Huskers Head to Omaha to take on Bluejays

Season Record (33-19, 10-14 Big 12)
National Rankings (--/--/--) - as of May 17)
Tues. (May 18) vs. Creighton (30-21) Rosenblatt Stadium 7 p.m.
Fri. (May 21) No. 21/18/-- Oklahoma (31-18, 17-7 Big 12) Hawks Field 6:35 p.m.
Sat. (May 15) Oklahoma Hawks Field 2:05 p.m.
Sun. (May 16) Oklahoma Hawks Field 1:05 p.m.
Note: All rankings are listed as follows: Collegiate Baseball/Baseball America/Sports Weekly-ESPN Coaches

Pitching Matchups
Tues - NU (Justin Pekarek, Sr., LHP, 6-1, 3.75 ERA) vs. CU (Scott Reese, Fr., LHP, 1-2, 3.54 ERA)
Fri. - NU (Zach Kroenke, So., LHP, 7-3, 2.92 ERA) vs. OU (David Purcey, Jr., LHP, 7-4, 2.76 ERA)
Sat. - NU (Phil Shirek, Jr., RHP, 5-1, 3.36 ERA) vs. OU (Mark Roberts, Sr., RHP, 8-4, 3.53 ERA)
Sun. - NU (TBA) vs. OU (Mike Swindell, Sr., RHP, 4-2, 5.40 ERA)

Media Information
Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network (Tues, Fri.-Sun)
TV: NETV (Tues.)
Live Stats: Huskers.com (Fri.-Sun.)
Internet Video Streaming: Every remaining regular-season game will be video streamed live on HuskersNside, which is a subscription-based service of the Nebraska Athletic Department. For more information on how to subscribe, visit Huskers.com.

Huskers Head to Omaha; Host Sooners this Week
Nebraska looks to rebound from a series sweep at Baylor, closing the regular season with four games this week. The Huskers, 33-19 overall, will look to break a three-game losing streak on Tuesday night, as they travel to Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium to take on the Creighton Bluejays. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. in the rubber match between the state’s two Division I programs. The game will be carried on the Pinnacle Sports Network with Jim Rose and Gary Sharp, while the game will also be televised on NETV with Kevin Kugler and Adrian Fiala. Fans who can’t attend Tuesday’s game can watch over the Internet as a live video stream is available on HuskersNside, as every remaining regular-season game will be carried live on the premium site.

The Huskers won the opener, 7-3, in Omaha on March 23, while Creighton evened the series in a 6-4 win at Hawks Field on April 20, snapping NU’s six-game winning streak over the ?Jays. A win on Tuesday would clinch the season series for the sixth consecutive year over CU (weather prevented all three matchups in 1998), as NU has not dropped a season series to the Bluejays since the 1993 season, when CU won 3-of-4 games.

Creighton is 30-21 on the year and comes into the matchup with some momentum after winning 3-of-4 at Bradley last weekend. The Bluejays are 2-0 this season at Rosenblatt Stadium, defeating Kansas State (4-1 on April 27) and Wichita State (5-1 on May 7), but have lost five straight to the Huskers in the ballpark,including a 9-5 Husker win on May 13, 2003.

One of the biggest events on the Omaha sporting calendar, Tuesday’s game at Rosenblatt Stadium is a day-night twinbill with the Omaha Royals, who play Fresno at 12:05 p.m. Over 7,000 tickets have been sold for the game as of Monday morning and the game has traditionally enjoyed a large game-day walk-up crowd.

Following Tuesday’s game, the Huskers will play host to Oklahoma for a three-game series beginning Friday at 6:35 p.m. Saturday’s game will be Parents Day, while the Huskers will honor their five departing seniors before Sunday’s 1:05 p.m. regular-season home finale.

