Komine to Make MLB Debut on Sunday

Lincoln ? One of the most storied figures in Nebraska baseball history makes his Major League debut this weekend, as two-time All-American Shane Komine (pronounced ko-MEE-nay) was called up by the Oakland Athletics on Friday afternoon.

Komine, who pitched at Nebraska from 1999 to 2002, will make his Major League debut on Sunday afternoon, as he takes the hill against the Toronto Blue Jays and former Cy Young winner Roy Halladay, who is 13-2 with a 3.06 ERA. Sunday’s game, which is scheduled for a 3:05 p.m. central first pitch, will be available on the MLB Extra Innings Package and on MLB.com.

With his call-up, Komine becomes the 23rd Husker to reach the Major Leagues and the first Nebraska pitcher to reach the Majors since Troy Brohawn (1992-94), who pitched in the Majors from 2001 to 2003.

This season, Komine has pitched for AAA Sacramento, going 9-7 with a 3.89 ERA in 20 appearances, ranking sixth in the Pacific Coast League in both strikeouts (101) and wins. He has been on a tear in recent weeks, going 6-0 with a 0.42 ERA in his last six starts dating back to June 25, striking out 38 in 42.2 innings of work. Komine, who was drafted in the ninth round by the Athletics in 2004, underwent Tommy John surgery in July of 2004 and missed nearly a year of action.

As a Husker, Komine enjoyed a brilliant career, leading Nebraska to a pair of College World Series appearances. He compiled a 41-8 record with a 2.84 ERA, holding school records for wins, strikeouts (510), innings pitched (431.0), starts (59) and complete games (18). Komine earned first-team All-America honors in 2000 and 2001, and ranks fifth in NCAA history with his 510 strikeouts.

                         Shane Komine (Nebraska Stats)
Year       ERA   W-L   App  GS  CG SHO/CBO  SV    IP    H    R   ER   BB   SO
1999....  3.58   6-2    18  11   2   0/0     2  78.0   84   42   31   37   79
2000....  2.24  11-4    17  17   6   2/1     0 124.2   90   39   31   31  159
2001....  3.35  14-2    18  18   7   1/1     0 131.2  129   61   49   36  157
2002....  2.33  10-0    15  13   3   1/0     0  96.2   62   30   25   30  115
TOTAL...  2.84  41-8    68  59  18   4/2     2 431.0  365  172  136  134  510