Huskers Host Aggies in Big 12 Showdown

No. 5 Nebraska (36-8-1, 15-5-1 Big 12)
vs. No. 9  Texas A&M (41-8, 18-3 Big 12)

Friday, May 9 - 6:35 p.m.
Saturday, May 10 - 2:05 p.m.
Saturday, May 11 - 1:05 p.m.

Media Info
Live Radio: Husker Sports Network and for free on the Internet at Huskers.com; Saturday and Sunday’s games will be carried on SIRIUS Satelitte Radio (Ch. 127) 
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Live Video: All three games will be for free on Huskers.com this weekend
TV: Saturday’s game will be live on NET (Ch. 12 and Ch. 112) and shown on a tape-delayed basis on CBS College Sports (Ch. 610 on DirecTV; Ch. 148 on DISH Network; Ch. 305 on Time Warner Cable) with the first airing Sunday afternoon

Probable Starting Pitchers
Friday 
NU-Johnny Dorn, Sr., RHP (5-1, 2.69 ERA) 
A&M-Brooks Raley, Fr., LHP (6-0, 3.77 ERA)
Saturday 
NU-Thad Weber, Sr., RHP (8-2, 3.75 ERA) 
A&M-Barret Loux, Fr., RHP (4-1, 4.28 ERA)
Sunday 
NU-Aaron Pribanic, Jr., RHP (3-3, 4.16 ERA)
A&M-Clayton Ehlert, So., RHP (6-2, 2.82 ERA)

On Tap: The fifth-ranked Husker baseball team finishes finals week with another important Big 12 test, as Texas A&M comes to town. The three-game series begins Friday night at 6:35 p.m. with afternoon games set for both Saturday (2:05) and Sunday (1:05). Sunday’s game will also be senior day, when the 2008 seniors will be honored.

The Aggies, who are ranked as high as sixth nationally, lead the Big 12 by 2.5 games over the second-place Huskers heading into the final two weeks of the regular season.  Texas A&M has won 15 straight Big 12 games dating back to March 23 and comes to Lincoln with a 41-8 record after defeating Sam Houston State, 13-9, Tuesday evening. The Aggies lead the Big 12 with a .330 average and feature the leagues’s top two hitters in Dane Carter (.411) and Jose Duran (.396).

The Huskers (36-8-1) have been off for final exams since sweeping Louisiana-Lafayette by identical 4-3 scores on May 3, including a 14-inning win in the nightcap. Nebraska’s strength has been on the mound, where it leads the Big 12 with a 3.46 ERA, and experience in close games, where the Huskers are a combined 15-2 in games decided by two runs or less this season. This weekend’s series between the Huskers and Aggies will be the first time NU has hosted a weekend series between top-10 teams since 2005.

On the Radio and Internet: Fans across Nebraska can listen to Greg Sharpe and Lane Grindle call the action on the 27-station Husker Sports Network, including KLIN 1400 in Lincoln, 1110 KFAB in Omaha and KRVN 880 AM in Lexington and on the Internet at Huskers.com. NU’s games on Saturday and Sunday will be carried on SIRIUS Satelitte Radio (Ch. 127).

Tickets: Tickets are going quickly for the Huskers’ final home weekend of the regular season, but General Admission seats for all three games are available by visiting Huskers.com or by calling the NU Ticket Office (800-8-BIGRED). Hawks Field ticket windows open 90 prior to first pitch. Nearly 5,500 advance tickets have been sold for each of the three games of the series.

3 THINGS TO WATCH THIS WEEK
1.  Nebraska is 26-2-1 at Hawks Field this season, and has won 14 of its past 15 games at home.
2.  Saturday is graduation day for seniors Craig Corriston (sociology) and Thad Weber (biological sciences), as the pair are among 53 current or former Huskers graduating this weekend.
3. Nebraska has not made an error in its last six Big 12 games and has just six errors in its last 12 contests, raising its fielding percentage to a league-high .972.

