Huskers Take on Texas A&M this Weekend

Transcription

1 2005 University of Nebraska Baseball Weekly Release Baseball Contact: Shamus McKnight Office Phone: (402) Office Fax: (402) Home Phone: (402) Cell Phone: (402) Release Date: April 14, Schedule & Results Date Opponent Time/Result Feb. 17 at Hawaii-Hilo W, 12-4 Feb. 18 at Hawaii-Hilo (DH) W, 2-1 (7) Feb. 18 at Hawaii-Hilo (DH) W, 5-1 Feb. 19 at Hawaii-Hilo W, 6-3 Feb. 20 at Hawaii-Hilo W, 8-1 Crowne Plaza/Rice Invitational Feb. 25 vs. New Mexico W, 12-0 Feb. 27 at No. 7 Rice W, 6-3 Feb. 27 vs. Western Carolina canceled Round Rock College Classic March 4 vs. No. 7 Rice W,4-3 March 5 vs. Texas State L, 1-2 (10) March 6 vs. No. 18 USC L, 4-5 March 11 South Dakota State W, 7-2 March 12 South Dakota State (DH) W, 15-1 (7) March 12 South Dakota State (DH) W, 15-3 (7) March 13 South Dakota State W, 17-4 March 15 Northern Colorado W, 15-4 March 16 Northern Colorado W, 5-2 March 17 Northern Colorado W, 10-2 March 18 Seton Hall W, 6-2 March 19 Seton Hall W, 11-2 March 20 Seton Hall W, 10-3 March 22 Western Illinois canceled March 23 Western Illinois W, 6-3 March 26 at Kansas (DH) L, 6-7 March 26 at Kansas (DH) W, 9-3 March 27 at Kansas W, 9-4 March 29 Creighton W, 10-2 April 1 Oklahoma State W, 8-4 April 2 Oklahoma State W, 6-0 April 3 Oklahoma State W, 10-0 (7) April 5 vs. Creighton (Rosenblatt) (NETV) L, 3-4 April 6 Iowa (NETV/CSTV) W, 6-1 April 8 Texas (ESPN2) W, 4-3 (16) April 9 Texas (ESPN) L, 4-11 April 10 Texas (ESPN) L, 5-6 (8) April 13 North Dakota State (DH) W, 12-1 (7) April 13 North Dakota State (DH) W, 10-0 (8) April 15 at Texas A&M 7 p.m. April 16 at Texas A&M (Fox Sports Net) 2 p.m. April 17 at Texas A&M 1 p.m. April 20 vs. Northern Iowa (Des Moines) 6:30 p.m. April 22 Baylor 6:35 p.m. April 23 Baylor (NETV/CSTV) 2:05 p.m. April 24 Baylor 1:05 p.m. April 27 at Wichita State (ESPNU) 7 p.m. April 28 at Oklahoma (ESPN) 6 p.m. April 29 at Oklahoma (ESPNU) 6 p.m. April 30 at Oklahoma (ESPNU) 1 p.m. May 6 Missouri 6:35 p.m. May 7 Missouri (NETV/CSTV) 2:05 p.m. May 8 Missouri 1:05 p.m. May 10 vs. Creighton (Rosenblatt) 7 p.m. May 13 at Texas Tech 6:30 p.m. May 14 at Texas Tech 6:30 p.m. May 15 at Texas Tech Noon May 17 Northern Illinois 6:35 p.m. May 18 Northern Illinois 2:05 p.m. May 20 Kansas State 6:35 p.m. May 21 Kansas State (NETV/CSTV) 2:05 p.m. May 22 Kansas State 1:05 p.m. May at Big 12 Tournament TBA June 3-5 NCAA Regionals TBA June NCAA Super Regionals TBA June College World Series TBA All Dates and Times listed are central and subject to change *-Pinnacle Sports Network This Week in Nebraska Baseball April Record (29-6, 6-3 Big 12) National Rankings: 10 (CB) 17 (BA) 11 (Sports Weekly) 10 (NCBWA) Day Date Opp. Rank Opponent (Record) Location Time Wed. April 13 North Dakota State Hawks Field W, 12-1 Wed. April 13 North Dakota State Hawks Field W, 10-0 Fri. April 15 at Texas A&M ( , 4-8 Big 12) College Station, Texas 7 p.m. Sat. April 16 at Texas A&M College Station, Texas 2 p.m. Sun. April 17 at Texas A&M College Station, Texas 1 p.m. Polls are listed in the following order: Collegiate Baseball/Baseball America/Sports Weekly Pitching Probables Fri. NU - Joba Chamberlain, Sr, RHP (4-0, 2.10 ERA) vs. TAMU - Jason Meyer, So., LHP (5-1, 2.84 ERA) Sat. NU - Zach Kroenke, Jr.. LHP (4-1, 2.21 ERA) vs. TAMU - Kyle Marlatt, Sr., RHP (4-2, 2.21 ERA Sun. NU - Brian Duensing, Jr., LHP (5-0, 2.55 ERA) vs. TAMU - Chance Corgan, Fr., RHP (3-1, 3.31 ERA) Media Information Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network (Fri.-Sun) Live Stats: Huskers.com Television: Saturday (Fox Sports Net) Internet Video Streaming: Friday and Sunday on HuskersNside. For more information, log on to Huskers.com Huskers Take on Texas A&M this Weekend The Nebraska baseball team returns to Big 12 action this weekend, as it travels to College Station, Texas, for a crucial series at Texas A&M. The three-game set between the 10th-ranked Huskers and Aggies begins Friday, April 15, with a 7 p.m. start, while the series continues with afternoon tilts on Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.). All three games will be carried on the Pinnacle Sports Network, including KLIN 1400 AM in Lincoln, KFAB 1110 AM in Omaha and KRVN 880 AM in Lexington, although Saturday s game will be joined in progress following the annual Red/White Football spring game. Saturday s contest will also be carried live on Fox Sports Net (Ch. 37 in Lincoln, check local listings around the state) throughout the Midwest. It will be the fi fth nationally or regionally televised game in the last two weeks for the Big Red. The Huskers, 29-6, head into the weekend with a two-game winning streak, dispatching North Dakota State in a twinbill on Wednesday. Nebraska showed it can play with the top teams in the country, narrowly missing a series win over top-ranked Texas last weekend. Of Nebraska s six losses this spring, fi ve have been by one run. Texas A&M ( ) was ranked in the top-10 nationally during the fi rst part of the season, but has struggled in Big 12, going just 4-8 in conference play. The record is a little deceiving, as the Aggies have played three of its fi rst four conference series on the road, including a three-game sweep at No. 13 Missouri last weekend. The Aggies dropped their midweek game at Rice, 5-3, on Tuesday. College Station has been one of the toughest places for the Huskers to win since the formation of the Big 12. NU is 2-10 all-time in College Station, and not won a series in four attempts. The Huskers came close in 2001, taking a 4-2 lead into the ninth inning, but Texas A&M came back with three runs with two outs to earn a series win. Last season, Texas A&M won 2-of-3 games in Lincoln, as all three games were decided by three runs or less. The weekend series also features two of the Big 12 s top position players in Nebraska third baseman Alex Gordon and Texas A&M s Cliff Pennington. The two are among the Big 12 s top position prospects for the June draft and were chosen for Baseball America s midseason All-America team chosen earlier this week. Following this weekend, the Huskers will conclude its four-game road trip, as they travel to Des Moines, Iowa, for a non-conference matchup against Northern Iowa next Wednesday, April 20. The Husker Lineup Card Pos. # Player Bats Cl. Avg. HR RBI Worth Noting C 21 Jeff Christy R Jr Thrown out 40% of base stealers; team-high nine sacrifi ces 1B 15 Curtis Ledbetter R Sr Posted three multi-homer games in 2005, most recently vs. Iowa 2B 3 Jake Opitz L Fr th-round pick by Seattle; 4-for-11 (.364) with RBI vs. UT SS 2 Joe Simokaitis R Sr career sacrifi ces (9th on NCAA list); 573 career assists (3rd at NU) 3B 4 Alex Gordon L Jr Preseason Natl. Player of the Year; 2x Big 12 POW (3/21 & 3/28) OF 14 Brandon Fusilier R Sr Two homers vs. OSU; Third in the Big 12 in home runs; OF 12 Daniel Bruce R Sr Three-year starter who has 18 career OF assists; 64 HBP OF 24 Bryce Nimmo L Fr Four multi-hit games; 2-for-3 with 2 HR, 6 RBIs on 3/19 DH 19 Brandon Buckman L Jr multi-hit games in 2005; Four RBIs vs. KU on 3/27 twinbill Off the Bench OF 8 Jesse Boyer L Sr for-5 with 3 RBIs vs. Creighton (3/29); 4 RBIs vs. OSU on 4/3. OF 9 Trey Adams L Jr w/20 SB at Blinn College; 1st career HR vs. KU (3/27) INF 10 Ryan Wehrle R Fr x-time 1st-team All-Nebraska selection; 4 RBIs in DH vs. NDSU OF 26 Andy Gerch R Fr for-7 vs. NDSU on Wed.;.500 (8-for-16) in last six games C 45 Mark Hightower R Fr Walk-on had 2 hits and 2 RBIs in fi rst career start vs. NDSU UTL 25 Ryan Bohanan L Fr Two-way performer who is 1-0 with a save and a 0.97 ERA

