Nebraska Game Notes

Nebraska Game Notes vs. Arizona State:
**--  Nebraska finished the season with a 57-15 mark, the most wins in program history. NU also set the team record for games played with 72 and finished the year 2-3 in extra-inning contests after falling to ASU, 8-7, in 11 innings.

**-- Brandon Buckman made his first start since May 25 by being in the opening lineup Tuesday against Arizona State. Buckman singled up the middle in his first at bat and now has hit safely in his last five starts.

**-- Buckman went on to finish the game 2 for 2 at the plate after being lifted in the fifth. He has hit safely in 31 games this year, including 16 times with multiple hits.

**-- Zach Kroenke allowed just two home runs in his first 19 appearances this year but gave up two in his 6.2-inning outing Tuesday. Both of the home runs came off the bat of ASU leadoff hitter Jeff Larish, who led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo shot to left field and followed with a solo blast with two outs in the third. Kroenke has given up just 16 extra-base hits this season (out of 79).

**-- Larish tied the CWS single-game record as he hit a third solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning off closer Brett Jensen to tie the game at 7-7. He equalled the mark originally set by J.D. Drew of Florida State in 1995 and matched by Edmond Muth of Standford in 2000.

**-- Jeff Christy showed more solid play behind the plate as he threw out Willy Fox in the second inning. Christy has thrown out 8-of-11 would-be base stealers in the NCAA Tournament.

**-- Christy is also one of the Huskers' hottest hitters in June. Christy drove in the Huskers' third run of the game with a fourth-inning single up the middle. He has hit .333 (9 for 27) in the 2005 NCAA Tournament and has hit safely in seven of Nebraska's eight postseason games.

**-- Joe Simokaitis continued his hot hand offensively as his single in the third inning extended his hitting streak to 15 games, just three off his personal career best 18-game hitting streak from Feb. 19 to March 23.

**-- Simokaitis is now averaging .400 (6 for 15) at the plate in the College World Series in his career, including 4 for 10 (.400) with five walks. During the 2005 NCAA Tournament, Simokaitis has hit .375 (12 for 32).

**-- Simokaitis walked a season-high four times in the game against ASU, tying the CWS single-game record. He had recorded 30 walks entering the game and had just one game with multiple walks, in the third game of the season on Feb. 18 against Hawaii-Hilo. It also tied the Huskers' single-game season high.  

**-- Daniel Bruce was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning, marking the 67th time in his career he has been put on base after being plunked. Bruce's total ranks fifth in NCAA history, just one behind Clay Schwartz (UW-Milwaukee, 1994-97).

**-- Curtis Ledbetter came into the game in the fifth inning to pinch hit for Brandon Buckman against left-hander Brett Bordes. It was Ledbetter's first pinch hit since March 13, 2004 against UCLA at Petco Park.