Leading Off
?-It is a return to Lincoln for several members of the Texas A&M staff. Aggie Head Coach Rob Childress served on the Nebraska staff from 1998 to 2005, while volunteer coach Andy Sawyers played (1997-99) and coached (2000, 2003-07) in the Husker program. In addition, athletic trainer Josh Cohen (2004-05) and video coordinator Erik Pulverenti (2002-05) also worked with the Husker program.
?-The Huskers have been tough on ranked teams at home over the last decade, posting a 58-28 (.674) record since 1998, including an impressive 20-7 (.741) mark against top-10 teams. NU is 39-19 (.672) against ranked foes since Hawks Field opened in 2002.
?-Craig Corriston and Thad Weber are among six current or former Huskers scheduled to participate in graduation ceremonies this weekend and both players will participate in graduation ceremonies prior to Saturday’s game. The other former Husker baseball players graduating this weekend include Andy Gerch (2005-07), Mark Hightower (2005-07), Quinton Robertson (2003-04) and Chad Steele (2003-04).
?-Nebraska’s senior class of Mitch Abeita, Craig Corriston, Johnny Dorn, Bryce Nimmo, Jake Opitz, Jeff Tezak and Thad Weber will be honored prior to Sunday’s game. Over the last four years, they have compiled a 137-69-1 record, three straight NCAA appearances, a sweep of the Big 12 regular season and tournament titles in 2005 and the first CWS win in school history.
?-Nebraska is eighth in the latest RPI rankings following the sweep over Louisiana-Lafayette last weekend. With Texas A&M (No. 5) and Oklahoma State (No. 9) in the top 10, the Big 12 is one of only two leagues with three teams in the top 10 of the RPI, joining the ACC.
?-Nebraska’s 36 wins this season already tops the Huskers’ entire 2007 season total (32). Last year, NU was 25-20 overall after 45 games.
?-The Huskers’ .811 winning percentage is on pace for the highest winning percentage in school history. NU has won 75 percent of its games only seven times, including three times this decade.
?-With a 36-8-1 record entering this weekend’s action, the Huskers are enjoying one of their best seasons since the program began in 1889. In fact, only four teams in school history have put up better record through the first 45 games than the 2008 Huskers.
?-One of the traits the Huskers have shown is the ability to win close games, as the Huskers are 15-2 in games decided by two runs or less and 3-0-1 in extra-inning games. Nebaska is 8-1 in one-run games this season with the only loss being a 1-0 loss at Oklahoma State on April 11.
?-Husker Power announced its five finalists for 2008 Baseball Lifter of the Year on Wednesday. The list includes pitchers Erik Bird, Johnny Dorn and Mike Nesseth and outfielders Nick Sullivan and Bryce Nimmo. The winner will be announced prior to Friday’s game.
?-The Huskers are 26-2-1 (.913) at Hawks Field this season, the fifth time in seven seasons that Nebraska has won at least 25 home games.
?-Husker starting pitchers have gone at least five innings in 36 of the 45 starts this season and are a combined 24-6 on the year.
?-The Huskers have shown the knack for comebacks in 2008, overcoming deficits 18 times this spring, including a four-run deficit at No. 13 Texas on March 28. Under Mike Anderson, the Huskers have authored 96 come-from-behind wins over the last six seasons.
?-NU has won 115 of its last 116 games when taking a lead into the ninth inning and is 115-0-1 in that stretch dating back to the 2005 season. NU is 210-3-1 (.984) when leading after eight innings under Mike Anderson.
?-Nebraska is one of only five teams in the country to rank in the top 20 nationally in both ERA and fielding percentage in this week’s rankings, joining St. John’s, TCU, Kentucky and Duke.
?-With two wins over Louisiana-Lafayette last weekend, Nebraska Head Coach Mike Anderson became the third Husker baseball coach to win 250 games in a career, joining John Sanders and Tony Sharpe.
?-NU is 19-0-1 this season when recording at least 10 hits and 29-0 when out-hitting an opponent.
?-The Huskers have won 10 of their last 12 Big 12 series dating back to the 2007 season and are 6-1 in conference series in  2008. 
?-One of the overlooked areas for the Huskers has been their defensive play. The Huskers lead the Big 12 and rank 18th nationally with a .972 fielding percentage. NU has committed one error or less in 19 of its last 22 games.
?-Nebraska set a school record with 10 doubles against Creighton on April 23, including five in a 13-run fifth inning. That was NU’s highest scoring inning since 1999. 
?-Despite losing six pitchers selected in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft and returning only five pitchers who threw at least an inning from last year’s staff, the Huskers lead the Big 12 and rank ninth nationally in ERA and are fourth nationally in hits allowed per nine innings. In the conference, NU leads the Big 12 in complete games (six, first) and opponent batting average (.234, first) and is in the top three in saves (15, second) and shutouts (four, second).

