2007 Nebraska Baseball Weekly Release

Transcription

1 2007 Nebraska Baseball Weekly Release 2007 Baseball Schedule Hilton Arlington UTA Invitational Feb. 16 New Mexico W, 6-2 Feb. 16 New Mexico L, 2-6 Feb. 17 at Texas-Arlington W, 5-4 Feb. 18 Illinois State W, 7-3 Rice Invitational Feb. 23 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi W, 9-1 Feb. 24 at No. 6 Rice L, 5-9 Feb. 25 No. 28 Florida Atlantic W, 8-7 Stetson Invitational March 2 Iowa Noon March 3 Notre Dame 2 p.m. March 3 at Stetson 6 p.m. March 6 Nebraska-Kearney 1:35 p.m. March 9 at Alabama 6:30 p.m. March 10 at Alabama 4 p.m. March 11 at Alabama 11 a.m. March 13 Wayne State 1:05 p.m. March 15 at Texas Tech # 6:30 p.m. March 16 at Texas Tech # 6:30 p.m. March 17 at Texas Tech # 2 p.m. March 20 Western Illinois 1:35 p.m. March 21 Western Illinois 1:35 p.m. March 23 Missouri # 1:35 p.m. March 24 Missouri # 1:05 p.m. March 25 Missouri # 1:05 p.m. March 27 Northern Colorado 6:35 p.m. March 28 Northern Colorado 1:35 p.m. March 30 at Texas A&M # 6:30 p.m. March 31 at Texas A&M # 2 p.m. April 1 at Texas A&M # 1 p.m. April 3 at Creighton 6:35 p.m. April 5 Oklahoma State # 6:35 p.m. April 6 Oklahoma State # 6:35 p.m. April 7 Oklahoma State # 1:05 p.m. April 10 Iowa 6:05 p.m. April 11 at Wichita State 7 p.m. April 13 at Oklahoma # 7 p.m. April 14 at Oklahoma # (FSN) 3 p.m. April 15 at Oklahoma # 1 p.m. April 17 Creighton 6:35 p.m. April 20 Texas # 6:35 p.m. April 21 Texas # (FSN) 3 p.m. April 22 Texas # 1:05 p.m. April 24 North Dakota State 6:35 p.m. April 25 North Dakota State 1:35 p.m. April 27 Kansas State # 6:35 p.m. April 28 Kansas State # 2:05 p.m. April 29 Kansas State # 1:05 p.m. May 4 Coastal Carolina 6:35 p.m. May 5 Coastal Carolina 2:05 p.m. May 6 Coastal Carolina 1:05 p.m. May 11 Baylor # 6:35 p.m. May 12 Baylor # 2:05 p.m. May 13 Baylor # 1:05 p.m. May 15 vs. Creighton 7:05 p.m. May 18 at Kansas # 7 p.m. May 19 at Kansas # 6 p.m. May 20 at Kansas # 5 p.m. May Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship TBA June 1-4 NCAA Regionals TBA June 8-12 NCAA Super Regionals TBA June College World Series TBA #-Big 12 games; All times listed are Central and subject to change; FSN-Fox Sport Net Baseball Contact: Shamus McKnight smcknight@huskers.com Office Phone: (402) Office Fax: (402) Home Phone: (402) Cell Phone: (402) Release Date: Feb. 28, 2007 This Week in Nebraska Baseball Feb. 26-March Record (5-2, 0-0 Big 12) National Rankings: 7 (CB) 18 (BA) 12 (Sports Weekly) 13 (NCBWA) Weekend Schedule - at Stetson Invitational Day Date NU Rank Matchup Location Radio Time Friday March 2 7/18/12 vs. Iowa (1-1) Deland, Fla. Husker Sports Network Noon Saturday March 3 7/18/12 vs. Notre Dame (2-4) Deland, Fla. Husker Sports Network 2 p.m. Saturday March 3 7/18/12 at Stetson (9-3) Deland, Fla. Husker Sports Network 6 p.m. Polls are in the following order: Collegiate Baseball/Baseball America/Sports Weekly Husker Pitching Probables Opponent Pitching Probables Fri. Tony Watson, Jr., LHP (1-0, 1.50 ERA, 4K, 6.0 IP) Iowa Steve Turnbull, So., RHP (0-0, 4.50 ERA, 4 K, 4 IP) Sat.-1 Drew Bowman, So., LHP (1-0, 3.00 ERA, 7 K, 9.0 IP) ND Wade Korpi, Jr., LHP (1-1, 3.72 ERA, 8 K, 9.2 IP) Sat.-2 Johnny Dorn, Jr., RHP (1-1, 5.73 ERA, 9 K, 11.0 IP) Stetson Chris Ingoglia, Sr., LHP (1-1, 3.29 ERA, 15 K, 16.2 IP) Following the Huskers This Week Live Radio: Husker Sports Network (see list on page 4 and on Huskers.com) Live Stats: Huskers.com Live Video: HuskersNside (subscription required) Huskers Wrap Up Road Swing in Florida In over a century of baseball at the University of Nebraska, the Husker baseball team has played in many places around the country. Surprisingly, Florida is not one of the them, but the Huskers will rectify that situation this weekend, as the No. 7 Huskers travel to Deland, Fla., for the Stetson Invitational. The three-day tournament will feature the host Hatters (9-3), along with Notre Dame (2-4) and Iowa (1-1). This weekend s trip to Florida not only is the Huskers first visit to the Sunshine state, but wraps up a 10-game road trip to begin the 2007 season. The Huskers will take on Iowa in the first of two matchups this season on Friday, March 2, at Noon (central). On Saturday, the Huskers will play both Notre Dame (2 p.m.) and Stetson (6 p.m.). All three games will be played at Melching Field on Stetson s campus. Every game this weekend will be carried on the Husker Sports Network - the first of 49 games on the network during the 2007 season - and on Huskers.com with Jim Rose and Randy Lee calling all of the action. Fans should contact their local Husker Sports Network affiliate for broadcast information. Saturday s game against Notre Dame will be joined in progress following the conclusion of the NU- Colorado men s basketball game, scheduled for 12:30 p.m. tipoff. Fans can also watch all three games live on HuskersNside (subscription required) as the website will carry nearly all of the Huskers 2007 schedule, both home and away. Live stats will be on Huskers.com. Tournament Schedule Friday, March 2 Noon Nebraska vs. Iowa 6 p.m. Notre Dame vs. Stetson Saturday, March 3 10 a.m. Stetson vs. Iowa 2 p.m. Nebraska vs. Notre Dame 6 p.m. Nebraska vs. Stetson Sunday, March 4 10 a.m. Notre Dame vs. Iowa Nebraska is 5-2 on the season and comes off an 8-7 victory over No. 27 Florida Atlantic Sunday to complete a 2-1 weekend. In that game, Ryan Wehrle homered and drove in three runs, while the Husker bullpen preserved a one-run lead with three shutout innings. The Huskers opened the tournament with a 9-1 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi before suffering a 9-5 loss to No. 6 Rice the following afternoon. Even in the loss, the Huskers tagged a Rice pitching staff for five runs after it entered the contest with a 1.69 ERA in their first 11 games. NU remained seventh in the Collegiate Baseball poll on Monday and moved from 19th to 18th in Baseball America. The Husker Position Players Pos. # Player Bats Cl. Avg. HR RBI Worth Noting C 8 Jeff Lanning R So st career 3-hit game vs. UTA; Northwoods League All-Star ( ) C 45 Mark Hightower R Jr Started vs. Illinois St. on Sun.; Former walk-on now on scholarship C 13 Mitch Abeita R Jr at North Central (Texas) College in B 18 Andrew Brown R Sr Homered in 1st AB at TAMUCC; 3-for-4 with 2 2B vs. FAU 1B/RHP 14 Thad Weber R Jr for-4 w/2rbi and 2 scoreless innings vs. TAMUCC 2B 3 Jake Opitz L Jr Big 12 Player of the Week (.600 with 5 runs in 3 games) SS 10 Ryan Wehrle R Jr Third-team All-American in 2006; 18th round draft pick 3B 2 Jake Mort R So fielding pct. in 2006 was best by NU 3B in 20 years 3B 15 Craig Corriston R Jr st-team all-conference at Paris (Texas) JC ( ) 3B 19 Jeff Tezak S Jr st-team JC All-American ( ) at Palomar JC UTL/RHP 9 Steve Edlefsen R Jr Tied NU record with 6 hits and hit for cycle vs. Iowa in 2006 OF 12 Andy Gerch R Jr hit day vs. ISU on 2/18; honorable-mention All-Big 12 OF 21 Nick Sullivan L So run triple vs. No. 6 Rice; GPA in business admin. OF 24 Bryce Nimmo L Jr game hit streak; 9th in the Big 12 with 16 SB in 2006 OF 4 DJ Belfonte L Fr True freshman has team-high seven walks and.560 OBP OF 38 John Lee L R-Fr Career.427 hitter at Mason City (Iowa) HS; GPA in chemistry

