Husker on rebound after his slow start

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BY CURT McKEEVER

If you want to really grab a baseball player's attention, tie him to the most-dreaded word in the sport.

Slump.

Curtis Ledbetter is working his way out of one. But ask Nebraska's easy-going first baseman about it, and he'll let on like he never had a 3-for-30 start to this season.

And then he'll wink.

"It's different at the beginning," Ledbetter said of his ... uh ... difficulties with the bat. "You may press more (trying to catch up). But you've got to keep swinging."

That philosophy is starting to pay off for the 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior, who last season hit .348 with 13 home runs and 54 RBIs to earn a spot as the All-Big 12 designated hitter.

In the last four games, Ledbetter is 7-for-11, including a 3-for-4 performance in the Huskers' 13-6 win against West Virginia on Sunday, that raised his average to .244 entering Nebraska's three-game trip to San Diego for this weekend's Aztec Invitational.

While he's driven in eight runs, Ledbetter has just two walks to nine strikeouts and is looking for his first extra-base hit.

"I've seen him lunging," Nebraska coach Mike Anderson, who moved Ledbetter from No. 3 in the batting order to fifth. "We have a saying, 'Quickness equals power,' instead of 'Strength equals power.' He starts lunging out at things with his lower half and then he gets in trouble."

Ledbetter said he feels like he's got his hips-legs-feet problem under control now, and he's working on making adjustments with his hands.

"I feel like I've gained some muscle (and) I get in trouble sometimes trying to be strong at the plate," he said. "I was being long (on swings) and it's all about staying quick."

"I'm still not there yet, but it's coming. It definitely felt a lot better to hit some balls hard (last week)."

Ledbetter is not the only Husker who's gotten off to a slow start. NU senior catcher John Grose, a career .339 hitter entering this season, is mired in a 2-for-24 (.083) slump.

But Grose has a huge supporter in Ledbetter.

"This is a talented team," he said. "We've won some ballgames and some of our guys are not swinging it very well. That's kind of impressive. What's going to happen when we do?"

Notice the word usage: When. Not 'if.'

"I hate the word 'slump,'" Anderson said, smiling. "But it does help to get a hit or two."

n Nebraska, ranked as high as 19th with a 6-3 record, faces San Diego (7-11 and an NCAA regional qualifier the past two seasons) today at 9 p.m. The Huskers take on UCLA (11-6) on Saturday at 5 p.m. and San Diego State (9-15) on Sunday at 9 p.m.

This weekend's tournament will be held at Petco Park, the new home of the San Diego Padres.

"Obviously, it's going to be exciting to play in a big-league park," Ledbetter said, "but it's got the same dimensions as every other field in the United States."

n Nebraska last played in Southern California in 1995, when it faced San Diego State. The Aztecs are guided by second-year coach Tony Gwynn, who played 20 seasons with the Padres and is eligible for entry into the Hall of Fame in 2007.

n NU second baseman Jake Mullinax is the Huskers' lone Californian. He's from nearby Hesperia.

n Right-handed junior pitcher Phil Shirek (1-0, 0.00 in three relief appearances) will replace Justin Pekarek in the starting rotation and throw against San Diego State. Shirek worked 42/3 effective innings against West Virginia after relieving Pekarek.

"No doubt he earned that spot, and that's what Nebraska baseball is all about. You've got to earn it," Anderson said of Shirek. "It took him about 10 pitches to get going (against West Virginia), and after that he was great."

n NU relievers have allowed just 7 of 22 inherited runners to score while posting a 2.70 ERA.

Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@;journalstar.com.