Scouting Texas A&M
Rob Childress brings the Aggies to town with a top-10 ranking and in position to capture their first Big 12 regular-season title since 1999 with two weeks ramaining in the league race. Texas A&M is 41-8 on the season and 18-3 in the Big 12, including a league-record 15-game conference win streak dating back to March 28. The streak broke the Big 12 mark of 13 set by Nebraska in 2000.  The Aggies, whose only series loss in conference is to Oklahoma State, have lost just two games since March 25. The Aggies are 4-1 against ranked teams, highlighted by a sweep of fourth-ranked Missouri two weeks ago.

Offensively, the Aggies lead the Big 12 with a .330 team average led by the potent 1-2 punch of Dan Carter (.411-8-54) and Jose Duran (.396-4-50). In all, six starters are hitting at least .325, while Luke Anders (.378-13-45) and Darby Brown (.353-9-53) are both among the league leaders in RBIs. 

On the mound, the Aggies have one of the youngest rotations in the Big 12, starting a pair of freshman and a sophomore in the weekend rotation. Left-hander Brooks Raley has emeraged as the ace of the TAMU staff, going 6-0 with a 3.70 ERA in 13 games, while Barrett Loux (4-1, 4.28 ERA) and Clayton Ehlert (6-2, 2.82 ERA) have been stready on the weekends. In the bullpen, Travis Starling has been the closer, going 7-0 with nine saves in 22 appearances.

Nebraska holds a 19-18 lead all-time since the series began in 1989. NU is 7-2 all-time against the Aggies in Hawks Field, including sweeps in 2002 and 2006. The teams split four meetings last year, with the Aggies winning the series in College Station before NU topped Texas A&M in the Big 12 Tournament. Childress, who served as NU’s pitching coach from 1998 to 2005, is 2-5 all-time against Nebraska.

Last Time Out
Game 1 (Nebraska 4, ULL 3): No. 6 Nebraska took advantage of a costly eighth-inning error by UL-Lafayette and parlayed it into the go-ahead run in a 4-3 win. DJ Belfonte opened the eighth as he reached on a fielder’s error. After Cody Neer grounded into a fielder’s choice, Ben Kline successfully executed a hit-and-run to put runners on the corners with one out. Bryce Nimmo then drove home Neer with a grounder to short, as the Huskers capped their 17th come-from-behind win. Neer led the charge, going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, while Kline, Mitch Abeita and Nick Sullivan had two hits apiece. Zach Herr (2-2) earned the win in relief for Johnny Dorn, as Herr fanned three of the four hitters in faced in a perfect 1.1 innings of work.

Game 2 (Nebraska 4, ULL 3 - 14 inn): Mitch Abeita’s RBI single in the 14th inning broke a 3-all deadlock, as sixth-ranked Nebraska rallied for a 4-3 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette. Abeita sent a full count pitch from Gregory Harmon into center, scoring Jake Mort from second, as the Huskers completed the doubleheader sweep.
NU was down to its final strike in the ninth before scoring twice off ULL closer Justin Robichaux to send the game to extra innings. With two outs and Bryce Nimmo on third, Opitz lined a single to center, putting the Huskers within 3-2.  Abeita then hit a grounder to third, but Tyler Benzel’s throw skipped by the bag, allowing Opitz to score from first to tie the game. Relievers Dan Jennings, Mike Nesseth and Erik Bird kept the Huskers in the game late, combining for 14 strikeouts and allowed just three hits over the final eight innings.

Dorn Dominates in 2008
Right-hander Johnny Dorn has been one of the nation’s top performers, going 5-1 with a 2.69 ERA this season. The senior from Grand Island has held eight of his 11 opponents to two runs or less, and ranks among the Big 12 leaders in ERA (2.69, fifth), strikeouts (84, second), opponent batting average (.196, fourth) and innings (77.0, third).

He has reached double figures in strikeouts on four occasions, including a career-high 13 strikeouts against Northern Colorado on March 8. He has reached double figures in strikeouts in three of his last five starts. While his numbers have been consistently impressive, Dorn’s efforts are even better than his already gaudy numbers. In the six games where he either lost or received a no-decision, he has a 2.25 ERA over 44 innings of work, striking out 42 and walking only 10 in that span.