2 Nebraska Baseball 2007 Weekly Release #3 Page 2 Feb. 28, 2007 Huskers.com Head Coach Mike Anderson - Fifth Season Northern Colorado, (.714) Record 2003 & 2005 Big 12 Coach of the Year Mike Anderson is in his fifth year as Nebraska s head baseball coach after becoming the 23rd head coach in the program s history on June 21, He has guided the Husker program to two Big 12 titles (2003 and 2005), three NCAA Regionals and the school s third College World Series appearance since Since joining the Nebraska staff in the fall of 1994, he has coached a total of 22 first-team all-conference honorees, while 32 of his former players have signed pro contracts. Anderson has coached eight players who have reached the Major Leagues, including MLB All-Stars Darin Erstad and Ken Harvey, and eight All-Americans, including 2005 National Player of the Year Alex Gordon. The 2006 season saw the Huskers continue their success under Anderson, as Nebraska compiled a record and reached an NCAA Regional for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. Three Husker players - Luke Gorsett, Tony Watson and Ryan Wehrle - garnered All-America honors. In 2005, the Huskers swept the Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles en route to a school-record 57 wins. The Huskers had three All-Americans, led by consensus national player of the year Alex Gordon, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2005 MLB Draft, along with pitchers Joba Chamberlain and Johnny Dorn. In 2003, Anderson guided NU to a record and a 20-7 Big 12 record, earning Big 12 Coach-of-the-Year accolades. In 2004, the Huskers finished 36-23, while Gordon was a first-team All-American and named to Team USA, the first Husker honored in nearly 20 years. The Huskers led the Big 12 in hitting in each of Anderson s final four seasons as an assistant, including a.338 team average in The Huskers led the Big 12 in seven offensive categories in 2002, including batting average, hits and runs. In 2001, Anderson coached a Husker offense that ranked in the top 10 nationally in both team average and runs. As the outfielders coach, Anderson has coached three All-Americans and seven all-conference selections, including Jeff Leise, who was a first-team All-American in Anderson s commitment to his student-athletes also extends to the classroom. Over the past 12 years, the Huskers have placed 54 players on the first-team allconference squad. NU has had 10 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and 15 first-team academic all-district selections since Before arriving in the fall of 1994, Anderson was the top assistant coach at the University of Northern Colorado. He joined the Bears staff after four years as a head coach with the Northern Colorado Lab School. From 1983 through 1986, Anderson was an outfielder at UNC for College Hall of Fame Coach Tom Petroff. Anderson was an eighth-round pick by the California Angels, spending four seasons with the Angels organization. He earned a bachelor s degree in physical education from Northern Colorado in Year-by-Year Totals Year Overall (Pct.) Big 12 (Pct.) (.723) 20-7 (.741) (.610) (.407) (792) 19-8 (.704) (.712) (.630) (.714) 0-0 (.000) Totals (.714) (.620) Big 12 Preseason Polls Collegiate Baseball Baseball America Big 12 Coaches No. Team No. Team No. Team 1. Texas 1. Texas 1. Texas 2. Nebraska 2. Nebraska 2. Oklahoma State 3. Baylor 3. Oklahoma State 3. Nebraska 4. Oklahoma State 4. Oklahoma 4. Baylor 5. Oklahoma 5. Baylor 5. Oklahoma 6. Texas Tech 6. Texas Tech 6. Texas Tech 7. Texas A&M 7. Texas A&M 7. Texas A&M 8. Missouri 8. Missouri 8. Missouri 9. Kansas 9. Kansas State 9. Kansas 10. Kansas State 10. Kansas 10. Kansas State Pitcher of the Year Tony Watson, Nebraska Tony Watson, Nebraska None Selected Player of the Year Tyler Mach, Oklahoma State Jordan Danks, Texas None Selected Weekend Rotation at Stetson Invitational #11 - Tony Watson Jr. LHP Grimes, Iowa A returning All-American and one of the country s top pitchers, Watson makes his second start of the year on Friday Picked as the Big 12 Preseason Pitcher of the Year by both Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America Pitched well in the 2007 opener, allowing one run on four hits over six innings against New Mexico Fanned four and retired 12 in a row during one stretch Spent the summer in the Cape Cod League, going 5-2 with a 2.44 ERA and earning all-star honors Drafted in the 17th round by the Baltimore Orioles in 2006 Posted a 10-2 mark in 2006 with a 2.87 ERA in a team-high innings Ranked among the Big 12 leaders in nearly every pitching category, including ERA (third), wins (fourth), opponent batting average (.236, fifth) and innings (seventh) Earned Freshman All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball in 2005, going 6-1 with a 2.82 ERA Missed all of 2004 after shoulder surgery Totaled a 29-9 record and 513 strikeouts, the eighth-highest total in Iowa high school baseball history Went 9-0 with three saves and a miniscule 0.10 ERA in 2003, striking out 148 hitters in 69 innings TOTAL #28 - Drew Bowman So. LHP Morrison, Colo. Bowman makes his second career start at Nebraska Saturday morning against the Fighting Irish Is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in three appearances, spanning nine innings Collected his first win in a spot start against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Feb. 23, allowing one run and scattering six hits over six innings Fanned three without a walk against the Islanders Fanned three over two innings of work against Illinois State on Feb. 18 and threw a shutout inning against New Mexico on Feb. 15 Spent two seasons at Arizona State, going 0-1 with a 6.08 ERA in 14 appearances in 2006 Pitched for the Liberal (Kan.) Bee Jays in the summer of 2006, helping Liberal to the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series