2 Head Coach Mike Anderson Northern Colorado, 1990 ( (.704) - Third Season) Mike Anderson is in his third year as Nebraska s head baseball coach, becoming the 23rd head coach in the program s history on June 21, Anderson has been associated with the NU program for the last decade, serving as an assistant from the fall of 1994 until his promotion to head coach in Since joining the NU staff in the fall of 1994, he has coached a total of 15 fi rst-team all-conference honorees, while 23 of his former players have signed pro contracts. His most famous proteges are Major League All-Stars Darin Erstad, a three-time Gold Glove winner who was the No. 1 pick of the 1995 Draft, and Ken Harvey, who earned his fi rst All Star bid in 2004 with the Kansas City Royals. Eight Huskers have been tabbed fi rst-team All- Americans under Anderson s tutelage, while fi ve players - including Alex Gordon in have been fi nalists for various national player-of-the-year awards. In 2003, Anderson guided NU to a record and the school s second Big 12 title with a 20-7 record. He became the second fi rst-year Husker baseball coach to lead NU to a conference title and the fi rst since 1929 en route to being named Big 12 Coach of the Year. In 2004, the Huskers fi nished 36-23, while Gordon was a fi rst-team All-American and named to Team USA, the fi rst Husker honored in nearly 20 years. The Huskers led the Big 12 in hitting in each of Anderson s fi nal 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 (.315), hits (753) and runs scored (543). In 2001, Anderson coached a Husker offense that ranked in the top-10 nationally in both team average (.334) and runs per game (9.20). As the outfi elders coach, Anderson has coached three All-Americans and seven all-conference selections, including Jeff Leise, who was a fi rst-team All-American in 2002, while leading the Huskers to their second straight CWS appearance. Anderson s commitment to his student-athletes also extends to the classroom. Over the past 10 years, the Huskers have placed 46 players on the fi rst-team all-conference squad. Nebraska has had eight CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and 12 fi rstteam academic all-district selections in the past eight seasons. Before arriving in Lincoln 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 outfi elder 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. Anderson earned a bachelor s degree in physical education from Northern Colorado in Anderson graduated from Eaton High School in Eaton, Colo., where he was a fi rst-team All-Colorado shortstop for Coach Jim Danley. Year by Year Totals Year Overall (Pct.) Big 12 (Pct.) (.723) 20-7 (.741) (.610) (.407) (.829) 6-3 (.667) Career (.704) (.584) Leading Off -At 29-6, the Huskers are enjoying one of their best starts in the program s 100-plus year history, as only the 1983 squad - a team that opened the year with a school-record 26 consecutive wins - started better. Best 35-Game Starts in School History No. 35-Game Record Final Record Records Game The weekend series between the Huskers and Aggies features two of the nation s top fi elding teams. NU is ranked fourth nationally with a.978 fi elding percentage in this week s NCAA rankings, while Texas A&M came into the week with a national-best.981 fi elding percentage. -The Huskers are 19-2 at Hawks Field this season and (.821) since the ballpark opened in The Huskers have also gotten off to quick starts, scoring at least one run in the fi rst inning in 19 of 35 games and outscoring their opponents 33-7 in the fi rst inning of games this season. -Earlier this month, Nebraska Head Coach Mike Anderson coached his 150th game at Nebraska, becoming only the fourth Husker coach to reach that mark in program history. His winning percentage is the second-highest among any Husker coach at the 150-game mark. Here are the totals of the other three Husker skippers at the 150-game plateau. Husker Coaches at 150-Game Mark Coach 150-Game Record Pct. John Sanders Mike Anderson Dave Van Horn Tony Sharpe Nebraska s starting pitchers are a combined 21-1 this season and had won their fi rst 19 decisions before Zach Kroenke s loss to No. 1 Texas on April 9. -Nebraska will look to end a power outage this weekend, as Nebraska has not hit a homer in its last fi ve games, the longest stretch in at least six seasons. -After having just one multi-homer game in 2004, Nebraska has seven already this season, including Big 12 Preseason Polls Collegiate Baseball Baseball America Big 12 Coaches No. Team No. Team No. Team 1. Texas 1. Texas 1. Texas 2. Texas A&M 2. Baylor 2. Texas A&M 3. Oklahoma State 3. Texas A&M 3. Oklahoma State 4. Baylor 4. Oklahoma State 4. Baylor 5. Nebraska 5. Nebraska 5. Nebraska 6. Oklahoma 6. Oklahoma 6. Texas Tech 7. Texas Tech 7. Kansas 7. Oklahoma 8. Missouri 8. Texas Tech 8. Missouri 9. Kansas 9. Missouri 9. Kansas 10. Kansas State 10. Kansas State 10. Kansas State Player of the Year Player of the Year Player of the Year Alex Gordon, NU Alex Gordon, NU N/A Pitcher of the Year Pitcher of the Year Pitcher of the Year Sam LeCure, UT Mark McCormick, BU N/A three by fi rst baseman/catcher Curtis Ledbetter and two by All-American third baseman Alex Gordon Multi-Homer Games Player Opponent Date Ledbetter vs. New Mexico 2/25 Fusilier vs. South Dakota State * 3/13 Ledbetter vs. South Dakota State * 3/13 Gordon vs. Northern Colorado 3/15 Nimmo vs. Seton Hall 3/19 Gordon at Kansas-1 3/26 Ledbetter vs. Iowa 4/6 * - Two homers in the same inning (Big 12 and NCAA record) - Five of Nebraska s six losses this season have been by one run, as the Huskers are 3-5 in one-run games this year. -With complete-game shutouts by Zach Kroenke and Brian Duensing, Nebraska became the fi rst team to hand Oklahoma State consecutive