Dorn, whose 36 wins lead all active pitchers, is one of only 10 pitchers among Big 12 schools to win at least 35 games. He is also firmly entrenched on NU’s career lists in several categories. He is in the top three in strikeouts, wins, starts and innings pitched and is 10 strikeouts away from moving into second place on NU’s career list. He is one of only two pitchers in school history to record a pair of double-figure win seasons and is just six wins shy of matching two-time All-American Shane Komine’s school and Big 12 record of 41 wins.

Weber Grills Opponents
After spending his first year at Nebraska splitting time between the mound and designated hitter, senior Thad Weber has been one of the Big 12’s biggest  surprises on the hill in 2008.

The right-hander from Friend, Neb. (pop. 1,140) is 8-2 with a 3.75 ERA in 10 starts this year. He is among the Big 12 leaders in wins (eight, second), strikeouts (58, ninth) and innings pitched (62.1, ninth) while going an impressive 6-1 in conference play.

All six of his wins in Big 12 action have won series for the Big Red, and Weber’s efforts have been a main reason for the Huskers’ Big 12 success.

On the year, he has allowed two runs or less six times and has 58 strikeouts, compared to only 19 walks. He fanned a career-high 11 hitters against Texas Tech on April 5, one of three outings with at least seven strikeouts in 2008.
Weber has been his best under the TV lights, going 3-0 with a 0.76 ERA in three televised games this year, including a two-hit shutout at No. 13 Texas on March 30, and a four hitter at Baylor on April 26, clinching Nebraska’s first-ever series win in Waco.

Jennings Fills Varied Holes
One of the most valuable pitchers on the Husker staff has been junior Dan Jennings. The left-hander from West Des Moines, Iowa, has filled nearly every role on the Husker staff, going 5-0 with four saves and a 2.44 ERA in 17 appearances. Jennings, who had just one decision in his first two years, is tied for the team lead in saves and is second in wins while allowing eight extra-base hits in 59.0 innings of work. He tossed 30.1 consecutive shutout innings from March 18 until April 23, the second-longest steak in school history.

A Marked Improvement
When looking at the Huskers’ difference in record between 2007 and 2008, one can look to improved production on the mound and in the field.

On the mound, NU has shaved nearly a half run off of its team ERA and is holding opponents to nearly 20 points below its 2007 batting average at this point in the year. In the field, NU has turned more double plays and is fielding at a significantly higher percentage than a year ago.

Ringing Up the Ks
Nebraska’s pitching staff has been proficient in striking out hitters in 2008. The Huskers lead in the Big 12 with 8.56 strikeouts per nine innings, a total that ranks among the top 20 programs nationally.

The Huskers have totaled double figures in strikeouts 17 times this season, including a season-high 19 strikeouts against Louisiana-Lafayette on May 4. The total was the highest single-game total by a Husker pitching staff since the 1999 season.
NU’s strikeout per game total is on pace to be the most in school history, as no Husker pitching staff has ever averaged more than eight strikeouts per game.

Abeita Named to Bench Watch List
Senior catcher Mitch Abeita earned recognition for his efforts on May 1, as he was added to the Coleman Company-Johnny Bench Award watch list. The award is presented annually to the nation’s top catcher, and Abeita was one of nine players added to the initial watch list for their performances in 2008.

On the season, Abeita is hitting a team-best .360 - good for eighth in the Big 12 - with seven homers and 34 RBIs, while ranking among Big 12 leaders in on-base percentage, hitting and walks. He has also helped NU pitchers lead the Big 12 in ERA and helped the Huskers allow just 31 stolen bases on the year.

Abeita enters the Texas A&M series on a tear, hitting .395 with 13 runs scored during a team-best 13-game hit streak. He has reached safely via hit or walk in 42 of his 43 games this season.

Last season, Abeita had only one homer and 20 RBIs while appearing in 46 games before breaking his fibula in the Big 12 Championship.

Taking it From the Top
One recent change in Nebraska’s lineup has been moving Bryce Nimmo up to the leadoff spot on April 13. NU responded with 13 runs in the series finale at No. 21 Oklahoma State and has won 10 of its last 12 contests since the move. As a team, the Huskers are averaging 7.0 runs per game since moving Nimmo to the top of the lineup. 

It is no surprise that Nebraska has been successful with Nimmo at the top of the lineup. In his career, the Huskers are 66-15 with Nimmo leading off.

The Two Jakes
Nebraska’s infield duo of second baseman Jake Opitz and third baseman Jake Mort have been key anchors in the Husker lineup this season.