Was 3-1 with a 1.99 ERA in five games, striking out 27 over 36.1 innings while holding foes to a.173 average Played three seasons of baseball at Dakota Ridge High School Ranked as the No. 14 high school prospect heading into his senior year and the No. 30 prospect heading into the 2004 MLB Draft by TeamOneBaseball.com Named the Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year in 2004, going 8-3 with two saves and a state-best 0.75 ERA and 117 strikeouts TOTAL #23 - Johnny Dorn Jr. RHP Grand Island, Neb. Dorn is the veteran of the Husker pitching staff, compiling a 22-6 career record to rank fifth on NU s career wins list Earned the win in his last start against Florida Atlantic on Feb. 25, allowing seven runs over six innings to a potent Florida Atlantic lineup Was a hard-luck loser against New Mexico on Feb. 16, allowing one earned run on three hits over five innings Joined Watson in pitching for the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod league in 2006 Went 9-4 with a 3.89 ERA in 14 starts for the Big Red, earning second-team All-Big 12 accolades Ranked among the Big 12 leaders in wins (sixth), shutouts (one, third), complete games (two, fourth) and ERA (17th) Earned third-team All-America honors in 2005, going 12-2 with a 2.16 ERA Led all freshmen nationally in wins and topped Big 12 rookies in nearly every pitching category Finished seventh nationally in wins and ranked in the top five of the Big 12 in wins (first), ERA (fifth) and opponent batting average (.199, fifth) 2004 Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year, going 9-1 with a 1.15 ERA while fanning 92 in 60 innings TOTAL

3 Leading Off -The three northern schools (Nebraska, Iowa and Notre Dame) are separated by 546 miles on Interstate 80, but will all travel at least 900 miles for this weekend s tournament at Stetson. Distance NU Iowa ND Stetson Lincoln Iowa City South Bend Deland The Huskers and Hawkeyes will meet up again for the second time this season on Tuesday, April 10, at Hawks Field in the continuation of a home-and-home series started in Prior to that meeting, Nebraska and Iowa had not met on the diamond since The Huskers have a two-game winning streak against the Fighting Irish, including an 11-1 victory at the 2006 Dairy Queen Classic in Minneapolis. In that game, Luke Gorsett became the first Husker baseball player to hit for the cycle in over a decade. -The Huskers have finished.500 or better in each of the last five pre-conference tournaments they have participated in dating back to the start of the 2006 season. -Getting off to fast starts is not uncommon for the Huskers, who have scored at least one run in the first inning in six of their seven games this season. NU is outscoring opponents 12-2 in the first inning of games this season. -The Huskers received a boost from the return of first baseman Andrew Brown to the lineup. The senior hit.455 with a homer and four RBIs at Rice last weekend, helping the Huskers average over seven runs per game. -Jake Opitz earned Big 12 Player-of-the-Week honors Monday after hitting.600 (6-for-10) with five runs scored over the weekend. It is his first career Big 12 honor. -Nebraska has scored at least one run in each of its last 197 games dating back to the start of the 2004 campaign. The streak is the longest in the Big 12, while NU has scored in 528 of the last 529 games dating back to Nebraska is one of only seven teams in all of Division I baseball to post team ERAs below 4.00 in each of the last five years, joining Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, Oral Roberts, Rice, Texas and Wichita State. -After 23 practices indoors to start the season, the Huskers worked out for the first time outdoors in Arlington on Feb. 15, going straight from the airport to the UTA ballpark. NU has yet to practice at Hawks Field this season. Feb Tues. PRACTICE 2-4 p.m. Feb Wed. PRACTICE 2-4 p.m. Nebraska Baseball 2007 Weekly Release #3 Page 3 Feb. 28, 2007 Huskers.com Weekend Review The Huskers acquitted themselves well against a stout field, posting a 2-1 record against nationally ranked Rice and Florida Atlantic and a Texas A&M- Corpus Christi team that was 9-1 heading into the tournament. Friday (NU 9, TAMUCC 1): Drew Bowman held Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to one run over six innings, leading NU to a 9-1 victory. Bowman, starting in place of Tony Watson, scattered seven hits and retired 14 of 15 during one stretch en route to his first win as a Husker. NU took control from the start, jumping out to a 5-0 lead after two innings and used a 3-for-4 effort from Jake Opitz to pace a 12-hit outburst. Andrew Brown and Thad Weber also had two RBIs apiece with Brown opening the scoring with his first homer of the year. Saturday (Rice 9, Nebraska 5): The Huskers jumped to a five-run lead against No. 6 Rice, but could not hold on, as the Owls rallied for a 9-5 victory at the Rice Invitational Saturday at Reckling Park. Jeff Tezak, Ryan Wehrle and Jake Optiz all enjoyed two-hit days for NU, while Nick Sullivan finished with two RBIs in a losing effort. NU starter Charlie Shirek was tagged for the loss, allowing six runs two earned over 3.2 innings. Sunday (NU 8, Florida Atlantic 7): Ryan Wehrle went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs, while four relievers combined on three innings of shutout relief to preserve NU s 8-7 win over No. 27 Florida Atlantic on Sunday.Wehrle belted his second homer of the year to highlight NU s 13-hit outburst, while Andrew Brown and Andy Gerch enjoyed three-hit days for the Huskers. The Husker bullpen was the big story, squelching FAU rallies in both the seventh and ninth innings. Steve Edlefsen hurled 2.1 innings of shutout ball, while Zach Herr and Erik Bird recorded the final two outs. Bird got NU out of a two-on, two-out jam in the ninth for his third save. Scouting this Weekend s Opponents Iowa (1-1): The Hawkeyes are 1-1 on the season after splitting a pair of games with Arkansas State over the weekend. Under former Creighton coach Jack Dahm, Iowa returned seven starters and eight pitchers from a team that finished with a record last season. The Hawkeyes are led by shortstop Jason White, who hit.500 with four walks over the weekend and first baseman Wes Freie, who batted.429 with a homer and four RBIs in the Hawkeyes opening weekend. Catcher Dusty Napoleon led UI with 34 RBIs in Steve Turnbull, a sophomore right-hander who will face NU on Friday, allowed three runs on four hits over four innings in his Media