Hot pitching seals another Husker victory
They're shooting with silencers, these Nebraska relievers.
On Friday, right-handers Brett Jensen and Mike Sillman added three more scoreless innings of relief to the bullpen's impressive resume while preserving the 17th-ranked Huskers' 3-2 Big 12 Conference-opening victory against Kansas.
"I think, that's an indication of how good their pitching is on Friday," KU coach Ritch Price said. "We can flat hit, you'll see it before the weekend's over."
A Haymarket Park crowd of 4,403 watched the Big 12's top-hitting team finally crack NU starter Zach Kroenke, scoring two runs with no outs in the seventh to pull to 3-2. But the lanky, 6-foot-7 sidearm-slinging sophomore Jensen came in to retire six of the next seven batters.
Then, the submarine-throwing senior Sillman escaped trouble in the ninth by getting the Big 12's leading hitter Matt Baty on a fielder's choice grounder and Richie Price on a pop up in foul territory down the third-base line to end the game.
"That's kind of what you expect on a Friday - a good ballgame, low-scoring," Nebraska coach Mike Anderson said.
It took another perfect defensive effort, and clutch pitching, for the Huskers to win it.
In addition to the relievers extending their consecutive-scoreless-innings stretch to 211/3, NU played its sixth consecutive error-free contest. In records kept back to 1986, that's never happened.
What Husker fans are becoming used to seeing is Alex Gordon produce. This time, the sophomore third baseman lined an 0-2 pitch Ryan Knippschild hung over the outer part of the plate into center field for a two-run single that gave Nebraska a first-inning lead.
"I was in a B-hack. I was just trying to put something in play," said Gordon, who went 2-for-4 to raise his average to .403. "I don't think he wanted to throw it there."
Knippschild, who settled down to last the entire game, had hit leadoff batter Jesse Boyer with a delivery and then made an errant throw to first on Daniel Bruce's sacrifice to leave runners at first and second. After they advanced on Jake Mullinax's grounder, Gordon drove in his 28th and 29th runs of the season.
Later, Price called the Lincoln Southeast product the best pure hitter in the league. Gordon's .483 average with runners in scoring position would suggest that he's also one of the coolest.
The same would hold true for Nebraska's relievers, who have allowed just 11 of 38 inherited runners to score.
The Huskers also have been amazingly efficient at scoring following sacrifices, which is how they got the winning run Friday.
That came in the fourth inning, when Colin Shockey and John Grose singled. Following a sac by Johnny Bowden, Joe Simokaitis hit a grounder to shortstop that allowed Shockey to score. For the season, Nebraska has 32 sacrifices and 22 of those have led to runs.
Meanwhile, Kroenke allowed just two hits while blanking KU through six innings.
The Jayhawks, who have been held to less than two runs just twice this season, finally got to the left-handed sophomore in the seventh. That's when Travis Metcalf singled to left, Jared Schweitzer ripped an 0-2 delivery for an RBI double off the base of the left-center wall and Andy Scholl singled to right to make it 3-2.
Jensen, a transfer from Iowa Central Community College, then entered and was aided when first baseman Curtis Ledbetter made a diving catch of J.C. Sibley's bunt. Jensen then struck out Baty before getting Price on a liner to center.
Jensen gave up a two-out infield single in the eighth, but then struck out Metcalf, the Big 12's home run leader. Although he's not been scored on in his last six appearances, Jensen gave way to Sillman to start the ninth.
Sillman then proceeded to walk Schweitzer before Scholl, on the next pitch, flew out to right. Mike Dudley gave the Jayhawks hope by driving a 1-0 delivery to right for a single that moved Schweitzer to second. But Sillman refused to buckle and got the best of Baty and Price to notch his second save.
