Huskers Return to Texas for Four-Game Set in Huntsville

Date       Date      Opponent                    Radio                   Internet                   Time

Friday      Feb. 25   vs. Northern Colorado (0-0)    Husker Sports Network  Huskers.com  1:30 p.m.

Saturday   Feb. 26   vs. Northern Colorado (0-0)    Husker Sports Network  Huskers.com  1:30 p.m.   

Saturday   Feb. 26   at Sam Houston State (2-2)   Husker Sports Network  Huskers.com  6:30 p.m.

Sunday    Feb. 27   at Sam Houston State (2-2)   Husker Sports Network  Huskers.com  10 a.m.

Media Info
Live Radio: Selected Husker Sports Network and for free on the Internet at Huskers.com (affiliate list on page five of today's notes)
Live Stats: Click Here
Live Video: None
Television: None

Probable Starting Pitchers - Nebraska vs. Northern Colorado/Sam Houston State
Friday-Tom Lemke, So., RHP (1-0, 3.18 ERA) vs. Joe Sawicki, Sr., RHP (9-2, 3.06 ERA in 2010)    

Saturday-Jon Keller, Fr., RHP (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Josh Tinnon, Fr., RHP

Saturday-Sean Yost, Jr., RHP (1-0, 4.76 ERA) vs. Brent Powers, Sr., LHP (0-1, 1.80)

Sunday-Tyler Niederklein, So., RHP (0-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. Brandon Kimbrel, Sr., RHP (0-0, 0.00) or TBA

This Week: Nebraska returns to the Lone Star State for the second week in a row as it looks to build on a three-game winning streak at the Bearkat Invitational in Huntsville, Texas. The Huskers will take on both Northern Colorado and Sam Houston State two times, beginning with Friday afternoon's meeting with the Bears at 1:30 p.m., before facing UNC and the host Bearkats on Saturday, while rounding out the weekend with a Sunday finale against SHSU at 10 a.m.

On the Radio: Fans across Nebraska and around the world can listen to Greg Sharpe and Lane Grindle call all of the action this weekend on the Husker Sports Network - including KLIN 1400 AM in Lincoln, KFAB 1110 AM in Omaha - and on the Internet at Huskers.com. A complete list of Husker Sports Network affiliates can be found on page 5.

Preview: The Huskers continue their early season road swing with four non-conference contests this week. After dropping its season opener last Friday at Texas State, NU rebounded to win its final three games of the weekend behind effective starting pitching and an offensive outburst of 11 runs per game. Big bats highlighted the trip to San Marcos, including grand slams from Kash Kalkowski and Kale Kiser in back-to-back wins over Washington and Missouri State. Kiser was NU's top performer on opening weekend, as the leadoff hitter finished the road trip with a .571 batting average and .700 on-base percentage. Kiser was one of five Huskers to hit over .350 last weekend, as Chad Christensen, (.474), Kurt Farmer (.364), Bryan Peters (.357), and Cory Burleson (.353) were also effective at the plate while helping NU average nearly 13 hits per game.

Nebraska was also strong on the mound, as each of the four starters (Tyler Niederklein, Jon Keller, Tom Lemke and Sean Yost) went at least five innings. Keller, a freshman from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was most impressive, throwing six shutout innings and giving up only three hits in the 8-1 win over Air Force.

Weekend Rotation
Friday vs. No. Colorado: #30 - Tom Lemke • So. • RHP • 6-8 • 228 • Phoenix, Ariz. (NW Christian)
Right-handed sophomore Tom Lemke will start the week for Nebraska when he takes the hill Friday afternoon against Northern Colorado • Held Washington in check last Saturday night, picking up the win after throwing 5.2 innings while giving up two runs on six hits • Win over the Huskies evened his career record at 6-6 • Could be Nebraska's top starter in 2011 after he had one of the best freshmen campaigns in the Big 12 Conference last season • Had shutouts over Texas A&M and Oklahoma en route to a 5-6 record with a 5.34 ERA • Tied for the team lead in starts with 14 • Played for Santa Barbara in the California Collegiate League over the summer • Went 3-1 for the Foresters with a 3.15 ERA while not allowing a home run in 34.1 innings • Drafted in the 10th round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers, which was the highest an incoming Husker pitching prospect had been selected in the last two decades • His two complete-game shutouts in 2010 were the most by a Husker since 2002 • Tied with Texas' Cole Green for the league lead in shutouts and was third in complete games, as he was one of only three freshman pitchers on any Big 12 top-10 pitching list • Became the first Husker freshman in over a decade to start and win in the opening weekend, as he fanned six over five shutout frames at Fresno State on Feb. 22, 2010 • Was one of the top pitchers in the state of Arizona during his prep career at Northwest Christian High School, going 25-9 with a 2.01 ERA, striking out 333 in 193.2 career innings • Tossed 13 complete games, including seven shutouts, while holding hitters to a .151 average.