Weekly Planner (Feb. 27-March 5) March 1 - Thurs. TRAVEL DAY Leave Lincoln at 7 a.m. PRACTICE TBA March 2 - Fri. GAME DAY vs. Iowa, Noon Radio: Husker Sports Network/Huskers.com Video: HuskersNside March 3 - Sat. GAME DAY vs. Notre Dame, 1 p.m. vs. Stetson, 6 p.m. Radio: Husker Sports Network/Huskers.com Video: HuskersNside Big 12 Standings (Feb. 27) Team Big 12 Pct. Overall Pct. Texas A&M Kansas State Nebraska Texas Tech Oklahoma State Baylor Texas Kansas Oklahoma MissourI Upcoming Schedule Wed., Feb. 28 Wichita State at Oklahoma March 4- Sun. TRAVEL DAY 5 p.m. Fri., March 2 Baylor vs. San Francisco 12 p.m. Kansas State vs. St. John s 1 p.m. Nebraska vs. Iowa 1 p.m. Oral Roberts at Texas 2:30 p.m. UC-Riverside at Oklahoma 3 p.m. Oregon State at Texas A&M 6:30 p.m. Cal St. Northridge at Texas Tech 6:30 p.m. Nicholls State at Oklahoma State 6:30 p.m. Youngstown State at Missouri 6:30 p.m. Sat., March 3 Kansas State at Lamar 2 p.m. Cal State Northridge at Texas Tech 2 p.m. Nicholls State at Oklahoma State 2 p.m. Oral Roberts at Texas 2 p.m. Western Illinois at Kansas 2 p.m. Youngstown State at Missouri 2 p.m. Nebraska vs. Notre Dame 3 p.m. UC Riverside at Oklahoma 3 p.m. Baylor at Pacific 4 p.m. Saint Louis at Texas A&M 6:30 p.m. Nebraska at Stetson 7 p.m. Sun., March 4 Kansas State vs. UCSB 11 a.m. Baylor vs. San Diego State 12 p.m. Western Illinois at Kansas 12 p.m. Cal State Northridge at Texas Tech 1 p.m. Nicholls State at Oklahoma State 1 p.m. Oral Roberts at Texas 1 p.m. UC Riverside at Oklahoma 1 p.m. Youngstown State at Missouri 1 p.m. Western Illinois at Kansas 2 p.m. New Mexico at Texas A&M 6:30 p.m. Mon., March 5 BYU at Kansas State 2 p.m. Oregon State at Texas A&M 2:30 p.m. Tue., March 6 Nebraska-Kearney at Nebraska 1:35 p.m. BYU at Kansas State 2 p.m. Creighton at Oklahoma 3 p.m. TAMU Corpus Christi at Texas A&M 4 p.m. Oklahoma State at Texas-Arlington 5 p.m. Texas State at Baylor 6:30 p.m. UL-Monroe at Missouri 6:30 p.m. UNLV at Texas Tech 6:30 p.m. March 5- Mon. TBA - Depending on Weather

4 Nebraska Baseball 2007 Weekly Release #3 Page 4 Feb. 28, 2007 Huskers.com Husker Baseball on the Radio The University of Nebraska Athletic Department and the Husker Sports Network announced that nearly 50 regular-season games will be carried live on the Husker Sports Network during the 2007 season. The 49-game broadcast schedule will begin on Friday, March 2, live from Deland, Fla., as the Huskers take on Iowa. Jim Rose and Randy Lee will form the regular broadcast team with Sports Nightly s Lane Grindle a part of the broadcast lineup for selected games. The Husker Sports Network will carry all 27 Big 12 contests and 22 non-conference matchups, including games against Notre Dame, Stetson, Alabama, Wayne State, Nebraska-Kearney, Western Illinois, Northern Colorado, Creighton, Wichita State, North Dakota State and Coastal Carolina. The broadcast schedule, which also includes any Big 12 Championship and NCAA Tournament game the Huskers participate in, is the most extensive in school history. Beginning March 2, every Husker game will be produced by the Husker Sports Network, heard on Huskers.com and available to Husker Sports Network stations across the state. Nebraska s non-conference midweek afternoon games will be offered to network stations, but are guaranteed to be available on Huskers.com. For the 2007 season, the Husker Sports Network has a 22-station network for baseball, including flagship stations KLIN 1400 AM in Lincoln, KFAB 1110 AM in Omaha and KRVN 880 AM in Lexington. Both KFAB and KRVN are 50,000-watt stations and combine to reach most of the Midwest. In addition to the radio broadcasts, the Husker Sports Network will also carry Coach Anderson s radio show for a second year. The hour-long show across the state will air from 7 to 8 p.m. (central) on Monday nights beginning March Husker Sports Network Baseball Stations City Station Frequency Ainsworth KBRB 1400 AM Alliance KCOW 1400 AM Beatrice KWBE 1450 AM Chadron KCSR 610 AM Falls City KTNC 1230 AM Fremont KHUB/KFMT 1340 AM/105.5 FM Grand Island KRGI 1430 AM Holdrege KUVR 1430 AM Kearney KGFW 1340 AM Kimball KIMB 1260 AM Lexington KRVN 880 AM Lincoln KLIN 1400 AM McCook KSWN 93.9 FM Norfolk KNEN 94.7 FM North Platte KODY 1240 AM Ogallala KOGA 930 AM Omaha KFAB 1110 AM Scottsbluff KNEB 960 AM Sidney KSID 1340 AM Valentine KVSH 940 AM West Point KTIC 840 AM Contact your local Husker Sports Network affiliate for broadcast availability. first start of the year. Last season, he compiled a 1-2 mark with a 5.82 ERA in 15 appearances. Nebraska leads the all-time series, 7-3, including both matchups since the series was renewed in Last Season vs. Iowa: Jake Opitz produced five hits and five RBIs, including the game-winning tworun single in the top of the 13th to lead Nebraska to a victory in Iowa City. Opitz s final hit made a winner of Jon Klausing (2-0), who pitched four innings of scoreless relief in his first outing in nearly a month. Along with Opitz s gaudy numbers at the plate, Steve Edlefsen erupted for one of the best individual nights by a Nebraska hitter in school history. Entering the game, Edlefsen had just six hits in 37 at-bats, but doubled his total with six hits against the Hawkeyes, including his first career homer while hitting for Nebraska s second cycle of the season. Edlefsen s six hits tied a Nebraska record last matched by John Cole. Brandon Buckman reached base all eight times he came to the plate, including his 10th home run of the season. Notre Dame (2-4): Notre Dame is 2-4 on the season after two straight weekends on the road. The Fighting Irish returned 18 letterwinners, including 10 pitchers from a team that went and advanced to the Lexington Regional last season. Infielder Brett Lilley is a two-time All-Big East performer at third base who moved to shortstop this season. Designated hitter Mike Drury leads Notre Dame with a.364 average and four RBIs, as only three regulars are hitting above.300. Right-hander Wade Korpi was tabbed as the Big East Preseason Pitcher of the Year by Collegiate Baseball after going 7-2 with a 2.00 ERA in This season, he is 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA, fanning eight in 9.2 innings of work. The Huskers trail the all-time series, 10-3, but have won the last two meetings, both taking place at the Metrodome in Minneapolis (2003 and 2006). Last Season vs. Notre Dame: Luke Gorsett became the first Husker to hit for the cycle since 1995, propelling NU to an 11-1 victory in the tournament opener. Gorsett went 