shutouts since It also marked the fi rst time since March of 2002 that Nebraska received back-to-back complete-game shutouts (Jamie Rodrigue and Aaron Marsden). The Huskers pitching has been a strength throughout 2005, as Nebraska entered the week ranked fourth nationally in ERA (2.43). Nebraska has held 31 of its 35 opponents to four runs or less. National ERA Team Leaders No. Team ERA 1. North Carolina Long Beach State Missouri Nebraska San Francisco Nebraska is only one of 11 teams nationally - and one of only two schools in the Big 12 - to have team ERAs under 4.00 in each of the last three seasons. -NU has scored at least one run in 421 of the last 422 games dating back to the 1998 season. In 2004, the Huskers were the only Big 12 team not shut out. -Nebraska has scored three runs or more in an inning 29 times already this season, including an 11- run inning against South Dakota State on March 13. -Third baseman Alex Gordon will look to become the fi rst position player and only the second player in Big 12 history to repeat as conference player of the year. Baylor s Jason Jennings is the only other player to win multiple Big 12 Player-of-the-Year awards ( ). -Nebraska has had two players honored as Collegiate Baseball s National Player of the Week this season. Alex Gordon was chosen on March 22, joining Joba Chamberlain, who earned the honor on Feb. 25.

3 Joba Chamberlain (pronounced Jaw-buh) So. RHP Lincoln, Neb. Sophomore transfer from Division II Nebraska-Kearney who will make his ninth start of the season in Friday s opener Is 4-0 with a 2.10 ERA, ranking among the Big 12 leaders in ERA (third), strikeouts/nine innings (11.92, second), total strikeouts (68, third) and opponent batting average (.169, third) Struck out at least nine hitters on fi ve occasions and has a 4.9-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio Held No. 1 Texas to one earned run on fi ve hits over a career-high nine innings, while striking out 10 Longhorns in a no-decision against on April 8 Pitched into the sixth inning against Oklahoma State in his last start on April 1, allowing four runs on fi ve hits, but did not receive the win in NU s 8-4 victory Went eight innings, allowing two runs on four hits against Seton Hall on March 18 Earned his third straight win against South Dakota State on March 13, allowing one unearned run over seven innings and fanning nine in a 7-2 win Held No. 7 Rice to one unearned run on four hits while striking out nine in 6.1 innings on March 4 Turned in a dominant performance against New Mexico, allowing two infi eld hits over seven shutout innings Struck out 15 Lobos - NU s highest single-game total since two-time All-American Shane Komine had 16 against Missouri in 2000 Named Big 12 and National Pitcher of the Week for his effort vs. New Mexico Compiled a 3-6 record and a 5.23 ERA, leading the Lopers in ERA, opponent batting average (.250), strikeouts (49) and complete games (four) Didn t become a full-time pitcher until his senior year of high school at Lincoln Northeast, when he earned second-team all-state honors. Year ERA W-L App GS CG SHO CBO SV IP H R ER BB SO TOTAL Zach Kroenke (pronounced KRON-nec-key) Jr. LHP Omaha, Neb. Hard-throwing junior who has been in the Huskers weekend rotation for three seasons Preseason fi rst-team All-Big 12 selection by Baseball America and ranks 75th on the Baseball America s list of top 100 college prospects for the 2005 Draft Has a 17-8 career record and will make his 33rd career start vs. Texas A&M on Saturday afternoon Is 4-1 with a 2.21 ERA in 36.2 innings of work this spring Is 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA in two career appearances against the Aggies, including a complete-game win last season Suffered the loss on Saturday, allowing three runs on seven hits against No. 1 Texas Tossed a complete-game three-hitter at the Cowboys on April 2 Matched his season high with seven strikeouts against the Cowboys and did not allow a hit after the fourth inning, as only two OSU runners advanced into scoring position Picked up the win at Kansas on March 26, going six innings while allowing three runs against Kansas in NU s 9-3 win Scattered two hits over eight shutout innings against Seton Hall on March 20 Earned his fi rst win of the year against South Dakota State on March 12, taking a no-hitter into the sixth before allowing one run on two hits Struck out a season-high seven Jackrabbits in a 15-1 victory Struck out the only batter he faced against Texas State before being spiked on a play at the plate that required 10 stitches in his leg Went just a combined 3.1 innings in his fi rst two starts (vs. Rice and Hawaii-Hilo), but did not factor in either decision Became the fi rst Husker pitcher to make consecutive opening day starts since Mike Zajeski in 1991 and 1992 Compiled a 7-5 record and a 3.03 ERA in a team-high 15 starts last season Second-team All-Big 12 selection who spent the summer pitching in the Cape Cod League. Year ERA W-L App GS CG SHO CBO SV IP H R ER BB SO TOTAL Brian Duensing (Pronounced DONE-zing) Jr. LHP Omaha, Neb. (Millard South) Fourth-year junior who has returned to the Husker pitching staff after missing nearly two full seasons because of an elbow injury Is 5-0 with a 2.55 ERA, as he ranks 11th in the league in ERA and is holding opponents to a.219 average Has nevered faced Texas A&M in his Husker career Had a no-decision in his last start, allowing fi ve runs on seven hits against No. 1 Texas on April 10 Tossed the second complete-game shutout of his career against No. 29 Oklahoma State on April 3, scattering three hits and matching his season high with six strikeouts in a 10-0 win that was shortened to seven innings Was exceptional in NU s series-clinching win against Kansas on March 27, allowing three runs on six hits over a season-high 7.1 innings, taking a shutout into the eighth in a 9-4 win Fired two scoreless innings of relief against Seton Hall on March 20, striking out three and allowing only one base hit Pitched well against No. 18 USC on March 6, allowing two hits over 4.2 shutout innings before leaving with a 2-0 lead Tossed two shutout innings of one-hit relief against seventh-ranked Rice on Feb. 27 for the win Was impressive in his fi rst outing since having Tommy John surgery on March 15, 2004, tossing six shutout innings at Hawaii-Hilo on Feb. 17 Allowed four hits - two after the fi rst inning - and struck out three in his fi rst win since March 1, 2003 Went 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA in four starts in 2003 before missing nearly two years with an elbow injury Tossed a complete-game shutout against No. 7 Wake Forest with a