Drawing a Crowd
When the Huskers and Bluejays play at Rosenblatt, crowds are sure to follow, as the series has drawn over 65,000 people over the last four years, including a crowd of 18,578 two years ago. In both 2000 and 2001, the game drew the largest regular-season crowd in college baseball. In 2004, that will be unlikely because of the 40,106 fans who attended the San Diego State-Houston game at Petco Park in March.

Huskers vs. Bluejays at Rosenblatt since 1999
Year Score Attendance
1999 Nebraska 10, Creighton 9 6,735
2000 Nebraska 10, Creighton 2 15,436
2001 Nebraska 8, Creighton 4 13,862
2002 Nebraska 9, Creighton 1 18,578
2003 Nebraska 9, Creighton 5 11,014

Drawing a Crowd: Part II
Nebraska is familiar not only with professional ballparks, but also playing in front of large crowds. NU was also part of the Aztec Invitational in San Diego in early March, playing in front of crowds in excess of 19,000 each day.

Nebraska’s Weekend at Petco Park
Date Opponent (Score) Attendance
March 12 vs. San Diego (W, 5-4, 12 inn) 19,482
March 13 vs. UCLA (L, 2-4) 25,175
March 14 vs. San Diego State (W, 6-2) 20,737

Huskers Play 10th Road Game in Pro Ballpark
Tuesday’s visit to Rosenblatt Stadium marks the Huskers’ 10th road game at a AAA or Major League ballpark this spring. Nebraska is 6-3 on the year, posting a 3-0 mark at Isotopes Park (AAA Albuquerque Isotopes), a 1-2 record at the Metrodome (Minnesota Twins) and a 2-1 record at Petco Park (San Diego Padres). The Huskers also hope that good fortune continues next week, as the Huskers travel to Ameriquest Field at Arlington (formerly the Ballpark in Arlington) for the Big 12 Tournament (May 26-30). In addition, the Huskers’ ballpark - Hawks Field at Haymarket Park - hosted the Omaha Royals in their series opener with Fresno on Sunday.

Scouting Creighton
Under first-year coach Ed Servais (Wisconsin-LaCrosse, 1981), Creighton enters the final week of the regular season with a 30-21 record after taking 3-of-4 from Bradley on the road last weekend. The Bluejays are in third place in the Missouri Valley Conference with an 18-9 mark and needs only one wins this weekend to lock up the second seed in the MVC Tournament in Springfield, Mo., next week.

The strength of the Bluejays has been their defense, as they lead the nation with a .981 fielding percentage, committing just 34 errors in 51 games. In fact, the Huskers and Bluejays are both ranked in the top-10 nationally in that category.

Offensively, second baseman Tony Roth paces the CU attack, hitting .346 with four homers and 26 RBIs, as one of four starters above .300. Right fielder Zach Daeges leads the squad with 32 RBIs, while hitting seven homers and batting .305, while catcher Tony Daniel has nine of CU’s 30 round trippers.

On the hill, freshman Scott Reese makes his first collegiate start, as the southpaw is 1-2 with a 3.54 ERA in four saves in 48.1 innings. Reese, who has pitched in both of the team’s previous matchups this season, is holding opponents to a .218 average.

The Bluejay roster features a trio of former Huskers in infielder Chase Odenreider (.263-0-16), outfielder Matt Daeges (.274-1-11) and pitcher Adrian Rider (1-0, 5.65 ERA). Nebraska holds a 55-39-2 lead in the all-time series, but Creighton won the last matchup, picking up its first win in Lincoln since the 2001 campaign.

Leading Off
? -Few people enjoy playing at Rosenblatt Stadium as much as Husker junior outfielder Daniel Bruce. The Millard West product is hitting a robust .478 (11-for-23) with six RBIs in five career games at Rosenblatt. Bruce had his only career four-hit game in last season’s 9-5 win over Creighton at Rosenblatt.