Saturday vs. No. Colorado - #23 - Jon Keller • Fr. • RHP • 6-5 • 231 • Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Xavier)
Freshman right-hander Jon Keller was one of the brightest parts of opening weekend as he won his first career start by throwing six shutout innings in the 8-1 win over Air Force • Struck out six Falcons while giving up three hits and walking two • Did not allow any AFU runners to advance past second base • One of three freshmen pitchers taken in the 2010 MLB Draft, Keller was selected in the 11th round by the Seattle Mariners • Showed strong signs in October's Red-White Series, as he started the finale and threw 5.0 innings, giving up four hits and two runs • Is friends with sophomore shortstop Chad Christensen, also of Cedar Rapids, Iowa • Produced a 12-6 record and ERA just above 1.50 over his last two prep seasons • As a senior, was named captain of the first-team all-state squad and earned the Iowa Sports Connection's Player-of-the-Year award after going 6-2 with a 1.75 ERA • Struck out 93 hitters in 56 innings in his final season after fanning 78 over 59.2 as a junior • Was a first-team all-metro and all-conference selection as a junior, going 6-4 with a 1.41 ERA • Turned in his best performance in the state playoffs fanning 10 over 6.1 innings of two-hit ball while also collecting three hits and scoring a pair of runs.

Saturday vs. Sam Houston St.: #8 - Sean Yost • Jr. • RHP • 6-7 • 210 • Lincoln, Neb. (Southwest)
Sean Yost is coming off an opening-weekend win over Missouri State and will be making his 15th career start this Saturday against Sam Houston State • Was tabbed the victor against the Bears after throwing 5.2 innings and giving up three runs on nine hits while striking out two and walking a pair • Nine hits was the most Yost has given up during his career • Drafted in the 24th round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox, but chose to continue his Husker career • Has bulked up during his career, adding 40 pounds since he arrived on campus in the fall of 2007 • Started last year's season opener at Fresno State and went 3.2 innings while giving up two runs in a no-decision • Has been used as a starter, reliever and closer during his first two seasons • Pitched the White team to a Game 2 victory in the Red-White Series, going 6.0 shutout innings and striking out six while giving up two hits • Has had strong summer campaigns, most recently earning a start in the California Collegiate All-Star Game • Produced a perfect 3-0 record for San Luis Obispo with a 2.70 ERA in five starts • Stepped into the weekend rotation midway through the 2009 season and went 2-5 with a 6.02 ERA in 18 appearances, fanning 48 over 55.1 innings • Named to the Northwoods League All-Star game in 2009 • As a redshirt freshman in 2009, threw a complete-game shutout of Baylor - the first nine-inning shutout by a Husker rookie since 2000 to earn him Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors • Redshirted in 2008 and spent the summer playing for the Beatrice Bruins • Rated by Baseball America as the top high school player in Nebraska for the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft • Named first-team Super-State by the Lincoln Journal Star after putting up a 6-2 record with a 2.09 ERA over 53.2 innings as a senior at Lincoln Southwest High School.

