Charlie Shirek Season 2007

2007 Outlook: The development of right-hander Charlie Shirek (pronounced SHEAR-ick) last season gives the Husker pitching staff three veteran pitchers to build the weekend rotation around...Compiled a 4-2 record with a save and a 3.23 ERA in 18 appearances last season, leading all Big 12 freshmen in ERA...Worked in a variety of roles throughout the year, primarily serving as NU's No. 4 starter...Moved into NU's weekend rotation for two starts after Joba Chamberlain's injury, highlighted by a three-hit shutout of South Dakota State...Proved his ability to pitch in pressure situations, pitching 4.2 innings of shutout relief in a nationally televised win at fifth-ranked Texas and tossing 6.1 innings of one-run ball in a win over Creighton in front of a crowd of 21,158 at Omaha's Rosenblatt Stadium...Tops out in the low 90s with a heavy sink and can locate four pitches for strikes...Rated as the No. 2 prospect in the Northwoods League in each of the past two years...Rested in the fall and did not participate in fall drills, allowing him to be ready for the start of spring drills.

2006: Shirek's emergence for Nebraska played a key role in the Huskers locking up a national seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season...Recorded a 4-2 record with one save and a 3.23 ERA in 18 appearances...Led all Big 12 freshmen and ranked seventh in the league in ERA, while allowing only 11 extra-base hits in 69.2 innings...Split time between the rotation and bullpen, making eight starts and 10 bullpen appearances...Was fourth on the squad in innings pitched and held opponents to a .257 average...Started the Huskers' Big 12 Championship opener, allowing two runs on six hits over 6.1 innings against Baylor on May 24, as NU broke a 2-2 tie in the ninth...Earned the win over Creighton in front of a crowd of 21,158, allowing one run on five hits while striking out three over six innings in a 4-1 victory on May 16...Worked exclusively out of the bullpen in conference action, going 1-1 with a 4.85 ERA in six appearances...Suffered the loss at Oklahoma State on May 7, as he allowed four eighth-inning runs after retiring the first five hitters he faced in NU's 7-5 loss...Picked up a crucial win for NU at No. 5 Texas on April 22, coming out of the bullpen to fire 4.2 innings of three-hit relief, as the Huskers rallied for a 7-5 victory...Earned the save in the series finale at Missouri on April 9, allowing two runs on six hits over three innings...Turned in an outstanding performance against Creighton on April 18, allowing two runs over a career-long 7.2 innings...Earned his first career victory in the nightcap against South Dakota State, tossing a seven-inning complete-game shutout and striking out three in a 3-0 win...Became the first Husker freshman to toss a complete game shutout since Jamie Rodrigue in 2000...Pitched well in the series finale against No. 25 Alabama on March 10, allowing one run on three hits, but left with the Huskers trailing 1-0 in a game they eventually won 6-2...Fired 1.1 innings of one-hit relief to pick up a hold in NU's 4-1 victory over the Golden Gophers on March 5...Turned in a strong outing in his first career start, taking a shutout into the seventh inning against Richmond, as he fanned four Spiders and allowed just four hits in six-plus innings of work and left with a 2-1 lead...Pitched for the Duluth Huskies in the Northwoods League, going 3-2 with a 1.11 ERA...Struck out 30 over 48.2 innings and held foes to a .198 average...Rated the No. 2 prospect in the Northwoods League by Baseball America.

2005: Shirek redshirted in 2005 � Pitched for Duluth in the Northwoods League over the summer for Coach Dave Parra...Named the No. 2 prospect in the league by Baseball America...Compiled a 9-2 record and a 1.69 ERA, fanning 56 in 80 innings...Tied for the league lead in wins and topped Duluth in wins, strikeouts and starts, while holding opponents to a .210 batting average.

Minot High School: Shirek was one of the top pitchers in the upper Midwest, pitching for Coach Pete Stenberg at Minot High School...Selected as the Gatorade Player of the Year in North Dakota and to the ABCA Rawlings All-Midwest team after going 8-1 with two saves and a 0.39 ERA in 2004...Struck out 88 in 54 innings while also hitting .442...Considered the top prospect in the state by Baseball America before the 2004 MLB Draft...Played American Legion baseball for Coach Todd Larson, going 3-3 with four saves and a 1.98 ERA in 2004...Fanned 76 in 54 innings, holding foes to a .146 average...Selected to try out for the U.S. Junior National Team, but was unable to participate because of an injury...Posted a career American Legion mark of 17-6 with a 2.37 ERA, striking out 254 in 199 innings...Played baseball, football and basketball at MHS, earning 10 letters...Named first-team all-region in all three sports in 2003-04...Was an all-state defensive back in 2003...Was also a member of the honor roll at MHS...Looked at Minnesota and Kansas State before choosing NU.

Personal: Born on Oct. 25, 1985, in Minot, N.D...Parents are Randy and Joy Shirek...Has one brother (Phil), who pitched at NU from 2002 to 2005 and ranks in the top 10 in career wins as a Husker...Is a history major with a pre-education minor...Earned spots on the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll in the fall of 2016 and 2017 and the spring of 2017.