4-for-5 with a single in the first, a homer in the third and a double in the fourth before completing the cycle with a triple to left center in the eighth. Gorsett s performance nearly overshadowed another dominant performance from Joba Chamberlain, who silenced Notre Dame s offense attack, holding the Fighting Irish to just three singles. NU pounded out 17 hits including three by center fielder Bryce Nimmo, who went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, and two each by Nick Jaros, Andy Gerch and Jeff Christy as NU built a 9-0 cushion after four innings. Stetson (9-3): The Hatters have gotten off to an impressive start, going 9-3 during the first month of the season. Stetson, which went a year ago, was also a postseason team in 2006, advancing to the Atlanta Regional. Under head Coach Pete Dunn, who has over 1,000 career wins at the school, the Hatters already have series wins over LSU and Louisville this season and come off a 10-3 win over 2006 NCAA Regional participant Bethune-Cookman on Tuesday. Offensively, Stetson is hitting.298 as a team with four starters over.300. Third baseman Braedyn Pruitt has been one of the sparkplugs to the offense, hitting.422 with two homers and 13 RBIs. He is joined by center fielder Shane Jordan, who is batting.413 with 15 runs scored and a team-high four stolen bases. The Hatters have a team ERA of 3.08 through 12 games with four starters posting ERAs under Senior Lefthander Chris Ingoglia will start against the Huskers on Saturday. Closer Blake Marsocci has three saves and a 2.45 ERA in six outings. The two teams have met just once before, a 16-5 victory by Nebraska on March 22, Quick Look at Nebraska Offense: The Huskers enter the weekend fourth in the Big 12 with a.303 team batting average. NU features three of the top-20 hitters in the conference in junior college transfer Thad Weber (.389, eighth), junior outfielder Andy Gerch (.379, 13th) and junior second baseman Jake Opitz (.360, 18th). Junior college transfer Craig Corriston tops NU with seven RBIs, while All-American shortstop Ryan Wehrle has two of the Huskers four round trippers. Pitching: Nebraska is fifth in the Big 12 with a team ERA of 3.69 through Tuesday s games. NU hurlers have allowed four runs or less four times in its first seven games and are holding opponents to a.248 average. Junior Matt Foust ranks seventh in the Big 12 with a 2.25 ERA while sophomore left-hander Drew Bowman is 19th with a 3.00 ERA. Closer Erik Bird has accounted for three of NU s four saves, as the Huskers are third among Big 12 teams in that category despite playing the fewest games of any big 12 team. Opitz Earns Big 12 Award Second baseman Jake Opitz was named Big 12 Player of the Week Monday for his performance at the Rice Invitational over the weekend. It is the first weekly honor for Opitz, a junior from Littleton, Colo. Opitz hit.600 (6-for-10) with five runs scored, one RBI and a pair of doubles in helping the Huskers to a 2-1 week, highlighted by a win over nationally-ranked Florida Atlantic. Optiz, who also drew three weeks, finished the weekend with a.692 on-base percentage. Against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, he went 3-for-4, scored three times and went 2-for-2 with a pair of walks against sixth-ranked Rice on Saturday. Welcome Back Brown After missing the opening weekend of the season, senior Andrew Brown made a smashing 2007 debut over the weekend. The senior from Carrollton, Texas, belted a two-run homer in his first at-bat of the season, sparking a 9-1 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The only senior among NU s position players, Brown finished the weekend with a.455 average, four RBIs and four runs scored, helping the Huskers average over seven runs per game. In his last 19 games dating back to last season, Brown is hitting.370 with six homers and 15 RBIs. Edlefsen, Weber Provide Dual Threats If the first two weeks of the season are any indication, the Huskers will rely on the two-way talents of Thad Weber and Steve Edlefsen during Weber, a junior college All-American at Hutchinson (Kan.) CC, has been one of the Huskers top hitters so far, batting.389 with six RBIs. He started NU s first four games at first base and can also DH for the Huskers. Against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Feb. 23, he went

5 Nebraska Baseball 2007 Weekly Release #3 Page 5 Feb. 28, 2007 Huskers.com 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, while also coming out of the bullpen, fanning three Islanders over two shutout frames in his first mound appearance of the year. Edlefsen, who can play nearly every position on the diamond, shined out of the bullpen last weekend, tossing 3.1 innings of one-hit relief. Against Florida Atlantic, Edlefsen went a career long 2.1 innings to help preserve a one-run lead. He then moved to left field for the final two outs of the game. Edlefsen, who had not pitched since high school prior to this season, has a 2.25 ERA in three appearances. Bird Cages Opponents One Husker pitcher in a new role this season is sophomore closer Erik Bird. The right-hander from Omaha worked as NU s set-up man for All-Big 12 closer Brett Jensen in 2006, but has seamlessly moved into the closer s role this spring. Bird is 3-for-3 in save situations, as he preserved NU s 8-7 win over No. 27 Florida Atlantic on Feb. 25. He is second in the Big 12 with three saves and is one of only two Big 12 closers to record saves in every appearance this season. In the season opener, Bird got NU out of a ninthinning bases-loaded jam, entering a 2-0 count then proceeded to strikeout the batter he faced on four pitches. Against UTA the following day, he entered with runners on the corners and NU clinging to a onerun lead. He retired the next two hitters and pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save in as many days. Gerch Hits Stride After struggling to find his stroke to begin the season, outfielder Andy Gerch has been on a tear over the Huskers last four contests. Since a 5-for-5 effort against Illinois State on Feb. 18, Gerch is hitting.529 with three RBIs in his last four contests. His five-hit day topped his previous best of four against Missouri in the 2005 Big 12 Tournament. Going back to last season, Gerch had recorded 10 consecutive base hits on Sunday before his failed sacrifice bunt against Florida Atlantic on his fourth atbat ended the string. Corriston, Tezak Make Immediate Impact Two other junior college transfers have added to the Huskers lineup early - Craig