Sunday vs. Sam Houston St.: #21 - Tyler Niederklein • So. • RHP • 6-2 • 203 • Omaha, Neb. (Millard West)
Tyler Niederklein will make his 10th career start Sunday in the weekend finale at Sam Houston State • Started the season opener at Texas State, throwing 5.0 innings while allowing three runs on seven hits • Was the third Nebraska native in the last four years to start the season opener, joining Thad Weber (Friend, 2008) and Sean Yost (Lincoln, 2010) • Played for Fayetteville in the Coastal Plains League over the summer • Tied for a team-high nine starts for the SwampDogs, going 3-5 with a 6.08 ERA • Was 3-1 with a 3.09 ERA in 2010 • His freshman season was highlighted by a win at Baylor, throwing a career-long 5.2 innings and allowing only one earned run in a 6-2 Nebraska victory • Became the first Husker freshman to win his first Big 12 start since Johnny Dorn in 2005 • Went five innings in the season finale against Texas Tech, allowing four runs on five hits in a no-decision • Went 9-3 in his two varsity seasons at Millard West High School, helping the Wildcats to a pair of state tournament showings • Named first-team all-state by the Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star as a senior, going 5-2 with a 2.35 ERA, as he fanned 53 over 51 innings while also hitting .304 with 24 runs scored • Became the first Millard West product to join the Huskers since Daniel Bruce (2002-05) • Is one of five Omaha natives on the NU pitching staff in 2011 • Has not declared a major, but carries a 3.158 GPA.

Scouting Northern Colorado
Northern Colorado will open its season Friday against Nebraska. The Bears fininshed 2010 with a solid 34-24 record and a runner-up finish in the Great West Conference with a 22-6 league mark. With seven returning starters, UNC is picked to finish second again in the GWC this year.

Northern Colorado is the alma mater of NU Head Coach Mike Anderson, while Bears' first year head coach Carl Iwasaki was a college teammate of Anderson's at UNC. Iwaski graduated from Northern Colorado in 1985 and has spent time coaching in Colorado, Hawaii, California at Texas.

Among the Bears' top returnees are the top two sluggers, Jarod Berggren and TJ Berge. The duo combined for 21 homers and 113 RBIs last season, as Berggren hit .392 and Berg batted .391. Tony Crudo, who ranked fourth with a .352 average and had 52 RBIs, is also back.

On the mound, the Huskers are expecting to see UNC's top pitcher from 2010, right hander Joe Sawicki on Friday afternoon before facing freshman right hander Josh Tinnon on Saturday. Sawicki led the Bears with an impressive 9-2 record and a 3.06 ERA.

Series History: The Huskers have won 31 of the 35 meetings between the two schools, including 17 of 19 meetings since the Bears have moved to the Division I level. The Huskers swept a two-game series at Hawks Field in 2010.

2010 Recaps: Game 1 (Nebraska 15, Northern Colorado 5): Chase Adams allowed one run over a career-high 4.1 innings of relief, as Nebraska fell behind early before knocking off Northern Colorado, 15-5.

The junior college transfer from Mineola, Texas, stemmed the tide for Nebraska, as the Huskers fell behind 4-1 after Kyle Hardman's three-run double in the third and trailed until DJ Belfonte's three-run triple in the bottom of the sixth. Adams scattered five hits and fanned three Bears for his first  win. While Adams (1-0) kept the Bears in check, Nebraska's bats started to warm up in the mid-50 degree temperatures, as the Huskers scored 13 runs in their final three at-bats.

Trailing 4-2, the Huskers regained the lead for good in the sixth with four runs off a pair of UNC relievers. Two hit batters and a walk by Ben Packard loaded the bases for Befonte, who proceeded to triple to the gap in right center to give NU a 5-4 lead. Kale Kiser than gave NU a two-run cushion with a sacrifice fly to score Belfonte, who went 2-for-5 with two runs scored.

On the day, the Huskers pounded out 17 hits, including three by Adam Bailey, who went 3-for-6 with two RBIs. Cody Asche, Bryan Peters and Patric Tolentino all enjoyed multi-hit days, with Peters scoring three times and driving in a pair of runs. Tyler Farst and Josh Scheffert also homered in the win, as the Huskers extended their home win streak to nine games.

Game 2 (Nebraska 15, Northern Colorado 2): Adam Bailey's grand slam highlighted a 10-run third inning, as Nebraska powered its way past Northern Colorado, 15-2.

Bailey went 2-for-4 and drove in four RBIs, as the senior right fielder put together his ninth-straight multi-RBI effort. He had both of his hits in the inning, as the Huskers sent 16 hitters to the plate in turning a 1-0 game into a laugher.

Josh Scheffert homered and drove in three runs, while Tyler Farst had two hits and two RBIs to help the Huskers run their home win streak to 10 games. Kale Kiser scored four times as part of a 2-for-3 afternoon, while Bryan Peters continued to swing the bat well with three hits and scored twice, as the Huskers pounded out 13 hits and took advantage of a Northern Colorado team that walked six and hit five Huskers in the first three innings.