career-high nine strikeouts in his best outing that season Was one of the Big 12 s top freshmen in 2002, going 6-2 with a 4.73 ERA in 78 innings Earned Freshman All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball and started the Big 12 Tourney title game and one of NU s College World Series contests in Year ERA W-L App GS CG SHO CBO SV IP H R ER BB SO TOTAL Nebraska Baseball Quick Facts Location... Lincoln, Neb. Population...235,694 Founded Enrollment...25,000 Nickname...Cornhuskers/Huskers Colors... Scarlet and Cream Conference...Big 12 Chancellor...Harvey Perlman, J.D. Head Coach... Mike Anderson Record at NU/Years /Third Alma Mater...Northern Colorado (1990) Associate Head Coach...Rob Childress Alma Mater... Northwood (1990) Assistant Coach... Andy Sawyers Alma Mater... Nebraska (1998) Volunteer Coach... Will Bolt Alma Mater... Nebraska (2003) Graduate Manager...John Cole Alma Mater... Nebraska (2004) Baseball Offi ce... (402) Baseball Offi ce Fax... (402) Baseball Secretary...Renee Brinkmann Athletic Trainer...Josh Cohen Strength Coach... Mike Arthur Equipment Manager... Mike Mason Facility...Hawks Field at Haymarket Park Baseball Main Press Box... (402) Capacity...8, Season Information 2004 Record Big 12 Record (Finish) (8th) Big 12 Tournament Record NCAA Postseason:...None Home Record Away Record Neutral Record Letterwinners Returning/Lost...15/12 Position Starters Returning/Lost... 6*/4 Pitchers Returning/Lost...6/5 *- includes one starter from 2003 Husker Baseball History First Year of Baseball Overall All-Time Record...1,729-1, Years in NCAA Tournament... Eight...(1979, 1980, 1985, ) Conference Titles...Five...(1929, 1948, 1950, 2001 and 2003) NCAA Tournament Record College World Series Appearances...Two... (2001 and 2002) Media Information Baseball SID...Shamus McKnight McKnight s Offi ce Phone... (402) McKnight s Cell Phone... (402) Press Box Phone... (402) McKnight s ... smcknight@huskers.com Sports Information Fax... (402) Website...Huskers.com Media Weekly Planner (April 12-18) April 12 - Tues. GAME DAY vs. Nortth Dakota St., 6:35 p.m. Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network TV: None Video: HuskersNside April 13 - Wed. GAME DAY vs. Nortth Dakota St., 6:35 p.m. Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network TV: None Video: HuskersNside April 14 - Thurs. TRAVEL DAY Depart Lincoln at 6 a.m. PRACTICE College Station TBA April 15 - Fri. GAME DAY at Texas A&M, 7 p.m. Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network TV: None Video: HuskersNside April 16 - Sat. GAME DAY at Texas A&M, 2 p.m. Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network (joined in progress) TV: Fox Sports Net (Ch. 37 in Lincoln) Video: None April 17 - Sun. GAME DAY at Texas A&M, 1 p.m. Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network TV: None Video: HuskersNside April 18 - Mon. NO PRACTICE

4 Nebraska Baseball Weekly Release #15 Page 4 April 14, 2005 Huskers.com Welcome to Hawks Field at Haymarket Park The 2002 season marked the debut of the Huskers new home Hawks Field at Haymarket Park. The fi eld is named in memory of Myrna Hawks, as the Hawks family was one of the major benefactors in the Haymarket Park project. In March of 2000, Howard and Myrna Hawks guaranteed the unfunded portion of UNL s $10.6 million commitment to the baseball/softball complex, which enabled the University to move forward in a joint venture with the City of Lincoln and NEBCO Inc., the owners of the Lincoln Saltdogs in the Northern League. The University retained the right to name the fi eld and on Feb. 23, 2002, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents approved the name of Hawks Field. It was formally dedicated in pregame ceremonies against Kansas on April 28, The ballpark includes 4,500 chair-back seats, 16 suites, a Diamond View Lounge and a Sub-Air system that allows the fi eld to grow grass nearly year-round. The park is one of only three fi elds in the country that uses this state-of-the-art heating system (Invesco Field at Mile High and Safeco Field are the others). Other highlights of the complex include a 1,400-square feet clubhouse for the Husker baseball program, a video board/scoreboard in right center fi eld, the Buck Beltzer Playgound for kids down the right fi eld line and numerous restrooms and concession stands. Hawks Field, as well as the adjacent Bowlin Stadium the 2,500-seat softball stadium which opened in the fall of 2001 are both located inside Haymarket Park, a 32-acre complex that includes both stadiums as well as the plaza area and 2,000 parking stalls. Top-10 Crowds at Hawks Field No. Att. Opponent Date 1. 8,569 vs. Richmond# 6/9/ vs. Texas 4/8/ ,481 vs. Richmond# 6/8/ ,474 vs. Richmond# 6/7/02 5 8,163 vs. Texas 4/9/ ,456 vs. SMS* 6/1/ ,278 vs. Creighton 3/29/ ,917 vs. SMS* 6/2/ ,891 vs. Marist* 6/1/ ,879 vs. Texas 4/18/03 # - NCAA Super Regional; * - NCAA Regional Year-by-Year Record at Hawks Field Year Record (.853) (.829) (.678) (.904) Totals (.821) Scouting Texas A&M Texas A&M looks to reverse a mid-season slide, as the Aggies are on the season, but have lost their last fi ve contests. The Aggies are at Olsen Field this season and won their only Big 12 series in College Station. Offensively, the Aggies are led by infi elder Cliff Pennington, who is hitting.377 with team-highs in both homers (six) and RBIs (31). He is the only Aggie with more than 20 RBIs, while also hitting nearly a quarter of Texas A&M s 25 homers. Pennington also leads A&M with 15 stolen bases. On the mound, the Aggies have one of the Big 12 s best starting pitchers in sophomore right-hander Jason Meyer, who is 5-1 with a 2.84 ERA. Senior Kyle Marlatt is the only other Texas A&M pitcher with at least four victorys, as 10 different pitchers have at least one win. Texas A&M holds a lead in the all-time series that has been tradtionally dominated by the home time. The Huskers are 2-11 all-time in College Station, winning the opening game of the season series in 2001 and Last season, Texas A&M won the fi nal two games to take the season series, winning the fi nale by a score of 7-6. Team Comparison Huskers... Category...Aggies Games Batting Average , At Bats...1,239 7,9...Runs/Game Hits/Game Home Runs Stolen Bases ERA Innings Runs Allowed/Game Strikeouts Walks Hits Allowed/Game Errors Fielding Percentage Last Time Out Wednesday: NU 12-10, North Dakota State 0-1: Andy Gerch went 5-for-7 on the day, while Nebraska pitchers held North Dakota State to one run in 15 innings, sweeping a doubleheader against the Bison Wednesday at Hawks Field. The Huskers (29-6) got big performances from several freshmen throughout the doubleheader sweep. Gerch