? - Sunday’s loss at Baylor marked the first time that Nebraska had been swept in league play since the 2000 season. Since then, Nebraska has 13 three-game sweeps in league play, covering nine different league opponents. NU swept Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Texas A&M twice while taking brooms once to Kansas, Missouri, Iowa State, Texas Tech and Baylor. In fact, the only Big 12 team NU didn’t sweep in that stretch was Texas.

? - Nebraska has not committed an error in its last 48.2 innings (five complete games and part of a sixth) dating back to May 10. In fact, since the Missouri series, where Nebraska committed nine errors over three games, the Huskers are fielding at a .987 clip over the last 18 contests, as no player has more than one error. The Huskers went an incredible 63.1 innings without a miscue in mid-March - the longest stretch in over 20 years and are 19-6 when playing error-free baseball.

? -With 449 assists entering Tuesday’s game against Creighton, shortstop Joe Simokaitis is two assists away from moving past Kurt Eubanks (450, 1981-85) for sole possession of fourth place on NU’s career list. Simokaitis has committed one error in his last 19 games, as he is fielding at a .963 clip on the season. His assists are the highest ever for a the player who played less than four seasons at NU.

? - With one week remaining in the regular season, sophomore third baseman Alex Gordon is looking to become the Big 12’s first triple crown (average, homers and RBIs) winner.

Gordon is second in the league in hitting, homers and RBIs, as he is hitting .383 with 17 homers and 69 RBIs. The last conference player (Big Eight/SWC) to lead the league in all three categories in a single season was Oklahoma State’s Pete Incaviglia (.464-48-143) in 1985.

? - Monday marked the first time in 82 weeks that the Huskers were not ranked in any of the three major baseball polls (Collegiate Baseball, Baseball America or Sports Weekly/ESPN Coaches) since April of 2000

? - Third baseman Alex Gordon is the lone Husker to start all 52 games this season, and has been in the starting lineup the past 73 contests, dating back to April 23, 2003. This season, Gordon has played in 455 of Nebraska’s 459 innings, sitting out the final two innings of NU’s wins over Kent State (Feb. 22) and Boston College (March 21).

? - Throughout 2004, the Huskers have bolted to fast starts, outscoring opponents 54-23 in the opening inning of games and 144-63 over the first three innings.

*- At first glance, the Huskers’ career hit-by pitch list looks very much like the 2004 lineup. Of the top 11 players on the all-time list (21 or more HBP), five are current players and a sixth is second-year volunteer assistant Brandt Vlieger NU hitters have been 87 times, 12 shy of the school and Big 12 record set in 2002.

? - Alex Gordon looks to extend Nebraska’s streak of Big 12 home run champions, as he is second in the league with 17 round trippers, one behind Travis Metcalf of Kansas for the league lead. A Husker has led the Big 12 in homers in each of the past four seasons, dating back to the 2000 season (Matt Hopper and Dan Johnson, 2000; Dan Johnson, 2001; Jed Morris, 2002; Matt Hopper, 2003).

While Gordon adds his legacy to an impressive list of Husker sluggers, he also looks to become the first Husker third baseman to earn first-team all-conference accolades since Derek Dukart in 1994. Gordon’s performance not only potentially puts him among the favorites for league honors, but also compares very favorably to NU’s last two Big 12 Players of the Year (Jed Morris in 2002 and Matt Hopper in 2003). In addition, Ken Harvey’s numbers from the 1999 season when he was Smith Award and Golden Spikes finalist are included below.

Stats After 52 Games
Player, Year Avg. Runs HR RBI SLG. OBP
Gordon, 2004 .382 58 17 69 .793 .504
Hopper, 2003 .385 52 17 56 .711 .500
Morris, 2002 .368 56 19 66 .746 .434
Harvey, 1999 .492 65 22 76 .907 .565

? - Jesse Boyer reached safely in 10 straight plate appearances in wins over Oklahoma State and Northern Iowa last week, while he swiped four bases and scored six runs in that stretch. Boyer is batting .375 with an on-base percentage of .516 over NU’s last seven games.