Corriston and Jeff Tezak. The pair platoon with Jake Mort at third and have also shared time at the DH spot. Corriston, who has hit safely in five of his six starts, is batting.318 with a team-high seven RBIs. He drove in three runs against New Mexico in the season opener on Feb. 16 and went 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs in Sunday s win against Florida Atlantic. Tezak, who transferred in from Palomar (Calif.) JC, is a switch-hitter who provides balance in NU s lineup. He is batting.357 in five games, including a pair of two-hit contests. Against No. 6 Rice, Tezak went 2-for-5 against the Owls. Three Huskers Rank Among Top Draft Prospects Three Huskers are ranked among the top 100 drafteligible players in college for June s Major League Baseball Draft. The list is headed by junior left-hander Tony Watson, who is rated No. 28, while shortstop Ryan Wehrle (No. 38) and right-hander Charlie Shirek (No. 62) aslo crack the list. Of the three players, only Tony Watson - a 23rd round pick out of high school - was drafted before attending NU. Baseball America s Top Big 12 Prospects for 2007 Draft No. Player, Pos. Yr. School Previous Draft 9. Matt Mangini, 3b Jr. OSU Never Drafted 28. Tony Watson, lhp Jr. Nebraska Orioles 06 (17) 38. Ryan Wehrle, ss Jr. Nebraska Reds 06 (18) 39. Corey Brown, of Jr. OSU Never Drafted 49. Brad Suttle, 3b So. Texas Angels 05 (21) 53. Randy Boone, rhp Sr. Texas Twins 06 (38) 56. Miles Morgan, rhp So. Texas Tech Never Drafted 57. Preston Clark, c So. Texas Indians 04 (39) 62. Charlie Shirek, rhp So. Nebraska Never Drafted 79. Kyle Russell, of So. Texas Never Drafted 94. Joe Dunigan, of Jr. Oklahoma Expos 04 (41) Two Huskers Earn Preseason Recognition A pair of Nebraska baseball players have been honored during the preseason, as Tony Watson and Ryan Wehrle have been named preseason All-Americans by various organizations. Watson, a first-team selection by the NCBWA, was also tabbed by Collegiate Baseball and Rivals.com in their preseason predictions. He compiled an impressive 10-2 mark with a 2.78 ERA in 17 appearances in 2006, ranking among the Big 12 leaders in ERA (third), wins (fourth), opponent batting average (.236, fifth) and innings pitched (100.1) in his first full season as a starter. Wehrle, a third-team selection by the NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball, anchors a Husker infield that returns three starters. In 2006, he became the first Husker shortstop in 21 seasons to earn first-team all-conference honors, hitting a team-best.367 with eight homers and 49 RBIs. Wehrle led NU in average and ranked second on the squad in RBIs, while also going a perfect 14-for-14 on the base paths. A twoyear starter, Wehrle also enjoyed a strong performance in the field, posting a.949 fielding percentage while starting 57 contests. Watson, Wehrle Lauded by Baseball America Two Huskers were honored in Baseball America s preseason issue. Shortstop Ryan Wehrle and left-hander Tony Watson were both tabbed as first-team selections, with Watson being chosen as the Big 12 s Pitcher of the Year. Huskers Picked Third in the Big 12 The Nebraska baseball team was picked to finish third in the preseason vote of the Big 12 coaches. The Huskers, who finished and reached NCAA Regional play for the seventh time in eight seasons in 2006, totaled 64 points in the voting of the league s 10 coaches. NU tied for third in the Big 12 last season with a league mark and reached the title game of the Big 12 Championship in Oklahoma City. NU finished behind defending Big 12 champion Texas and Oklahoma State in the tabulation. The Longhorns totaled 79 points and seven of the 10 firstplace votes. Oklahoma State totaled 70 points and two first-place votes, as coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams. Texas A&M received the other firstplace vote. Following Nebraska in the poll was Baylor, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Missouri, Kansas and Kansas State. Single-Game Tickets Now on Sale Single-game general admission tickets for Husker baseball home games are now on sale. General Admission tickets for all regular-season home games this season are $7 for adults and $5 for youth in high school or younger or for senior citizens ages 60 or older. General admission tickets are free for children ages six and younger along with UNL students (with a valid student ID). The 2007 schedule includes Big 12 home series against Missouri, Oklahoma State, Texas, Baylor and Kansas State along with non-conference contests against Nebraska- Kearney, Wayne State, Western Illinois, Northern Colorado, Iowa, North Dakota State and Coastal Carolina. NU opens its home schedule against Nebraska-Kearney on Tuesday, March 6, at 1:35 p.m. Average Attendance ( ) Year Avg. Natl. Rank ,148 32nd ,681 11th ,110 6th ,299 6th ,700 10th ,984* 6th ,092 5th *school record Two Husker Games Set for National TV The Nebraska baseball team will make at least two national television appearances this spring, as the Big 12 released its 2007 baseball broadcast schedule earlier this month. The Huskers will face Oklahoma on Saturday, April 14, at 3 p.m. on FSN before taking on defending Big 12 champion Texas in a match-up of the league s last two regular-season champions on Saturday, April 21. NU s game against the Longhorns will mark FSN s first game broadcast from Hawks Field at Haymarket Park since the park opened in The national telecast also means a later start time, as the game, originally slated for 2:05 p.m., now has a first pitch time of 3 p.m. Seven Draftees on 2007 Husker Roster Nebraska s 2007 roster boasts a total of seven Huskers who have been previously selected in the annual Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The list is led by pitcher Tony Watson, who was drafted in the 23rd round out of high school and in the 17th round by Baltimore last summer. Drafted Huskers Player Round Team Year Drew Bowman 21st Milwaukee 2005 Steve Edlefsen 41st Boston 2004 Jake Opitz 39th Seattle 2004 Dominic Piazza 49th Arizona 2006 Brett Sowers 47th Los Angeles 2006 Tony Watson 23rd Florida 2003 Tony Watson 17th Baltimore 2006 Ryan Wehrle 18th Cincinnati 2006 Join the Home Run Club in Oklahoma Make your plans now to join the Husker Home Run Club in Norman, Okla., on April The two-day trip includes selected meals, hotel room and tickets to Nebraska s games against the Sooners on Saturday and Sunday. For more information and prices, contact Ed Bolejack at (402) or Erich Helge at (402) or visit Huskerhomerunclub.com.