went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored to pace NU s 10-hit attack in game one. Bryce Nimmo and Ryan Wehrle drove in two runs apiece, while Jake Opitz also had an RBI, as freshmen accounted for seven of the Huskers 11 RBIs in the opener. The offensive performance was more than enough for freshman Tony Watson, who improved to 4-1 on the season by tossing three shutout innings in a predetermined stint. In the nightcap, Husker pitching shined, as Ryan Bohanan (1-0) and two relievers combined on a four-hit shutout the fourth whitewash by the Nebraska staff this season. Bohanan, who was on a limited pitch count, fanned two in three shutout innings for his fi rst career win, while Matt Foust pitched the fi nal three innings for his fi rst career save. Once again, Nebraska s freshman did most of the damage, as Gerch went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Wehrle and Mark Hightower drove in two runs apiece. The bottom three spots in the Husker lineup combined to go 7-for-11 with four RBIs and fi ve runs scored. Both Wehrle and Hightower established career highs in RBIs, while the 2-for-4 effort was Wehrle s fi rst multi-hit game of the season. Gordon s Gone Wild Probably no player in the Big 12 is as hot as NU third baseman Alex Gordon over the past month The fi rst-team All-American is hitting.463 (38-for-82) with nine homers, 30 RBIs and 32 runs scored in NU s last 24 games. Gordon has had four three-hit games in that stretch, raising his season average from.270 to.398. Gordon was the Big 12 s Player of the Week for two straight weeks (March 21 & 28), earning national honors from Collegiate Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America on March 21, after he hit.560 with four homers, 10 RBIs and 11 runs scored in six games. Three weeks ago, Gordon went 4-for-9 with three homers, four RBIs, eight runs scored and six walks in the series win against Kansas. He went 4-for-7 with a homer and four RBIs against No. 29 Oklahoma State, as he was walked twice and hit by four pitches. Gordon in the Big 12 (stats as of April 12) Category No. Big 12 Rank Walks 38 1st Runs 44 1st On-Base Pct st Slugging Pct st Batting Avg nd Homers 11 2nd Total Bases 89 2nd Stolen Bases 15 4th RBIs 34 9th Huskers Look for Extra Television Time Over the last fi ve seasons, Nebraska s two longest games have one thing in a common - a television audience. Friday s 16-inning contest against Texas was the Huskers longest game in six seasons, taking 4:17 on an ESPN2 national telecast. Nebraska s Big 12 Tournament semifi nal against Baylor was the Huskers longest television broadcast, going 14 innings in May of Longest Husker Games Since 2000 Opponent Date Innings Television vs. Texas April 8, ESPN2 vs. Baylor May 22, Fox Sports Net vs. New Mexico Feb. 15, None Fusilier Provides Spark for Husker Offense After missing all of the 2004 season with a shoulder injury, fi fth-year senior Brandon Fusilier has given the middle of the Husker lineup added protection. He enters the weekend hitting.328 with 10 homers and 39 RBIs in 33 contests. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder from Coppell, Texas, ranks in the top 10 in the Big 12 in homers (10, fourth), RBIs (39, fourth) and slugging percentage (.639, seventh). Fusilier is also 10-of-11 on the basepaths, doubling his entire 2003 total of steals. The Buck Starts Here Junior college transfer Brandon Buckman ranks 16th in the Big 12 in hitting with a.345 average. He is third on the team with 12 multi-hit games, including a four-hit effort at Hawaii-Hilo on Feb. 17 and a threehit game against Texas on April 8. Buckman drove in a season-high four RBIs against Northern Colorado on March 15 and had four RBIs in a doubleheader split against Kansas on March 26. Last season, he earned junior college All-America honors at Garden City Community College, when he hit.460 with 16 homers. Mr. Twinbill Redshirt freshman Andy Gerch has shined in the Huskers four doubleheaders this season. The Lincoln native is hitting.571 (12-of-21) with two homers and

5 Nebraska Baseball Weekly Release #15 Page 5 April 14, 2005 Huskers.com 13 RBIs while playing in seven of eight doubleheader games this season. Gerch had fi ve hits in Wednesday s doubleheader sweep of North Dakota State. Bruce Leads Husker Hit-by-Pitch Parade Senior outfi elder Daniel Bruce continues to climb the NCAA record book. With his two hit-by-pitches over the weekend, he moved past J.R. Revere (62, Georgia Southern, ) for sole possession of fi fth place in the NCAA record book. Bruce, who set Nebraska s single-season record with 28 HBP in 2002, has rebounded after a disappointing 2004 season, by hitting.318 with three homers and 16 RBIs in 32 contests. In Big 12 play, Bruce is hitting.324 with 12 runs scored, a total which is third in the conference. NCAA All-Time Hit-by-Pitch Leaders No. Name, School (Years) HBP 1. Tony Hurtado, San Francisco ( ) Gabe Somarriba, Florida Atlantic ( ) Jeff Ontiveros, Texas ( ) Clay Schwartz, Wisconsin-Milwaukee ( ) Daniel Bruce, Nebraska (2002-present) 64 Homers Come in Bunches for Ledbetter Throughout his Husker career, fi rst baseman Curtis Ledbetter has shown the propensity to homer in bunches. The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder has four career multi-homer games, including three this season. The trend began in his Husker debut in 2003 when he hit two homers against Texas State. Ledbetter has shown versatility, as he has played outfi eld, catcher and fi rst base throughout his three seasons at Nebraska. Ledbetter s Multi-Homer Games No. Opponent Date 2 vs. Texas State 2/14/03 2 vs. Kansas State 3/21/03 2 vs. New Mexico 2/25/05 2 vs. South Dakota State 3/15/05 2 vs. Iowa 4/6/05 Gordon Piles Up Numbers, Honors After a season where he earned Big 12 Player-ofthe-Year and unanimous fi rst-team All-America honors, Gordon has already racked up a number of impressive honors heading into the 2005 season. He hit.365 with 18 homers and 75 RBIs in his sophomore campaign, a year where he ranked in the top four in the league in nine offensive categories. With Team USA last summer, Gordon hit.388 with four homers and 12 RBIs, while hitting.523 at the World University Games in Taiwan. This season, Gordon is hitting.403 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs and leads the Big 12 in four offensive categories. His biggest hit of 2005 so far was a threerun eighth-inning homer to break a 3-all tie against No. 7 Rice on Feb. 27, NU s fi rst win over the Owls since the 2001 NCAA Super Regional. Gordon s 2005 Honors Baseball America National Midseason Player of the Year USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Nominee Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Year Collegiate Baseball Natl. Player of the Week (3/21) NCBWA Natl. Player of the Week (3/21) Big 12 Player of the Week (3/21 & 3/28) First-Team preseason All-American (Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA and Baseball America) Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year (Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America) Baseball America s Top Junior in the Country Baseball America s No. 1 College Prospect for the 2005 MLB Draft Wallace Award Watch List The Lincoln native is considered the top collegiate prospect in the country and will look to become the fi fth fi rst-round pick in school history and the fi rst since Darin Erstad and Alvie Shepherd in The following is a list of the previous fi rst round Husker draft picks. Previous First-Round Husker Picks Player No. Team Year Steve Stanicek 11 San Francisco 1982 Bill McGuire 27 Seattle 1985 Darin Erstad 1 LA Angels of Anaheim 1995 Alvie Shepherd 21 Baltimore 1995 Huskers in Professional Baseball At the start of the 2005 season, a total of 17 former Huskers were listed on Major League or Minor League rosters. The list is headlined by a pair of Major Leaguers in Darin Erstad of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Adam Stern of the Boston Red Sox. Stern is currently on the disabled list, but is listed on the Major League Roster. In all, a total of 19 former Huskers have reached the Major Leagues and made an appearance in a Major League game. Former Huskers in Professional Baseball Player 2005 Team (Organization) 2005 Level Position At Nebraska Drafted (Team) Darin Erstad Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Majors 1B/OF st round (Anaheim) Adam Stern* Boston Red Sox Majors OF rd round (Atlanta) Ken Harvey Omaha (Kansas City) AAA 1B th round (Kansas City) Dan Johnson Sacramento (Oakland) AAA 1B th round (Oakland) Jamal Strong Tacoma (Seattle) AAA OF th round (Seattle) Adam Shabala Fresno (San Francisco) AAA OF th round (San Francisco) R.D. Spiehs Mobile (San Diego) AA RHP rd round (San Francisco) Jed Morris Stockton (Oakland) A C th round (Oakland) Aaron Marsden Modesto (Colorado) A LHP rd round (Colorado) Jason Burch Modesto (Colorado) A RHP st round (St. Louis) Drew Anderson Breverd County (Milwaukee) A OF th round (Milwaukee) Jake Mullinax Quad Cities (St. Louis) A 2B th round (St. Louis) Mike Sillman Quad Cities (St. Louis) A RHP st round (St. Louis) Brian Rodaway Lincoln Northern League LHP th round (Houston) Injured Shane Komine TBA (Oakland) -- RHP th round (Oakland) Justin Pekarek TBA (Cleveland) Ext. Spring Trainning LHP th round (Cleveland) Not Assigned Quinton Robertson Johnson City (St. Louis) Rookie RHP th round (St. Louis) * Major League Roster Disabled List 2005 Radio Network Information The University of Nebraska and Pinnacle Sports Productions will have a minimum of 39 regular-season Husker baseball games will be broadcast this season, The broadcast team of Jim Rose and John Bishop will carry all 27 Big 12 contests and non-conference matchups against South Dakota State, Seton Hall, Creighton, Iowa, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa, Wichita State and Northern Illinois. Each broadcast goes on the air 20 minutes before fi rst pitch with the Mike Anderson pregame show. Pinnacle Sports Productions features stations across the state of Nebraska, including KLIN 1400 AM in Lincoln, KFAB 1110 AM in Omaha and KRVN 880 AM in Lexington. In addition, all of the Husker radio broadcasts can also be heard live on the Internet on Huskers.com. Pinnacle Sports Productions is in its ninth year producing and marketing live broadcasts of University of Nebraska football, men s and women s basketball, volleyball, baseball and softball games. Pinnacle was fi rst awarded the rights on Feb. 9, The University renewed the Pinnacle contract in the fall of 2003, which extends the contract to July 31, In addition to broadcasting Husker games, Pinnacle Sports also provides Sports Nightly, a daily, live call-in show focusing on NU athletics and other area sports. The show runs from 6 to 8 p.m. (central) on Pinnacle s statewide network. Pinnacle Sports Productions is owned by Paul Aaron of Elkhorn, Neb., and Dale Jensen of Phoenix, Ariz. Pinnacle Sports Productions Network Station Frequency City KBRB 1400 AM Ainsworth KCOW 1400 AM Alliance KWBE 1450 AM Beatrice KCNI 1280 AM Broken Bow KHUB 1340 AM Fremont KTNC 1230 AM Falls City KRGI 1430 AM Grand Island KUVR 1430 AM Holdrege KGFW 1340 AM Kearney KRVN 880 AM Lexington KLIN 1400 AM Lincoln KSWN 93.9 FM McCook KNEN 94.7 FM Norfolk KODY 1240 AM North Platte KOGA 930 AM Ogallala KFAB 1110 AM Omaha KNEB 960 AM Scottsbluff KSID 1340 AM Sidney KVSH 940 AM Valentine KTIC 840 AM West Point KAWL 1370 AM York Contact local Pinnacle Network Stations for broadcast availability

6 Nebraska Baseball Weekly Release #15 Page 6 April 14, 2005 Huskers.com Nebraska Baseball on HuskersNside The HuskersNside staff announced that nearly every regular-season game in 2005 will be carried live or tape delayed on HuskersNside. For the third straight season, HuskersNside will be the place to follow the Huskers throughout the 2005 campaign, as Head Coach Mike Anderson and the Huskers chase their sixth NCAA Regional appearance in the last seven seasons. After broadcasting almost 50 games in each of its fi rst two seasons, HuskersNside will carry nearly every game both home and away - this spring. Games which are being televised on ESPN, ESPNU or Fox Sports Net will not be carried on HuskersNside. In addition, HuskersNside will provide extensive highlight packages from the road, including interviews with NU coaches and players, which will be available following every trip this season. All of the highlights and video-on-demand will be available shortly following each road series, giving fans an upclose look at the Big Red. The site will have highlights and interviews with coaches and players following each game. The site will also have the Husker baseball show when it begins airing in late March. All of the offerings are set up for broadband (Cable Internet, DSL or Satellite Internet) connections, providing video steams at anywhere from 300 to 750 kbps for subscribers. There are currently two ways to sign up for the service - a monthly rate of $9.95 per month and a special annual rate of $74.95 if you sign up in March by logging on to Huskers.com. Upcoming HuskersNside Broadcast Schedule Date Opponent Time April 12 North Dakota State 6:35 p.m. April 13 North Dakota State 2:05 p.m. April 15 at Texas A&M 7 p.m. April 17 at Texas A&M 1 p.m. April 22 Baylor 6:35 p.m. April 23 Baylor 