Kroenke Earns First Major League Start

Former Nebraska pitcher Zach Kroenke (2003-05) will start his first Major League game tonight as he is on the mound for the Arizona Diamondbacks when they square off against the Los Angeles Dodgers at 9:10 CST in Los Angeles. The left-hander has made a pair of major league appearances this season after starting nine games earlier in the year for the Triple-A Reno Aces.

A second-team All-Big 12 selection at Nebraska in 2005, Kroenke is the third pitcher from the 2005 Huskers to start a major league game, joining Joba Chamberlain (Yankees) and Brian Duensing (Twins). The trio led NU to a school-record 57 wins and the program's first College World Series win in 2005.

Kroenke was drafted by the New York Yankees in the fifth round of the 2005 MLB Draft and spent five years with the organization. The Omaha native joined the Diamondbacks last December and went 7-3 with a 3.51 ERA for the Triple-A Aces. He saw his first major league action Sept. 10 at Colorado and also appeared in a Sept. 18 contest at Pittsburgh.

Kroenke was 20-9 during his collegiate career with a 2.87 ERA. He led the Huskers with six complete games in his final two years and posted team-highs in innings pitched (104.0) and starts (15) in 2004.

In addition to Kroenke, four other former Huskers are currently active on Major League rosters - Alex Gordon (Royals), Joba Chamberlain (Yankees), Dan Johnson (Rays) and Brian Duensing (Twins). The Yankees, Rays and Twins have all clinched playoff berths.