6 Nebraska Baseball 2007 Weekly Release #3 Page 6 Feb. 28, 2007 Huskers.com Baseball 101 is a Big Hit During the first week of baseball practice, the Nebraska baseball team hosted Baseball 101, a oneday clinic put on by the Husker coaches and players to raise money for City Impact. The event had nearly 100 participants and raised over $3,000 for children in Lincoln s Urban neighborhoods. Swing for a Cure Reaches Goal The Huskers wrapped up fall drills by raising money for former Husker Jed Morris to aide him in his fight against acute lymphocytic leukemia. The Husker coaches and players raised money for Morris medical bills, culminating with a full day of batting practice for fans at Hawks Field. The event raised more than $11,000. Morris, who played baseball at NU in 2001 and 2002, hopes to return to professional baseball this summer. Hightower Named to Inaugural Husker 24 Mark Hightower was honored earlier this month as a member of the inaugural Husker 24, an award that recognizes students for displaying the association s core values of leadership, service, integrity and spirit. He is among 24 University of Nebraska juniors to receive the honor. He was chosen from a group of 65 nominees who were nominated by a faculty or staff member. The inaugural group was recognized at a banquet earlier this month and will be awarded a Nebraska Ring at the annual Nebraska Ring Ceremony in April. Hightower is a two-year letterwinner on the Husker baseball team. A former walk-on, he played in 18 games in 2005, helping the Huskers to their third College World Series appearance. He was among six Husker student-athletes selected for the honor, including Sarah Pavan (volleyball), Meghan Hungerford (soccer), Imke Reimers (women s tennis), Stephen Tétrault (men s gymnastics) and Issar Yazhbin (track and field). 15 Huskers Named to Big 12 Honor Roll A total of 15 current or former Husker baseball players were named to the Big 12 Commissioner s Honor Roll for the fall semester. Juniors Matt Foust, Bryce Nimmo and Luke Wertz and sophomore Nick Sullivan all make their team-high fifth appearance on the Big 12 Commissioner s Honor Roll. They were among the 270 athletes across all sports to earn spots on the Big 12 Commissioner s Honor Roll for their outstanding academic performance during the 2006 fall semester. The Big 12 Honor Roll honors student-athletes who achieved a 3.0 or higher grade-point average. Big 12 Commissioner s Honor Roll Name Yr. Hometown Major Belfonte, DJ Fr. Kansas City, Mo. Finance Buckman, Brandon -- Monument, Colo. Civil Engineering Cotton, Andy Fr. Lincoln, Neb. Undeclared Foust, Matt Jr. Overland Park, Kan. Accounting Herr, Zach So. Omaha, Neb. Undeclared Hightower, Mark Jr. Elkhorn, Neb. Nutrition Science Jarosh, Aaron Fr. Ankeny, Iowa Undeclared Jensen, Brett -- Eagle Grove, Iowa Comm. Studies Lee, John RFr. Mason City, Iowa Chemistry Mort, Jake So. Nebraska City, Neb. Spanish Nimmo, Bryce Jr. Cheyenne, Wyo. Management Piazza, Dominic Fr. Scottsdale, Ariz. Undeclared Schwab, Drew So. LaVista, Neb Psychology Sullivan, Nick So. Arvada, Colo. Business Administration Wertz, Luke Jr. Parker, Colo. Business Administration Up Next: Huskers Return Home for UNK Weather permitting, the Huskers will open up the home portion of their 2007 schedule on Tuesday afternoon, as they take on the University of Nebraska- Kearney Lopers. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m. and will be carried on Huskers.com and selected Husker Sports Network Stations. It is a quick homestand, as the Huskers travel to Alabama for a three-game series next weekend. Collegiate Baseball (Feb. 26) No. Team Record 1. Vanderbilt Florida State North Carolina South Carolina Clemson Rice Nebraska Virginia Oregon State Arkansas Cal State Fullerton Arizona State Pepperdine Georgia Tech Miami Mississippi Arizona Wichita State Texas A&M Long Beach State San Diego Texas Texas Christian Auburn North Carolina State Coastal Carolina Florida Atlantic Southern California Baylor South Florida 9-1 Baseball America (Feb. 26) No. Team Record 1. North Carolina Clemson Vanderbilt South Carolina Arkansas Rice Virginia Florida State Oregon State Cal State Fullerton Wichita State Miami Texas Arizona State Georgia Tech San Diego Pepperdine Nebraska Long Beach State UC Riverside Oklahoma State Coastal Carolina UCLA North Carolina State Texas A&M 11-1 Weekly National Polls Sports Weekly (Preseason) No. Team (1st-place) Record 1. Rice (22) Clemson (4) Miami (Fla.) South Carolina North Carolina Texas (1) Arkansas Cal State Fullerton Virginia Vanderbilt Georgia Tech Nebraska Wichita State Arizona State Oregon State (4) Tulane Florida State Mississippi Tennessee Pepperdine UCLA TCU Oklahoma State Baylor Stanford NCBWA (Feb. 26) No. Team Record 1. Vanderbilt South Carolina North Carolina Clemson Florida State Rice Oregon State Virginia Cal State Fullerton Arizona State Arkansas Pepperdine Nebraska Texas Miami 6-5 t16. Alabama 8-2 t16. Wichita State Mississippi Long Beach State Arizona Kentucky Georgia Tech Auburn Oklahoma State N.C. State Coastal Carolina Tulane Florida Atlantic Louisiana-Lafayette Texas A&M 11-1