Mort, who has been exceptional defensively at third base, has been the table setter in the NU offense. He leads the Huskers in both sacrifices (11) and hit-by-pitches (13) while going 9-of-10 on the base paths. In his last 14 games, Mort has increased his offensive production, hitting .333 with 14 runs scored in that stretch. 

Opitz has provided offensive punch in the lineup, hitting .313 with six homers and 40 RBIs. He paces the Huskers in both multi-hit (15) and multi-RBI (10) efforts and has homered in three of his last six contests. Opitz is second on the team in homers and leads NU in RBIs for the second straight season. He has two or more RBIs in five of his last 11 games, including a season-high four RBIs in the twinbill nightcap at Baylor on April 26.

Swinging Sullivan
One of the biggest surprises of 2008 has been the emergence of Nick Sullivan in the middle of the lineup. Last season, Sullivan was limited by a broken thumb and hit .192 in 30 games.

In 2008, Sullivan has been fully healthy and the results have shown on the field, as he is hitting .328 with three homers and 30 RBIs. He is among the team leaders with 10 multi-hit games and 10 multi-RBI contests, while not committing an error in 40 contests.

Last month, Sullivan single-handedly powered NU to a sweep of Texas Tech, hitting .412 with three homers and eight RBIs, including a career-high five RBIs in the series finale on April 6. His five RBIs were the most by a Husker in over a year and topped his previous best of three RBIs. Earlier this season, he earned Big 12 Player-of-the-Week honors, hitting .444 with nine RBIs to help the Huskers go 3-0-1 on the week, as he posted four straight multi-hit games.

Kline Steps in at Shortstop
In 2002, Joe Simokaitis earned the starting nod at shortstop, beginning one of the best careers at the postion in school history. This spring, Ben Kline has earned an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Simokaitis, who has already advanced to Triple A with the Chicago Cubs organization. A closer look at the two freshman years shows some similaities besides both players hitting ninth and being known for their defensive skills.

Kline, a two-time all-state performer at Omaha Central, has driven in more runs than Simokaitis did during his entire 2002 campaign, while fielding at a better clip than Simokaitis did as a freshman.

Corriston Plans Return to the Lineup
Nebraska Head Coach Mike Anderson announced on April 30 that that senior first baseman Craig Corriston underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.

An MRI examination earlier showed a tear of the medial meniscus in his right knee, and although the procedure is not anticipated to be season ending, the Husker coaching and medical staff is optimistic that Corriston will have a speedy recovery. He is doubtful for this weekend’s series with Texas A&M.

Corriston became the third Husker regular sidelined in 2008. All-Big 12 designated hitter Jeff Tezak had knee surgery in early March while outfielder Clay Cuno underwent shoulder surgery in March. Both of those players’ injuries were season ending and both will apply for medical hardships.

Husker-Creighton Tickets Update
As of Wednesday morning, more than 10,500 tickets have been sold for the Huskers’ game with Creighton at Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium. Reserve seating prices are $14, $12 and $10 and tickets can be purchased over the phone at Ticketmaster in Lincoln at 475-1212, in Omaha at (402) 422-1212 or on the Internet at ticketmaster.com. Tickets will not be available for purchase at the Nebraska Ticket Office.

Traffic Pattern Changes in 2008
Due to the closing of the Harris Overpass in Downtown Lincoln this spring, a detour is now in effect for fans coming to the ballpark from the south on Sun Valley Boulevard.
?-Instead of using O Street, take Rosa Parks Way and turn right onto Homestead Expressway. Turn right onto Highway 6 before turning left onto Sun Valley Boulevard. From Sun Valley Boulevard, turn right onto Line Drive.
?-All access roads from the north are still accessable, and fans also also encouraged to park in the Haymarket District in Lincoln and take the pedestrian walkway to the center field entrance.

Husker Home Run Club Bus Trip to Missouri
Make your plans now to join the Husker Home Run Club for the second of two bus trips during the 2008 season. The next bus trip is on May 17-18 for the Huskers’ regular-season finale at nationally ranked Missouri. The packages include roundtrip transportation, selected meals, a hotel room and tickets to both of Nebraska’s games that weekend.
For more information and prices, contact Ed Bolejack at (402) 476-4990 or Erich Helge at (402) 643-5403 or visit Huskerhomerunclub.com.

Three Huskers Collect Big 12 Honors
A trio of Nebraska baseball players have been honored by the Big 12 Conference for their success during the 2008 season. Nick Sullivan was NU’s most recent honoree, as he was selected on March 24, after hitting .444 (8-for-18) with a homer and nine RBIs in helping the Huskers go 3-1-1 on the week. Sullivan had four multi-RBI games and three multi-hit games on the week.