Mike Nesseth was outstanding in a predetermined outing, as he tossed three no-hit innings for the win. The right-hander didn't allow a ball out of the infield in his three innings of work and struck out four in facing one batter over the minimum.

Five Husker pitchers combined on a five hitter and 10 strikeouts, as Dylan Vogt and Matt Freeman both saw their first action of the season.

Scouting Sam Houston State
Sam Houston State is 2-2 in 2011 as it dropped 2-of-3 at Tulane, each by one run, before shutting out Houston Baptist, 13-0 on Tuesday in its home opener. The Bearkats are looking to rebound from a 19-36 campaign when it finished 10th in the Southland Conference with an 11-22 league record. SHSU is relying on eight returning starters to anchor a stronger run in 2011, the sixth season for head coach Mark Johnson. A graduate of New Mexico (1967), Johnson is one of the longest tenured coaches in college baseball, as he holds a 1,010-542-3 record in 27 years in the collegiate ranks. He recently announced that he will retire at the end of the 2011 season.

Ryan Mooney has been the top performer at the plate in the young season, as he is hitting .462 (6-of-13) through the first week of play. Mooney also leads the team with three doubles, while Braedon Riley ranks in first with four RBIs and hits .294. Mark Hudson is batting .364 with three RBIs. Chris Andreas has the lone Bearkat home run in 2011.

The Huskers will face left hander Brent Powers Saturday evening. Powers is 0-1 with a 1.80 ERA after suffering the loss at Tulane. He was 1-6 with a 7.92 ERA in 2010. Nebraska may face senior righty Brandon Kimbrel on Sunday morning, although it has not been officially announced by the SHSU coaching staff. Kimbrel has one appearance in 2011, as he started and threw six innings at Tulane, shutting out the Green Wave whie giving up four hits before the relievers gave up the game-winning home run in the eighth inning.

Series History: Sam Houston State leads the all-time series against Nebraska, 3-1. The teams last met on Feb. 28, 2009 in Huntsville, with the Huskers claiming an 8-1 win.

Leading Off

• -Nebraska's 36 runs on 51 hits were the highest offensive totals the Huskers have put up on opening weekend since 2004 when NU the Huskers totaled 53 runs at the Ultimate Dugout Baseball Fiesta in Albuquerque, N.M. Since then, no NU team had more than 22 runs on opening weekend over the past six years. Additionally, despite the newly certified BBCOR bats, which have projected a downgrade in power in college baseball, the Huskers homered four times in San Marcos, marking the most round-trippers on opening weekend since 2006. Josh Scheffert's solo shot in the Nebraska's fourth at-bat of the season was the quickest home run in over a decade.
• -Kash Kalkowski and Kale Kiser gave Nebraska grand slams in back-to-back wins over Washington and Missouri State last weekend. It was the quickest back-to-back grand slams since April 18, 2000 when Dan Wright and Jeff Leise each did so in NU's 19-6 win over Western Illinois at Buck Beltzer Stadium.
• -Kale Kiser adjusted very well to his new role as Nebraska's leadoff hitter. The junior from Plano, Texas had one of the best weekends of any individual in the Big 12, as he finished the trip to San Marcos by hitting .571 with a .700 on-base percentage, as he also drew a team-best six walks.
• As a team over the weekend, NU's leadoff man reached in 20 of 36 innings. Without the season-opening loss to Texas State, the Husker leadoff hitter has reached safely in 17 of the last 27 innings.
• -The Nebraska pitching staff issued a total of 14 walks last week at the Texas State Tournament, an average of 3 1/2 per game. The Huskers gave up 19 walks during the 2010 opening weekend at Fresno State and averaged nearly 4.2 per game on the season.
• -Sophomore first baseman Kurt Farmer has Nebraska's second-best on-base percentage (.556), as he went 4-of-11 (.364) at the plate and was hit by a pitch a mind-boggling six times on opening weekend. Farmer was also plunked three times in 15 games in 2010.
• -The Huskers have played February games in the state of Texas in seven of the past eight years. Nebraska is 20-8 in those opening-month contests.
• -The Huskers bring back one of its most experienced teams in a while, as 20 letterwinners are back for the 2011 campaign. It is the second-highest number of returning letterwinners in the past 11 years.
• -By taking command early in its last three games, aided by at least one run in the first two innings, the Huskers have not trailed for the past 27.0 innings
• -Eight Huskers, including six true freshmen, saw their first collegiate playing time in Nebraska's trip to the Texas State Tournament last week. Among the group was Jon Keller, a right hander from Cedar Rapids, who guided NU to its first win of the season, an 8-1 win over Air Force on Saturday. Right hand reliever Brandon Pierce was impressive in the game as well, shutting down the AFU bats in the ninth inning as he faced the minimum and struck out a pair.