"Sillman's still our guy. There's no doubt in my mind," Anderson said. "You have to be that way with your closer. It might not be a simple 1-2-3, but he's going to get it done."
n Ledbetter was replaced at first by Beau Sullivan in the top of the ninth inning because of stiffness in his right shoulder from the seventh-inning play. He had an ice bag on after the game, but maintained he'd be ready for today's 2:05 p.m. tilt.
n Friday's result marked the sixth straight season Nebraska has won its Big 12 opener.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@;journalstar.com.
Nebraska 3, kansas 2
Kansas ab r h bi Nebraska ab r h bi
MBaty 2b 5 0 0 0 Boyer lf 3 1 0 0
Price ss 3 0 0 0 Bruce rf 3 1 0 0
Richardson c 4 0 0 0 Mullinax 2b 4 0 2 0
RBaty 1b 4 0 1 0 Gordon 3b 4 0 2 2
Tribble rf 4 0 2 0 Ledbetter 1b 4 0 0 0
Metcalf 3b 4 1 1 0 Sullivan 1b 0 0 0 0
Schweitzer dh 2 1 1 1 Shockey cf 4 1 2 0
Scholl lf 4 0 1 1 Grose c 4 0 2 0
Sibley cf 3 0 0 0 Bowden dh 1 0 1 0
Dudley ph 1 0 1 0 Simokaitis ss 4 0 1 1
Totals 34 2 7 2 Totals 31 3 10 3
Kansas 000 000 200 - 2 7 1
Nebraska 200 100 00X - 3 10 0
E-Knippschild (1). DP-KU 1. LOB-Kansas 9, Nebraska9. 2B-Tribble (13), Schweitzer (5).
Kansas ip h r er bb so
Knippschild L 8 10 3 2 2 7
Nebraska ip h r er bb so
Kroenke W 6 5 2 2 1 4
Jensen 2 1 0 0 0 2
Sillman 1 1 0 0 1 0
W-Kroenke (4-0). L-Knippschild (5-3). S-Sillman (2) HBP-by Kroenke (Price), by Knippschild (Boyer), by Kroenke (Schweitzer). T-2:20. A-4,403.
On Friday, right-handers Brett Jensen and Mike Sillman added three more scoreless innings of relief to the bullpen's impressive resume while preserving the 17th-ranked Huskers' 3-2 Big 12 Conference-opening victory against Kansas.
"I think, that's an indication of how good their pitching is on Friday," KU coach Ritch Price said. "We can flat hit, you'll see it before the weekend's over."
A Haymarket Park crowd of 4,403 watched the Big 12's top-hitting team finally crack NU starter Zach Kroenke, scoring two runs with no outs in the seventh to pull to 3-2. But the lanky, 6-foot-7 sidearm-slinging sophomore Jensen came in to retire six of the next seven batters.
Then, the submarine-throwing senior Sillman escaped trouble in the ninth by getting the Big 12's leading hitter Matt Baty on a fielder's choice grounder and Richie Price on a pop up in foul territory down the third-base line to end the game.
"That's kind of what you expect on a Friday - a good ballgame, low-scoring," Nebraska coach Mike Anderson said.
It took another perfect defensive effort, and clutch pitching, for the Huskers to win it.
In addition to the relievers extending their consecutive-scoreless-innings stretch to 211/3, NU played its sixth consecutive error-free contest. In records kept back to 1986, that's never happened.
What Husker fans are becoming used to seeing is Alex Gordon produce. This time, the sophomore third baseman lined an 0-2 pitch Ryan Knippschild hung over the outer part of the plate into center field for a two-run single that gave Nebraska a first-inning lead.
"I was in a B-hack. I was just trying to put something in play," said Gordon, who went 2-for-4 to raise his average to .403. "I don't think he wanted to throw it there."
Knippschild, who settled down to last the entire game, had hit leadoff batter Jesse Boyer with a delivery and then made an errant throw to first on Daniel Bruce's sacrifice to leave runners at first and second. After they advanced on Jake Mullinax's grounder, Gordon drove in his 28th and 29th runs of the season.
