/5/86
22 vs. Northwest Missouri State 3/4/87
22 at New Mexico State 2/2/96
19 vs. Northwestern 2/20/04
18 vs. Nebraska-Kearney 2/11/90

Husker Health Watch
In addition to pitchers Tony Watson and Mike Harmelink, who are both redshirting because of off-season surgery, two other Huskers are slated to miss the 2004 season. Freshman right-hander Matt Pike had shoulder surgery on Feb. 14, while Head Coach Mike Anderson announced last week that outfielder Brandon Fusilier will take a redshirt season as he recovers from off-season shoulder surgery. The Huskers are also awaiting the return of left-hander Brian Duensing, who missed most of last season with an elbow injury.

Next Up for the Huskers
The Huskers look to defend their title at the Dairy Queen Baseball Classic at the Metrodome, March 5-7. The Huskers will take on NCAA qualifiers Minnesota and Florida State, along with West Virginia during the three-day tournament. Friday and Sunday’s games will be video streamed live on Huskers.com, while Saturday’s tilt with Minnesota will be available on Fox Sports North. Nebraska’s games against Minnesota and West Virginia will be carried on the Pinnacle Sports Radio Network, the first of 42 regular-season broadcasts in 2004.