Freshmen Who Played on Opening Weekend
Freshman                Pos.
Tanner Krietemeier     OF
Michael Pritchard      OF
Pat Hirschberg*         OF
Nick Miller               INF
Jon Keller                RHP
Brandon Pierce         RHP
Tyler King                LHP
Zach Hirsch*            RHP
*-Redshirt freshman

Notes

• -Nebraska was 24-4 when leading after six innings last year, but just 2-19 when trailing after six. The Huskers are hoping for some solid relieving roles in senior Casey Hauptman and freshman Brandon Pierce, a 26th-round draft pick from Gunter, Texas.
• -NU has 124 come-from-behind wins under Mike Anderson since 2003. The Huskers had 10 come-from-behind wins last season, including overcoming a 10-run deficit against North Dakota on March 30 and a four-run deficit against Southeast Missouri State on May 8.
• -The Huskers are 81-10 dating back to 2008 when they out-hit an opponent and have won 90 percent of their games since 2003 when out-hitting an opponent. Last season, NU was 25-4 when out-hitting opponents. The Huskers are also 28-8 when reaching double-figures in hits, but just 2-20 when held to nine hits or less.

Huskers to Be Tested Again in 2011
A total of 32 home games at Hawks Field and 16 contests against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams highlight the 2011 schedule. The 56-game schedule includes 14 home games in the month of March, including a pair of non-conference series against 2010 NCAA runner-up UCLA and 2008 NCAA champion Fresno State.

"We feel like we've put together a schedule that is going to be one of the top schedules in our conference," Anderson said. "I thought we had one of the toughest last year, and I think we have a chance to do that again."

The home segment of the schedule begins March 2, when Nebraska hosts Nebraska-Kearney. From March 4 to 6, the Huskers welcome 2010 NCAA runner-up UCLA for its first three-game series of the year, while 2008 NCAA champion Fresno State heads to Lincoln the following week for a three-game set from March 11 to 13. Nebraska plays eight of its remaining nine games in the month of March at Hawks Field. The only road contest during that stretch is a midweek non-conference match-up at Kansas State on March 16.

"A nice thing about our schedule is that we play 32 home games," Anderson noted. "We're in a cycle where the schedule can benefit us that way. Thirty-two home games can make a difference."

The Big 12 slate guarantees to be challenging as always, as five league foes are ranked in the preseason top 25.

Recruiting Class Ranked 13th Nationally
Nebraska's incoming baseball recruiting class was ranked No. 15 nationally by Collegiate Baseball in its annual rankings released in September. The rating marked the second straight year the publication tabbed the Husker recruiting class in the top 15, as a No. 13 ranking in 2009 was NU's highest in the 27-year history.

The Husker recruiting class is highlighted with talent on the mound, including two pitchers who were drafted in the first 11 rounds of the 2010 MLB Draft.

In-state product Logan Ehlers of Nebraska City headlines the group after claiming back-to-back state Gatorade Player of the Year honors. Ehlers was drafted in the eighth round by the Toronto Blue Jays. The left-hander finished his prep career with a 8-2 record with a 0.27 earned-run average in 2010 while striking out 186 batters. As a junior, Ehlers was a perfect 10-0 on the mound with a 0.20 earned-run average, as he fanned 161 hitters and allowed only nine hits.

Right-handed pitcher Jon Keller, an 11th-round pick by the Seattle Mariners, compiled a 6-2 record with a 1.75 earned-run average as a senior at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Keller struck out 93 hitters in 56 innings and was named the captain of Iowa's Class 4A all-state team. A threat at the plate as well, Keller was his team's cleanup batter and batted a team-best .473 with six home runs and 37 RBIs.