7 2007 Nebraska Cornhuskers Roster 2007 Numerical Roster No. Player Letters Pos. 2 Mort, Jake * INF 3 Opitz, Jake ** INF 4 Belfonte, DJ OF 6 Sowers, Brett INF 8 Lanning, Jeff * C 9 Edlefsen, Steve * INF/RHP 10 Wehrle, Ryan ** INF 11 Watson, Tony ** LHP 12 Gerch, Andy ** OF 13 Abeita, Mitch C 14 Weber, Thad UTL 15 Corriston, Craig UTL 16 Cotton, Andy INF 17 Broekemeier, Joe RHP 18 Brown, Andrew * INF/OF 19 Tezak, Jeff INF 20 Wertz, Luke ** RHP 21 Sullivan, Nick ** OF 22 Klausing, Jon *** LHP 23 Dorn, Johnny ** RHP 24 Nimmo, Bryce ** OF 25 Jarosh, Aaron OF 26 Jennings, Dan * LHP 28 Bowman, Drew LHP 29 Simmons, Wes LHP 30 Bird, Erik * RHP 31 Radmacher, Tim * RHP 32 Nihsen, Mike RHP 33 Sharpe, Sam RHP 34 Piazza, Dominic C 35 Scott, Tim LHP 36 Foust, Matt ** RHP 37 Herr, Zach * LHP 38 Lee, John OF 39 Harmelink, Mike ** RHP 40 Shirek, Charlie * RHP 41 Nesseth, Mike RHP 43 Rose, Eric LHP 44 Feekin, Brian LHP 45 Hightower, Mark ** C 47 Schwab, Drew * RHP 48 Shaver, Charlie LHP *- Letters Earned Pitchers No. Player Pos. B/T Ht. Wt. D.O.B Cl. Hometown (High School/Previous Schools) 11 Watson, Tony ** LHP L/L /30/85 Jr. Grimes, Iowa (Dallas-Center Grimes) 17 Broekemeier, Joe RHP R/R /8/87 Fr. Aurora, Neb. (Aurora) 20 Wertz, Luke ** RHP R/R /20/85 Jr. Parker, Colo. (Ponderosa) 22 Klausing, Jon *** LHP L/L /28/85 Jr. Arvada, Colo. (Pomona) 23 Dorn, Johnny ** RHP R/R /4/85 Jr. Grand Island, Neb. (Grand Island) 26 Jennings, Dan * LHP L/L /17/87 So. West Des Moines, Iowa (Valley) 28 Bowman, Drew LHP S/L /8/85 So. Morrison, Colo. (Dakota Ridge/Arizona State) 29 Simmons, Wes LHP R/L /13/86 RFr. Owasso, Okla. (Tulsa Lincoln Christian) 30 Bird, Erik * RHP R/R /25/87 So. Omaha, Neb. (Burke) 31 Radmacher, Tim * RHP R/R /11/86 So. Rosemount, Minn. (Rosemount) 32 Nihsen, Mike RHP R/R /5/86 RFr. Ralston, Neb. (Ralston) 33 Sharpe, Sam RHP R/R /2/88 Fr. Louisburg, Kan. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 35 Scott, Tim LHP L/L /2/86 RFr. Ely, Minn. (Ely) 36 Foust, Matt ** RHP R/R /8/84 Jr. Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley West) 37 Herr, Zach * LHP L/L /1/86 So. Omaha, Neb. (Skutt) 39 Harmelink, Mike ** RHP R/R /1/83 Sr. Omaha, Neb. (Creighton Prep) 40 Shirek, Charlie * RHP R/R /25/85 So. Minot, N.D. (Minot) 41 Nesseth, Mike RHP R/R /19/88 Fr. Windom, Minn. (Windom) 43 Rose, Eric LHP L/L /20/88 Fr. Billings, Mont. (West) 44 Feekin, Brian LHP L/L /12/88 Fr. Papillion, Neb. (Papillion-LaVista) 47 Schwab, Drew RHP L/R /8/85 So. LaVista, Neb. (Omaha Westside) 48 Shaver, Charlie LHP L/L /13/87 Fr. Elkhorn, Neb. (Elkhorn) Catchers No. Player Pos. B/T Ht. Wt. D.O.B Cl. Hometown (High School/Previous Schools) 8 Lanning, Jeff * C R/R /1/87 So. Ankeny, Iowa (Ankeny) 13 Abeita, Mitch C R/R /7/86 Jr. Dallas, Texas (Duncanville/North Central Texas CC) 45 Hightower, Mark ** C R/R /2/85 Jr. Elkhorn, Neb. (Elkhorn) 34 Piazza, Dominic C L/R /22/88 Fr. Scottsdale, Ariz. (Notre Dame Prep) Infielders No. Player Pos. B/T Ht. Wt. D.O.B Cl. Hometown (High School/Previous Schools) 2 Mort, Jake * 3B/2B R/R /6/85 So. Nebraska City, Neb. (Nebraska City) 3 Opitz, Jake ** 2B L/R /28/86 Jr. Littleton, Colo. (Heritage) 9 Edlefsen, Steve * INF/RHP R/R /27/85 Jr. Bloomington, Minn. (Thomas Jefferson/Barton CC) 6 Sowers, Brett 2B/SS R/R /1/88 Fr. Englewood, Colo. (Cherry Creek) 10 Wehrle, Ryan ** SS R/R /31/85 Jr. Papillion, Neb. (Papillion-LaVista) 14 Weber, Thad 1B/RHP R/R /28/84 Jr. Friend, Neb. (Friend/Hutchinson CC) 15 Corriston, Craig INF R/R /7/84 Jr. Paris, Texas (Paris/San Jacinto CC/Paris JC) 16 Cotton, Andy SS/2B R/R /17/87 Fr. Lincoln, Neb. (Southwest) 18 Brown, Andrew * 1B/OF R/R /10/84 Sr. Carrollton, Texas (Newman Smith/Paris JC) 19 Tezak, Jeff 3B/2B S/R /23/86 Jr. Poway, Calif. (Mt. Carmel/Cal-St. Northridge/Palomar College) Outfielders No. Player Pos. B/T Ht. Wt. D.O.B Cl. Hometown (High School/Previous Schools) 4 Belfonte, DJ OF L/L /22/87 Fr. Kansas City, Mo. (Rockhurst) 12 Gerch, Andy ** OF R/R /14/85 Jr. Lincoln, Neb. (Pius X/Arkansas) 21 Sullivan, Nick * OF L/R /10/86 So. Arvada, Colo. (Pomona) 24 Nimmo, Bryce ** OF L/L /20/85 Jr. Cheyenne, Wyo. (Central) 25 Jarosh, Aaron OF R/R /28/87 Fr. Ankeny, Iowa (Ankeny) 38 Lee, John OF L/L /12/86 RFr. Mason City, Iowa (Mason City) *-letters earned Baseball Coaching and Support Staff 27 Mike Anderson, Head Coach (Fifth Season) 7 Andy Sawyers, Assistant Coach (Fifth Season) 42 Dave Bingham, Assistant Coach (Second Season) 5 Justin Seely, Volunteer Assistant Coach (Second Season) 1 Ryan Strain, Graduate Manager (Second Season) Jerry Weber, Athletic Trainer Mike Arthur, Strength Coach Katie Jewell, Academic Coordinator Chris McQuellan, Equipment Manager Brooks Wells and Ben Lynch, Student Managers Pronunciation Guide Player Mitch ABEITA Joe BROEKEMEIER Steve EDLEFSEN DJ BELFONTE Aaron JAROSH Mike NIHSEN Jake Opitz Dominic PIAZZA Tim RADMACHER Charlie SHIREK Jeff TEZAK Ryan WEHRLE Pronunciation UT-bay-tuh Brock-myer ed-luf-sin Bell-font-E JA-rosh NISSEN OH-pits Pee-ott-za ROD-Mock-er SHEAR-ik TEE-zack WHIR-lee