Kelli Linke Season 2008

Sophomore Season [2009]
Kelli Linke (pronounced LINK-ee) emerged as the Huskers' starting designated player through the latter half of her sophomore season. Linke started 18 games on the season, including 15 as the designated player. On the season, Linke batted .250 with five doubles, one home run and 15 RBIs, all of which were career highs. Linke also drew 14 walks to post a .386 on-base percentage. When on base, Linke scored five runs after scoring just once run in 2008. A Lincoln native, Linke was outstanding during Big 12 play, appearing in 17 of the Huskers' 18 conference games, including 10 starts. Despite fewer at bats than her teammates during the league season, Linke led the team in average (.361), doubles (three), RBIs (10), slugging percentage (.528) and on-base percentage (.452). Her .361 Big 12 average ranked seventh in the league. Linke also saw time int eh field as she started three games at first base for the injured Crystal Carwile, and she was perfect defensively in 11 chances on the year.

Freshman Season [2008]
Linke earned playing time as the designated player and as a top pinch-hitter as a freshman ... earned an at bat in 40 games, while starting 17 games as the designated player ... went 11-for-48 (.229) as the designated player and 3-for-21(.143) as a pinch hitter ... joined Haley Long as the only Huskers to hit a single, double, triple and home run on the season ... was one of only four Huskers to hit a home run on the season ... hit a team-high .375 against left-handed pitching ... also led NU with three pinch hits ... pinch hit against California to make her career debut in the season opener ... started the next game that same day and went 1-for-3 while recording her first career hit and walk ... added another 1-for-3 performance against Memphis the next day ... recorded her first career RBI with a pinch-hit single against then-No. 23 North Carolina ... earned a start in her next game, finishing 1-for-3 against Syracuse ... recorded a pinch-hit single against BYU before recording a pinch-hit double to mark her first career extra-base hit two days later against Southern Utah ... drew a pinch-hit walk with the bases loaded to earn an RBI at Creighton ... added another RBI as part of a 1-for-3 day against Northern Iowa in game two of a doubleheader ... hit her first career home run against Creighton at Bowlin Stadium ... also scored her first career run against the Bluejays ... produced her first career Big 12 hit with an RBI triple against defending Big 12 champion Baylor ... also marked her first career Big 12 RBI and first career triple ... went 1-for-3 in both games of a two-game conference series at Oklahoma State ... went 1-for-3 in her next game against North Dakota State to extend her hitting streak to a career-best three games ... also recorded two RBIs against the Bison to mark her first career multi-RBI game ... made a somewhat-surprising career pitching debut in game two at Oklahoma State, allowing one hit in 1.1 scoreless innings.

Before Nebraska
Linke enjoyed a standout prep career at Lincoln Northeast High School ... was one of two freshmen from Lincoln to join the team in 2008 ... was named a two-time first-team Super State selection by the Lincoln Journal Star ... as a junior in 2005, hit .437 with 59 hits, 35 runs scored, 37 RBIs and 11 doubles ... in her senior season at Northeast, Linke led the Heartland Conference with a .509 average, 11 doubles, seven triples, nine home runs, 37 runs scored and 34 RBIs, while earning her second straight first-team Super State selection ... was also named a first-team high school All-American by the NFCA following her stellar senior season ... joined fellow freshman Ashley Guile as an NFCA high school All-American ... selected to participate in the Nebraska Coaches Association All-Star Game in the summer of 2007 ... helped lead the Red team to a 5-1 victory with an RBI hit ... her RBI hit scored fellow NU sophomore Heidi Foland.

Personal
Kelli Anne Linke is the daughter of Dennis Linke and Carol Maasdam and was born Dec. 28, 1988, in Lincoln. Kelli has one sister, Katie (24), who started 60 career games for the Huskers from 2003 to 2006. Just as her sister did for four years, Kelli is wearing No. 59. Kelli is majoring in merchandising, with a minor in marketing.

Year

Avg.

GP-GS

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

BB

SO

OB%

SLG%

SB-ATT

FLD%

2008

.206

40-17

68

1

14

1

1

1

7

3

13

.239

.294

0-0

1.000

2009

.250

38-18

68

5

17

5

0

1

15

14

10

.386

.368

0-0

1.000

Total

.228

78-35

136

6

31

6

1

2

22

17

23

.318

.331

0-0

1.000