2:05 p.m. April 24 Baylor 1:05 p.m. May 6 Missouri 6:35 p.m. May 7 Missouri (NETV/CSTV) 2:05 p.m. May 8 Missouri 1:05 p.m. May 13 at Texas Tech 6:30 p.m. May 14 at Texas Tech 6:30 p.m. May 15 at Texas Tech Noon May 17 Northern Illinois 6:35 p.m. May 18 Northern Illinois 2:05 p.m. May 20 Kansas State 6:35 p.m. May 21 Kansas State (NETV/CSTV) 2:05 p.m. May 22 Kansas State 1:05 p.m. Husker Pitchers Earn Passing Grade Despite having fi ve pitchers drafted in the highest total of Husker pitchers taken in the draft in more than 20 years - Nebraska s pitching staff has excelled during the fi rst half of the season. Nebraska pitchers currently... Rank second in the Big 12 and fourth nationally with a 2.34 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a league-low.211 batting average. Nebraska has only posted a sub-3.00 ERA three times in school history (1965, 1966 and 1969). Have held 25 of 35 opponents to three runs or less as only two teams have scored more than four runs. Rank second in the Big 12 with nine saves and allowed just nine of 42 inherited runners to score. Issue a league-low 2.45 walks/nine innings, while ranking third in the league with 8.04 strikeouts/nine innings. Huskers Homegrown Rotation Pitching Coach Rob Childress has built Nebraska s pitching staff into one of the Big 12 s best on an annual basis, and 2005 is no exception. The Huskers are second in the Big 12 in ERA (2.33) and are holding opponents to a league-low.211 average. Of Nebraska s top fi ve starters, four are in-state products, including the entire weekend rotation of Joba Chamberlain (Lincoln), Zach Kroenke (Omaha) and Brian Duensing (Omaha), who are a combined Chamberlain Becomes Ace in the Hole Sophomore Joba Chamberlain s college career has been a whirlwind experience. The right-hander began his collegiate career at Division II Nebraska-Kearney, where he went 3-6 with a 5.23 ERA as a freshman, before transferring to NU last summer. The 6-3, 225-pounder has made an immediate impact, going 4-0 with a 2.10 ERA in eight starts for the Huskers. The right-hander ranks among the Big 12 leaders in ERA (third), strikeouts/nine innings (11.92, second), total strikeouts (68, third) and opponent batting average (.169, third). Chamberlain has struck out nine or more hitters fi ve times this spring. Against New Mexico on Feb. 25, Chamberlain struck out 15 in seven shutout innings en route to Big 12 Pitcher of the Week and National Co-Playerof-the-Week honors from Collegiate Baseball. His 15 strikeouts were the most by a Husker pitcher since Shane Komine in 2000 and two shy of the Huskers single-game record. Chamberlain then shut down No. 7 Rice, holding the Owls to one unearned run on four hits while striking out nine over 6.1 innings. He also has wins against South Dakota State, where he struck out nine and allowed one unearned run, and against Seton Hall, where he fanned 12 over eight innings. Well Duensing The return of junior left-hander Brian Duensing has solidifi ed the Huskers weekend rotation. The Omaha native is 5-0 with a 2.55 ERA in nine appearances, heading into Sunday s start at Texas A&M. He is 11th in the Big 12 in ERA and is holding opponents to a.219 batting average since missing nearly two full seasons because of Tommy John surgery. Duensing went 16.2 innings - spanning four appearances - without allowing a run before allowing four runs against Northern Colorado on March 15. Duensing went a season-high 7.1 innings, scattering six hits in a 9-4 victory at Kansas on March 27. Against No. 29 Oklahoma State, Duensing tossed a complete-game three-hitter, fanning six Cowboys in a 10-0 triumph. Zach Attacks No. 2 Starter Role While the return of Brian Duensing and the emergence of Joba Chamberlain have been the big stories early on for the Huskers, junior Zach Kroenke has regained the form that has made him one of the Big 12 s best pitchers. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder from Omaha is 4-1 with a 2.21 ERA, holding opponents to.217 average. Kroenke had won his last four outings before suffering the loss against Texas on April 9. He matched his season high with seven strikeouts in a complete-game three-hitter against Oklahoma State on April 2 in his last start. Jensen Shines at Closing Time Another pleasant surprise this spring has been the emergence of junior Brett Jensen as the Huskers closer. The 6-foot-7, 195-pounder has converted all fi ve of his save opportunities, as he is third in the Big 12 in that category. He is one save away from breaking into NU s single-season top-10 list. Simokaitis Makes Sacrifices Shortstop Joe Simokaitis has made it a habit of turning sacrifi ces into an art form. The senior has 39 sacrifi ces during his career, a total which ranks ninth on the NCAA s all-time list. He is second on the squad with seven sacrifi ces this season. NCAA Sacrifice Bunt Chart No. Player, Team Years Sacrifices 1. Rob Macrory, Auburn Jose Trujillo, Miami Damon Katz, Pepperdine Jack Jones, Cal Statr Fullerton Vince Pietro, Creighton Jason Smith, North Carolina State Mike Coss, Notre Dame Michael Dartt, Hawaii Joe Simokaitis, Nebraska 2002-present 39 Howie Shapiro, Miami Double Down for 11 vs. SDSU Nebraska put together one of the most explosive innings in school history on March 13 against South Dakota State, putting up 11 runs, highlighted by fi ve homers. The 11 runs were the most by Nebraska in an inning since 2002, while the fi ve homers in the frame set a school and Big 12 record. In addition, a pair of Huskers found their way into the NCAA record book by hitting two homers in the same inning. Brandon Fusilier and Curtis Ledbetter became the third and fourth Huskers to hit two homers in one inning, and the fi rst since the 2000 season. Ledbetter Gets Defensive at First Base One of the reasons for Nebraska s school record.975 fi elding percentage in 2004 was the performance of fi rst baseman Curtis Ledbetter. A two-time All-Big 12 pick, Ledbetter committed one error in 473 chances, as his.998 fi elding percentage was the best ever by a Husker with 400 total chances in a season. In addition to his defensive prowess, the senior from Lawrence, Kan., hit.297 with eight homers and 56 RBIs, while leading the squad with 12 game-winning RBIs. This season, Ledbetter has been a major offensive force, hitting.338 with nine homers and 31 RBIs, while ranking fi fth in the conference in round trippers. He is third on the team in homers and is second with nine doubles. In addition to playing fi rst base, Ledbetter has also seen time at catcher, a position he has not played since his freshman year at Garden City Community College. He is fi ffh in school history with 842 putouts.