A native of Gunter, Texas, right-hander Brandon Pierce was one of the top pitchers in the Lone Star State at Gunter High School before the Pittsburgh Pirates selected the hurler in the 26th round. Pierce was 39-4 as a starter in his career and struck out 267 hitters with a 1.50 earned-run average over his final two seasons. A two-time first-team all-state selection, Pierce also hit .475 at the plate as a senior with 13 home runs.

Eight Draftees on 2011 Roster
For the second straight year, Nebraska's 2011 roster boasts a total of eight Huskers who have been previously selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Nebraska's eight draft selections ranks in a third-place tie in the Big 12.

Drafted Huskers
Player                      Round           Team               Year
Khiry Cooper             5th     Los Angeles-AL 2008
Kash Kalkowski          48th   Tampa Bay                   2008
Tom Lemke               10th   Texas                          2009
Ryan Hander             39th   Los Angeles-NL 2009
Sean Yost                 24th   Boston                        2010
Brandon Pierce          26th   Pittsburgh                     2010
Logan Ehlers             8th     Toronto                       2010
Jon Keller                 11th   Seattle                         2010

Drafted Players by Big 12 School
No.   School        Player
1.     Texas            16
2.     Oklahoma St.  12
3.     Baylor            8
       Nebraska        8
       Kansas State    8
       Texas A&M      8
7.     Kansas           7
8.     Oklahoma       5
9.     Texas Tech     4
10.    Missouri         3

Huskers Tabbed for Eighth in Big 12
Nebraska was picked eighth in the Big 12's preseason coaches poll released Tuesday by the league office. The Huskers return six position starters, in addition to seven pitchers who had at least 10 appearances, from last year's team that finished 27-27 overall.

Nebraska has 20 returning lettermen on the 2011 roster, its second-highest total in the past 11 years. The incoming recruiting class was ranked 15th nationally by Collegiate Baseball.

Oklahoma has been named the preseason favorite to win the 2010 Big 12 regular-season title. The Sooners are coming off a College World Series appearance and edged Texas for the top spot by two points. OU received six first-place votes to UT's four, while they were followed by Texas A&M, Baylor and Kansas State in the top five slots.

Huskers Boast Experienced Coaching Staff
One of the strengths is an experienced coaching staff. All three full-time coaches have served as head coaches at the Division I level and combine for nearly 1,250 career wins. Anderson, who is in his eighth season, has 307 wins entering the 2011 season. Dave Bingham won 837 games in stints between Kansas and Emporia State, while Eric Newman won 95 wins in a three-year stint at Dallas Baptist.

Anderson Adds Erstad as Volunteer Assistant
One of the most decorated baseball players in program history returned to Nebraska last summer, as Darin Erstad was named a volunteer assistant coach on July 8, 2010. A two-time Major League All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner, Erstad is serving as the Huskers' volunteer hitting coach.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 1995 MLB Draft, Erstad wrapped up a 14-year Major League career in the fall of 2009, after playing for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (1996-06), Chicago White Sox (2007) and Houston Astros (2008-09). During his career, he helped the Angels to a World Series title in 2002 and two other American League playoff appearances. Erstad appeared in 1,654 games, and was a career .282 hitter with 124 homers and 699 RBIs. He was at his best in the postseason, hitting .339 in 29 career playoff games, including a .352 clip in 2002 to lead the Angels to their only World Series win.

A two-sport star at Nebraska, Erstad was a first-team All-American and Big Eight Co-Player of the Year as a junior in 1995, batting .410 with 19 homers and 76 RBIs. A 1995 Golden Spikes Award finalist, he finished his Husker career holding school records for most hits (six), runs (six), and RBIs (six) in a game; most hits (103) and total bases (194) in a single season (1995) and most career hits (261). In addition to his exploits on the diamond, Erstad, a two-time academic all-conference selection, was also the starting punter for the Huskers' 1994 national championship football team, helping NU to a 13-0 record.

Huskers From Around the Nation
The 2011 Huskers come from 12 states across the nation. Nebraska natives comprised nearly one-third of the opening-day 35-man roster, while the Huskers also have six Texas natives returning to the Lone Star State for the second straight week. The closest Texas native to home is Khris Tate, as Carthage, Texas is 142 miles northeast of Huntsville.