Later, Price called the Lincoln Southeast product the best pure hitter in the league. Gordon's .483 average with runners in scoring position would suggest that he's also one of the coolest.
The same would hold true for Nebraska's relievers, who have allowed just 11 of 38 inherited runners to score.
The Huskers also have been amazingly efficient at scoring following sacrifices, which is how they got the winning run Friday.
That came in the fourth inning, when Colin Shockey and John Grose singled. Following a sac by Johnny Bowden, Joe Simokaitis hit a grounder to shortstop that allowed Shockey to score. For the season, Nebraska has 32 sacrifices and 22 of those have led to runs.
Meanwhile, Kroenke allowed just two hits while blanking KU through six innings.
The Jayhawks, who have been held to less than two runs just twice this season, finally got to the left-handed sophomore in the seventh. That's when Travis Metcalf singled to left, Jared Schweitzer ripped an 0-2 delivery for an RBI double off the base of the left-center wall and Andy Scholl singled to right to make it 3-2.
Jensen, a transfer from Iowa Central Community College, then entered and was aided when first baseman Curtis Ledbetter made a diving catch of J.C. Sibley's bunt. Jensen then struck out Baty before getting Price on a liner to center.
Jensen gave up a two-out infield single in the eighth, but then struck out Metcalf, the Big 12's home run leader. Although he's not been scored on in his last six appearances, Jensen gave way to Sillman to start the ninth.
Sillman then proceeded to walk Schweitzer before Scholl, on the next pitch, flew out to right. Mike Dudley gave the Jayhawks hope by driving a 1-0 delivery to right for a single that moved Schweitzer to second. But Sillman refused to buckle and got the best of Baty and Price to notch his second save.
"Sillman's still our guy. There's no doubt in my mind," Anderson said. "You have to be that way with your closer. It might not be a simple 1-2-3, but he's going to get it done."
n Ledbetter was replaced at first by Beau Sullivan in the top of the ninth inning because of stiffness in his right shoulder from the seventh-inning play. He had an ice bag on after the game, but maintained he'd be ready for today's 2:05 p.m. tilt.
n Friday's result marked the sixth straight season Nebraska has won its Big 12 opener.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@;journalstar.com.
Nebraska 3, kansas 2
Kansas ab r h bi Nebraska ab r h bi
MBaty 2b 5 0 0 0 Boyer lf 3 1 0 0
Price ss 3 0 0 0 Bruce rf 3 1 0 0
Richardson c 4 0 0 0 Mullinax 2b 4 0 2 0
RBaty 1b 4 0 1 0 Gordon 3b 4 0 2 2
Tribble rf 4 0 2 0 Ledbetter 1b 4 0 0 0
Metcalf 3b 4 1 1 0 Sullivan 1b 0 0 0 0
Schweitzer dh 2 1 1 1 Shockey cf 4 1 2 0
Scholl lf 4 0 1 1 Grose c 4 0 2 0
Sibley cf 3 0 0 0 Bowden dh 1 0 1 0
Dudley ph 1 0 1 0 Simokaitis ss 4 0 1 1
Totals 34 2 7 2 Totals 31 3 10 3
Kansas 000 000 200 - 2 7 1
Nebraska 200 100 00X - 3 10 0
E-Knippschild (1). DP-KU 1. LOB-Kansas 9, Nebraska9. 2B-Tribble (13), Schweitzer (5).
Kansas ip h r er bb so
Knippschild L 8 10 3 2 2 7
Nebraska ip h r er bb so
Kroenke W 6 5 2 2 1 4
Jensen 2 1 0 0 0 2
Sillman 1 1 0 0 1 0
W-Kroenke (4-0). L-Knippschild (5-3). S-Sillman (2) HBP-by Kroenke (Price), by Knippschild (Boyer), by Kroenke (Schweitzer). T-2:20. A-4,403.
Copyright © 2002-2008 Lincoln Journal Star. All rights reserved.