7 Nebraska Baseball Weekly Release #15 Page 7 April 14, 2005 Huskers.com Nimmo Turns in Career Day vs. Seton Hall Among all of the prolifi c offensive efforts during the fi rst month of the season, one of the most suprising was the effort turned in by freshman outfi elder Bryce Nimmo against Seton Hall on March 19. Nimmo, who had driven in just one run in his fi rst 12 appearances, went 2-for-3 with two homers - the fi rst two of his career- and six RBIs in a 11-2 win. The six RBIs were the most by a Husker since All-American Matt Hopper had seven in a 10-inning win against Missouri during the 2003 season. 13 Husker Games Picked for Television Baseball fans throughout the state of Nebraska will have ample opportunity to see the Huskers on television this spring, as a total of 13 regular-season games will be shown on either a state-wide or national basis. Seven of the games will be shown on the ESPN family of networks, including the entire series against Oklahoma from Norman in two weeks. Husker Baseball on Television in 2005 Date Opponent Network First Pitch April 5 at Creighton NETV L, 3-4. April 6 Iowa NETV/CSTV W, 6-1 April 8 Texas ESPN2 W, 4-3 (16) April 9 Texas ESPN L, 4-11 April 10 Texas ESPN L, 5-6 (8) April 16 at Texas A&M Fox Sports Net 2 p.m. April 23 Baylor NETV/CSTV* 2:05 p.m. April 27 at Wichita State ESPNU 7 p.m. April 28 at Oklahoma ESPN 6 p.m. April 29 at Oklahoma ESPNU 6 p.m. April 30 at Oklahoma ESPNU 1 p.m. May 7 Missouri NETV/CSTV 2:05 p.m. May 21 Kansas State NETV/CSTV 2:05 p.m. *- Live on NETV, Tape Delayed on CSTV Simokaitis Climbs Assists List Earlier this season, shortstop Joe Simokaitis became the fourth Husker to ever record 500 assists and is closing quickly on the top three on the Husker chart. He enters the weekend with 573 assists and passed Bruce Wobken (548, ) for third place on the list against Oklahoma State two weeks ago. Simokaitis has paced the Huskers in assists in each of the last two seasons, including a school-record 194 assists in Career Assists Will Bolt Darin Petersen Joe Simokaitis 2002-present Bohanan is Mr. Versatility for NU Freshman Ryan Bohanan has emerged as one of the Huskers most valuable players during the fi rst half of the season. In addition to his pitching, where he has a 1-0 record with a save and a 0.79 ERA in eight appearances, Bohanan has seen time at designated hitter, as a defensive replacement in right fi eld and at fi rst base. Bohanan, who is hitting.167 with an RBI in six at-bats, was a two-way performer at Goddard High School in Kansas, where he played third base when he was not on the mound. May 10th Tickets vs. Creighton on Sale Tickets for Nebraska s rubber match against Creighton at Omaha s Rosenblatt Stadium on Tuesday, May 10, are now on sale at Ticketmaster locations across the state. Reserve seating prices for the May 10 contest are $12, $10 and $8, while children s tickets are $6. Tickets can be purchased over the phone at Ticketmaster in Lincoln at , in Omaha at (402) or on the Internet at Tickets will not be available for purchase at the Nebraska Ticket Offi ce. The Huskers won the fi rst meeting of the series in Lincoln before Creighton evened the series earlier this week. The annual May matchup in Omaha is one of the biggest sporting events of the spring in the state, as the contest has drawn crowds of at least 10,000 in each of the last fi ve seasons. Huskers Ranked Among Big 12 s Best A trio of Husker baseball players were honored in Baseball America s preseason issue. Third baseman Alex Gordon tops three categories (Best Pure Hitter, Best Strike Zone Discipline and Best Defensive Third Baseman), while Curtis Ledbetter (Best Defensive First Baseman) and Daniel Bruce (Best Outfi eld Arm) also garnered honors in voting by the league coaches. Ledbetter committed one error in 473 chances in his fi rst season at fi rst base, while Bruce has thrown out 15 runners from the outfi eld during his Husker career. Big 12 s Best Tools Categories Best Pure Hitter Best Strike-Zone Discipline Best Defensive 1B Best Defensive 3B Outfi elder/best Arm Player Alex Gordon Alex Gordon Curtis Ledbetter Alex Gordon Daniel Bruce Three Huskers Named to Baseball America s Preseason All-Big 12 Squad Three Huskers were selected to Baseball America s preseason All-Big 12 team. Third baseman Alex Gordon joined pitcher Zach Kroenke and fi rst baseman Curtis Ledbetter, giving the Huskers three selections, as NU was tied with Baylor for second among Big 12 schools. Texas had six preseason All-Big 12 picks Roster Features Nine Drafted Huskers Nebraska s 2005 roster boasts a total of nine Huskers who have been previously selected in the annual Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The list is led by fi fth-year senior Dustin Timm, who was drafted in both 2000 (Kansas City, 41st) and 2004 (Milwaukee, 26th). Timm and pitcher Phil Shirek, a 44th-round pick by Cleveland, were selected in the 2004 draft, but elected to return for their senior seasons. Drafted Huskers Player Round Team Year Jeff Christy 49th Los Angeles 2002 Brandon Fusilier 45th Seattle 2001 Brett Jensen 45th Baltimore 2003 Curtis Ledbetter 39th Cleveland 2000 Adam Moore 28th Los Angeles 2003 Jake Opitz 39th Seattle 2004 Phil Shirek 44th Cleveland 2004 Dustin Timm 41st Kansas City 2000 Dustin Timm 26th Milwaukee 2004 Tony Watson 23rd Florida 2003 Huskers Feature Players from 10 States Of the 40 members of the 2005 squad, 18 are from the state of Nebraska, including nine from the Omaha metro area and four from Lincoln. In all, a total of 10 states are represented on the 2004 roster, including seven from Colorado, three from Kansas, Iowa and Texas. Huskers by State States Nebraska 18 Colorado 7 Texas, Kansas, Iowa 3 North Dakota 2 Missouri 1 Minnesota 1 South Dakota 1 Wyoming 1 No. of Players Big 12 Standings April 13, 2005 Team Big 12 Pct. Overall Pct. Missouri Baylor Nebraska Oklahoma Texas Texas Tech Oklahoma State Texas A&M Kansas Kansas State Upcoming Big 12 Schedule Tuesday, April 12 at Oklahoma 20, TCU 10 Wichita State 2, at Oklahoma State 1 at Texas-Arlington 2, Baylor 0 at Rice 5, Texas A&M 3 (FSN) Kansas State at Creighton, ccd., rain North Dakota State at Nebraska, ppd., rain, until Wed. DH Wednesday, April 13 at Nebraska 12-10, North Dakota State 1-0 at Texas Tech 10, Hardin-Simmons 6 at Missouri 10, Southeast Missouri 2 at Wichita State 5, Kansas 1 William Jewell 6, at Kansas State 1 Friday, April 15 *Oklahoma at Texas (ESPNU), 6 p.m. *Texas Tech at Kansas State, 6:30 p.m. *Baylor at Kansas, 7 p.m. *Missouri at Oklahoma State, 7 p.m. *Nebraska at Texas A&M, 7 p.m. Saturday, April 16 *Texas Tech at Kansas State, 2 p.m. *Missouri at Oklahoma State, 2 p.m. *Nebraska at Texas A&M (FSN), 2 p.m. *Baylor at Kansas, 6 p.m. *Oklahoma at Texas (FSN), 6 p.m. Sundat, April 17 *Oklahoma at Texas (ESPN2), Noon *Baylor at Kansas, 1 p.m. *Nebraska at Texas A&M, 1 p.m. *Texas Tech at Kansas State, 1 p.m. *Missouri at Oklahoma State, 1 p.m. *- Big 12 Contest