? - Another Husker who has been playing well of late is catcher John Grose, who is batting .346 (9-for-26) with two homers, and six RBIs in his last seven contests. Grose has hit safely in six of his last seven games, including three multi-hit efforts.

? - The Huskers have scored five or more runs in an inning 11 times in 2004, spanning a total of 10 games, including five-run innings on Monday and Tuesday.

Big Innings (Five or more Runs in an Inning in 2004)
No. Inn. Opponent Date Result
8 3rd Northwestern Feb. 20 W
8 5th Missouri April 18 W
7 5th New Mexico April 6 W
7 1st North Carolina Feb. 28 W
5 1st Northwestern Feb. 20 W
6 2nd Kent State Feb. 22 W
5 3rd Boston College March 21 W
5 5th Kansas-2 March 28 W
5 8th Kansas State April 2 W
5 6th Oklahoma State May 10 W

? - In Tuesday’s win against Northern Iowa, pitcher Mike Sillman made his Husker debut in right field in the ninth inning, marking the first time since high school that the Omaha native has been used in the field.

? - Second baseman Jake Mullinax was chosen as the Husker Power Baseball Lifter of the Year prior to the May 2 game against Texas A&M. He was chosen by a vote of his teammates after lowering his body fat percentage from 19 percent to 10 percent and gaining seven pounds of mass. He also increased his vertical jump 2.5 inches and improved his Performance Index 215 points. Mullinax beat out finalists Alex Gordon, Zach Kroenke and Phil Shirek for the award.

Last Time Out
NU suffered its first sweep since the 2000 season, dropping three games at Baylor for its sixth straight Big 12 series loss. The Huskers dropped a pair of one-run games before a sixth-run inning in the finale capped the series.

Friday (Baylor 2, Nebraska 1) ? Four Baylor pitchers combined to hold Nebraska to one run on six hits in a 2-1 victory in the opener. RBIs by Kyle Reynolds and Reid Brees spotted BU a 2-0 lead off Zach Kroenke, who allowed two runs over the first seven innings for the loss. NU nearly pulled out a comeback in the ninth, on Jake Mullinax’s RBI single. The Huskers put runners on first and second with two outs, but Abe Woody got Colin Shockey to fly out for the final out. Sean Walker, the first of four Bear pitchers, shut out the Huskers on three hits through 6.1 innings for the win. Mullinax was the only Husker with more than one hit, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Saturday (Baylor 3, Nebraska 2) ? Paul Witt scored on a passed ball with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as Baylor topped No. 23 Nebraska, 3-2, to clinch the series win. Witt led off the ninth with a bloop single to right before a walk put runners on first and second. Mike Sillman retired the next two batters before his first pitch to Reid Brees skipped off catcher John Grose’s glove to score Witt from third. The Huskers had eight hits, including two each from Grose and Colin Shockey, but stranded seven runners, including four in scoring position over the final three innings. Ledbetter also had an RBI single, as NU’s other run came on a Baylor throwing error. Michael Griffin and Drew Sutton both added solo homers for Baylor off NU starter Phil Shirek, who pitched the first five innings. Justin Pekarek, who tossed 2.2 innings of three-hit ball, and Sillman held Baylor scoreless until the ninth.

Sunday (Baylor 9, Nebraska 4) - Josh Ford’s grand slam highlighted a six-run sixth inning, as Baylor took the final game of the series with a 9-4 win on Sunday. Ford went 1-for-3 with five RBIs, as his ninth homer of the season gave the Bears the lead for good. Trailing 3-2, the Bears struck for six straight hits off NU reliever Brett Jensen, who had retired 11 straight before the Bears’ rally. Three consecutive singles loaded the bases before Ford’s shot put BU up 6-3. Alex Gordon led NU with three hits, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Gordon tied the score at two with his 17th homer of the year, a two-run shot of Mark McCormick, in the fourth. Colin Shockey and John Grose also drove in runs for NU in the loss.