Sullivan followed the footsteps of Craig Corriston, who was selected for the honor on March 17. That week, he helped NU to a 5-0 record, hitting .579 (11-for-19) with six runs scored, four doubles and four RBIs.

Dorn is the only Husker pitcher to receive weekly recognition in 2008, as he was lauded for his performance against Northern Colorado on March 10. Dorn picked up the honor after fanning 13 and allowing one earned run over seven innings in a win over Northern Colorado on March 8.

Dorn’s 13 strikeouts that day, which included the first seven hitters he faced, were the most by a Husker pitcher since Joba Chamberlain in 2005, and the second-highest total by a Husker pitcher in Hawks Field history.

Nimmo Named to Senior Watch List
Nebraska center fielder Bryce Nimmo was selected as one of 30 candidates for the 2008 Lowe’s Senior Class Award on March 10.  Presented annually to NCAA Division I student-athletes in eight sports, the award focuses on the “Four C’s” of classroom, character, community and competition.

A three-year starter at center field, Nimmo is hitting .344 with a homer, 15 RBIs and 30 runs scored. In addition to his success on the diamond, he is a two-time academic All-Big 12 selection who carries a 3.51 GPA in finance. He has been named to the Big 12’s Commissioner’s Honor Roll in all seven semesters at Nebraska. He was not chosen as one of the 10 finalists for the award that was announced last week.

Dorn Named to Clemens Award List
Senior right-hander Johnny Dorn received another honor on March 6, as he was named to the Roger Clemens Award Watch List. Dorn is among the 78 players on the initial watch list, which will be paired down to 10 semifinalists in May. In all, nine Big 12 players were on the initial watch list.

Making the Grade by Baseball America
As part of Baseball America’s preview, the publication graded the schools in the top eight conferences (ACC, SEC, Big 12, Pac-10, Big Ten, Big East, Big West and C-USA) in four areas - national impact, competitiveness, fans and facilities and academics - during the 64-team NCAA era.

Nebraska was one of 16 programs to receive an A from the publication and joined Texas as the only two Big 12 programs to receive an A. As a conference, the Big 12 tied the ACC for second place in that era.

Six Draftees on 2008 Roster
Nebraska’s 2008 roster boasts a total of six Huskers who have been previously selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Four of the players were picked in last year’s draft, including Thad Weber, who was chosen in the 35th round, but elected to return for his senior year.

Huskers Feature Players from 12 States
The 34 members of the 2008 roster hail from 12 states from coast to coast. There are a total of 12 players from Nebraska on the roster, including six from the Omaha metro area and two from Lincoln.

Huskers Tabbed for Sixth in Big 12
The Nebraska baseball team was picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 by a vote of the league coaches released on Feb. 20. The Huskers, coming off a season where they went 32-27 and reached the finals of the NCAA Tempe Regional, totaled 36 points in voting.

Texas was the choice of the league’s coaches, garnering 80 points in the preseason voting and eight of the 10 first-pace votes. Missouri (71) and Baylor (65) received the other two votes, as coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams. The rest of the order was Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Tech.

The Coaching Staff
Nebraska shuffled its coaching staff in the offseason, adding pitching coach Eric Newman, while shifting Dave Bingham over to handle the Huskers’ defensive efforts. The three full-time coaches on the Nebraska staff have combined for over 1,100 wins.

Dave Bingham - Serves as the Huskers’ defensive coordinator, overseeing team defense and working with the Husker infielders.

Eric Newman - Is in his first season as Nebraska’s pitching coach after serving as the head coach at Dallas Baptist the past three seasons. Newman, who compiled a 95-72 record at DBU, is a California native who pitched collegiately at both Fresno State and Texas Tech.

Nate Thompson - Begins his first season as Nebraska’s volunteer coach and works primarily with the infielders and assists with the hitters. Thompson comes to NU after serving as an assistant coach at Fort Hays State in 2007. He played for Coach Newman at Dallas Baptist and was a student assistant at the school in 2006. Thompson coaches first base.

Husker Baseball on Television
The Husker baseball program will make at least 10 appearances on television during the 2008 season. The broadcast schedule featured five games produced by Nebraska Educational Television (NET and NET-HD) as well as two nationally televised games as part of the Big 12’s television package.