State                                         Players
Nebraska                                          11
Texas                                                6
Colorado                                           5
Missouri                                            3
Illinois, Iowa                                       2
Louisiana, Minnesota, South Dakota, Arizona   1
Kansas, Oklahoma

Success in the Classroom
The Nebraska baseball team had an impressive 29 student-athletes named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll for the fall 2010 semester. The Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll recognizes student-athletes who record a 3.0 GPA or higher each term.

Nebraska had a total of 358 honorees across its 23 varsity sports, including 43 student-athletes with perfect 4.0 GPAs. That group included redshirt freshman outfielder Pat Hirschberg and junior catcher Sam Stucky.

In addition to Hirschberg and Stucky, senior pitcher Casey Hauptman and junior infielder Cody Asche, both Academic All-Big 12 selections in 2010, headline the long list of Husker baseball honorees. Hauptman earned the honor for the seventh time in his career, while Asche's award is his fourth in a row. Hauptman is a two-time selection to the Academic All-Big 12 team and holds a 3.715 GPA as a business administration major.

Nearly three-fourths of the Nebraska baseball team was represented on the honor roll. A complete list of the selections is below.

2010 Big 12 Commissioner's Fall Honor Roll
Name (Yr., Hometown)                    - Major
Chase Adams (Sr., Mineola, Texas) - Management
Erik Anderson (Sr., Leawood, Kan.) - Political Science
Cody Asche (Jr., O'Fallon, Mo.) - Economics
Kyle Bubak (Sr., Layton, Utah) - Business Administration
Luke Bublitz  (So., Thornton, Colo.) - Mathematics Education
Cory Burleson (Jr., Midland, Texas) - Management
Kurt Farmer (So., Columbus, Neb.) - Communication Studies
Matt Freeman (Sr., Omaha, Neb.) - Nutrition Science
Casey Hauptman (Sr., Omaha, Neb.) - Business Administration
Zach Hirsch (RFr., St. Charles, Ill.) - Finance/Economics
*Pat Hirschberg (RFr., Parker, Colo.) - Business Administration
Nate Kerkhoff (So., Overland Park, Kan.) - Intern. Studies/Spanish
Tyler King (Fr., Republic, Mo.) - Biological Sciences
Kale Kiser (Jr., Plano, Texas) - Finance
Tyler Lansangan (Jr., Kansas City, Mo.) - Finance
Tom Lemke (So., Phoenix, Ariz.) - Undeclared
Alex Levin (Jr., West Linn, Ore.) - Sociology
Tyler Niederklein (So., Omaha, Neb.) - Undeclared
Mike Pritchard (Fr., Omaha, Neb.) - Undeclared
Ryan Richardson (Fr., South Elgin, Ill.) - Undeclared
Eric Rose (Sr., Billings, Mont.) - Psychology
Josh Scheffert (So., Lincoln, Neb.) - Undeclared
Dexter Spitsnogle (Sr., Odell, Neb.) - Mechanical Engineering
*Sam Stucky (Jr., McPherson, Kan.) - Agricultural Economics
Khris Tate (Sr., Carthage, Texas) - Communication Studies
Cade Thompson (Sr., Eatonville, Wash.) - Business Administration
Nick Thune (Fr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) - Undeclared
Patric Tolentino (Sr., Sickles, Okla.) - Business Administration
Brian Wuest (Jr., Prosper, Texas) - History

Season Tickets On Sale Now
The Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office announced last month that a limited number of reserved season tickets for the 2011 season are on sale now. In its 10th year at Hawks Field, Nebraska will play 32 home games this spring.

Reserved seating for the 32-game home schedule can be purchased by calling 1-800-8-BIG-RED or by visiting the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office (located directly west of Memorial Stadium) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Due to determining seat location, these reserved season tickets cannot be purchased on Huskers.com.) The limited reserved seating is currently available in the following areas - upper and lower deck, club seats, home run terrace (right field) and handicapped accessible seats. The reserved season tickets are $310, while the club seating is $403.

General admission season tickets are also on sale ($186 adults; $124 youth/seniors) and can be purchased here on Huskers.com, by calling 1-800-8-BIG-RED or by visiting the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office.

Next Up
The Huskers play its home opener next Wednesday, March 2 when NU hosts Nebraska-Kearney at Hawks Field. Nebraska then welcomes UCLA March 4-6. The Bruins are ranked No. 1 in this week's NCBWA national rankings and No. 2 by Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America.