[Husker] NU Wins Game 1

[Skylar Dodds]

Hello Husker Fans,

  NU wins their first game at the Rice Invitational this weekend 9-1
  over Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

  The story of the day was ASU transfer Drew Bowman getting his first
  start as a Husker in place of suspended Tony Watson. He pitched very
  well, scattering 7 hits over 6 innings (most of which in the last 2)
  while only allowing 1 run with 3 Ks and walked none. He looked
  really sharp, but seemed to tire out a little bit in the last two.
  One of his best stats: 59 strikes to 29 balls with 0 walks, good
  ratio!

  In fact, the Huskers only had 1 walk all day, something Anderson
  could get used to. Edlefsen redeemed himself a little from last week
  by coming in for a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout. Thad Weber, the
  backup 1st baseman, took over in the 8th and pitched 2 scoreless
  innings to finish the deal getting out of a two on one out jam in
  the ninth.

  FYI, Weber was one of the top junior college players in the country,
  playing at Hutchinson (Kan.) CC.

  • Capped his junior college career by earning second-team NJCAA
  All-America honors in 2006, the first All-American from the school
  in four seasons
  • Split time between first base and the mound, and earned first-team
  All-Jayhawk West Conference honors at both spots
  • Named the Jayhawk West Player of the Year after hitting .453 with
  six homers and 63 RBIs while going 10-0 with a 2.16 ERA
  • Totaled a school-record 27 doubles, two triples and a .724
  slugging percentage
  • Struck out 66 and walked 20 in 62 innings and held opponents to a
  .199 batting average
  • Fired four complete games, including a three-hit shutout of the
  regional playoffs when he struck out a career-high 12 hitters.

  The Husker pitchers combined for 8 hits, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K in 9 IP.

  On offense, a lot of the production came from the bottom of the
  order with the 6, 8, and 9 hitters Opitz, Weber, and Belfonte
  (combined 7 for 10, 4 RBIs, 5 Runs).
  
  NU got started early in the first when cleanup hitter Andrew Brown
  follow Wehrle's 2 out single with a 2-run-first-at-bat-this-year
  bomb over the right center field wall.

  In the 2nd, after a Bowman 1-2-3 inning, the Huskers went right back
  to work.  Opitz led off with a first pitch double to right, Lanning
  walked to setup Thad Weber and Belfonte RBIs with a single and SAC
  bunt respectively.  *NOTE* Anderson has used the SAC bunt to score a
  runner on several occasions already this year.  I'm guessing they
  worked this pretty hard in practice since it wasn't the team's
  strong suit last year. *END NOTE* Corriston later drove Weber in to
  put the Huskers up 5-0 early.

  That was more than enough for Bowman who was in control, giving up
  just one hit over the next two innings.

  In the fourth, the Huskers brought out the sticks again with Opitz
  singling to left and eventually coming around to score on a throwing
  error advancing on a sac fly from Weber.  Belfonte knocked a 2 out
  double to center and Nimmo came up and brought him home.

  TAMUCC scored their only run in the 5th when Bowman gave up 2
  singles and a double, but got the final guy to groundout and end the
  threat.

  NU scored again in the 6th when Opitz singled and scored on Thad
  Weber's double down the right field line making it 8-1.

  The Huskers capped the scoring in the 8th when Wehrle singled, Brown
  walked, and Gerch walked to load the bases with no outs.  The
  Huskers were only able to scratch 1 run across on a fielder's choice
  groudball from Lanning after Opitz struck out and a Weber groundout
  to end the inning.

  Tomorrow, the Huskers take on the #6 Rice Owls at 1 pm. Charlie
  Shirek (1-0) will take the hill for the Huskers and face stud RFr.
  Ryan Berry (2-0, 1.08 ERA, 17 K, 16.2 IP). Even though the Owls are
  6-4, the Huskers will have a tall order getting to the Owls'
  pitching staff. They're good, top to bottom and the Huskers will
  have to take advantage of every opportunity to beat them.

  The game will be broadcast via HuskersNSide (paid subscription
  required) and on Rice Owls radio via the internet:
  http://www.ktru.org/ktruwmp2002 OR  http://bang.rice.edu/listen.shtml?DB_OEM_ID=100

--
Go Skers,
 Skylar                            mailto:Sklarbodds at cox.net