Huskers In the Summer Leagues

Lincoln ? With the summer leagues at the midway point, Huskers.com makes a quick swing around the country to check on Nebraska players in nation's best summer baseball leagues.
 
Two Huskers have spent the summer in the Cape Cod League, competing in the nation’s toughest summer league.  Reliever Erik Bird has enjoyed a dominant summer, going 1-0 with a 0.77 ERA and two saves in eight games. The right-hander has allowed just seven hits in 11.2 innings and has an 8-to-0 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Second baseman Jake Opitz has also played a significant role for the Harwich Mariners, hitting .189 with a pair of RBIs in the wood-bat league.
 
A pair of Huskers helped Fayetteville (N.C.) to the Coastal Plains League first-half title with a 23-5 mark. Left-hander Brian Feekin has been one of the most impressive performers during the summer, going 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA in five starts. He allowed and struck out 30 over 30.0 innings and opponents are hitting just .103 off the southpaw. Feekin earned player-of-the-week honors last week, allowing one hit and striking out six over nine innings against Outer Banks, a game Fayetteville eventually won 1-0 in 10 innings. He is joined in the Fayetteville lineup by Brett Sowers, who is hitting .198 with a homer, six doubles and five RBIs in 26 contests.
 
Another team that is on the verge of clinching a league title is Beatrice in the M.I.N.K. League, and it is no surprise that a trio of Huskers are leading the way for the Bruins. Thad Weber has been a strong two-way performer, hitting .357 with 18 RBIs in 13 contests, while also going a perfect 5-0 with a 1.20 ERA in five games. The right-hander has struck out 37 and surrendered just 15 hits over 30.0 innings of work for the Bruins. Another pitcher who is excelling in Beatrice is left-hander Zach Herr, who is 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA as the team’s closer. He has struck out 18 and allowed just eight hits in 13 innings on the mound. Third baseman Craig Corriston is on a tear, hitting .386 with five doubles, 11 RBIs and 10 runs scored in just 12 contests. 
 
A number of Huskers are spending the summer in the Northwoods League. DJ Belfonte has followed up an impressive freshman season for the Big Red by hitting .250 with a pair of triples, 18 runs scored and swiping eight bases for the St. Cloud Riverbats. In Alexandria, third baseman Jeff Tezak is hitting .271 with 16 RBIs and eight stolen bases. Left-hander Dan Jennings has moved to the starting rotation for the Waterloo Bucks, going 0-2 with a 2.70 ERA in 30 innings of work, averaging nearly a strikeout per inning.