Family's Husker honeymoon not over
You'd never have seen Bob Eubanks tell a winning couple on "The Newlywed Game" that their prize was a fun-filled trip to exotic Lincoln, Nebraska.
If so, Jake Mullinax would have been seriously tempted to turned it down. And yet, that's the only life Nebraska's senior second baseman has known since he married his high school sweetheart in August 2002.
Two days after their wedding, Mullinax and his wife, Amber, left suburban San Diego for Lincoln.
"We say we're still on our honeymoon," said Mullinax, who persevered through a delay to his Husker career to become a key figure in their lineup.
For the Mullinaxes, it's hardly been an all-expenses-paid trip.
Two weeks before they left California, Jake learned that he'd need to complete another class to receive his junior college degree. Instead of remaining at Victor Valley (Calif.)College, he opted to come to Lincoln and take the class at Southeast Community College.
Although he couldn't practice with the Huskers, Mullinax reasoned that he'd be able to learn their habits and be able to step right in when he became eligible in January.
What he didn't take into account was the challenge of being in a new surrounding or working 4 a.m. shifts as a stocker at a local department store.
"It took him two months into the year to kind of get fully back into it," NUcoach Mike Anderson said. "Ireally do think he was out of baseball shape.
"But he's an extremely mature young man. I don't think he's rocked by anything."
Hitting .176 seven weeks into last season, Mullinax caught fire. Over the final 32 games, he drove in 19 of his 21 runs. And during Nebraska's eight-game postseason, he hit .480.
Mullinax's climb continued in fall practice, when he hit a team-best .422 and smacked six home runs in just 55 at-bats. Not bad for a guy who didn't hit one last season.
"I felt like last year Iwas going into the box 0-and-2 all the time, and it's tough to hit when you're down in the count," Mullinax said. "This year, I'm more confident in trying to get my pitch early."
He's connecting on those opportunities, too.
Entering this weekend's home series against Texas Tech, the 6-foot-1, 205 pounder is sixth in the Big 12 Conference with a .382 batting average. His on-base percentage of .452 ranks 10th.
Mullinax also has 12 multi-hit games in 26 starts, has already matched last season's RBItotal, hit four homers and leads NU with 11 sacrifices.
"He's very underappreciated, but not by me," said Anderson, who has used Mullinax in all of the top four hitting slots and wouldn't hesitate to put him at shortstop or third base if needed.
Currently, Mullinax is batting cleanup, behind the Huskers' Golden Spikes Award nominee Alex Gordon.
"Is he a true four-hole hitter? No," Anderson said. "But he's great hitting behind Alex because people see his numbers and think, 'Well, we've got to pitch to Alex.'
Gordon, by the way, is leading Nebraska and ranks No. 2 in the Big 12 with a .392 batting average.
"It's nice to get the big-time attention like Gordon's getting. It's also nice to not always have that pressure," Mullinax said. But "hitting behind him, I've got to produce so he can get a chance to. If I'm not producing, they're always going to pitch around him."
Mullinax didn't hesitate to leave the West Coast to play for the Huskers because "the way Iplay the game and the way they play the game, it fit real good."
His wife, studying to become an elementary school teacher, had similar thoughts.
Well-schooled in the game of baseball, Amber Mullinax was able to take time off from work to travel to nearly every Nebraska road game last season.
And when the Huskers play at home, Jake knows where to find her in Haymarket Park. And considering that the two are expecting their first child in September, he keeps a close eye.
"It kind of relaxes me a little bit just to see her," Mullinax said.
By the time the Mullinaxes become parents, they may have relocated, as Jake hopes to play professionally. But wherever they are, Lincoln will remain close in their hearts.
"My mind was pretty made up that I wanted to come here," said Mullinax, who's finally feeling at home in Lincoln. "I've kind of adjusted to it. Waking up when it's cold, thinking, 'Are we going to play today?' I'm like, 'Yeah, we're going to play today. I'm in Nebraska.' "
n The Huskers are fielding at a .978 clip, well ahead of the single-season record of .971 set in 1994 and 95.
n After having started the Big 12 season against No. 2 Texas and Texas A&M, which has been in the top 10 most of the season, Tech is hitting a paltry .178 in Big 12 action. The Red Raiders haven't won their last nine league series, while Nebraska has won 10 straight.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@;journalstar.com.
If so, Jake Mullinax would have been seriously tempted to turned it down. And yet, that's the only life Nebraska's senior second baseman has known since he married his high school sweetheart in August 2002.
Two days after their wedding, Mullinax and his wife, Amber, left suburban San Diego for Lincoln.
"We say we're still on our honeymoon," said Mullinax, who persevered through a delay to his Husker career to become a key figure in their lineup.
For the Mullinaxes, it's hardly been an all-expenses-paid trip.
Two weeks before they left California, Jake learned that he'd need to complete another class to receive his junior college degree. Instead of remaining at Victor Valley (Calif.)College, he opted to come to Lincoln and take the class at Southeast Community College.
Although he couldn't practice with the Huskers, Mullinax reasoned that he'd be able to learn their habits and be able to step right in when he became eligible in January.
What he didn't take into account was the challenge of being in a new surrounding or working 4 a.m. shifts as a stocker at a local department store.
"It took him two months into the year to kind of get fully back into it," NUcoach Mike Anderson said. "Ireally do think he was out of baseball shape.
"But he's an extremely mature young man. I don't think he's rocked by anything."
Hitting .176 seven weeks into last season, Mullinax caught fire. Over the final 32 games, he drove in 19 of his 21 runs. And during Nebraska's eight-game postseason, he hit .480.
Mullinax's climb continued in fall practice, when he hit a team-best .422 and smacked six home runs in just 55 at-bats. Not bad for a guy who didn't hit one last season.
"I felt like last year Iwas going into the box 0-and-2 all the time, and it's tough to hit when you're down in the count," Mullinax said. "This year, I'm more confident in trying to get my pitch early."
He's connecting on those opportunities, too.
Entering this weekend's home series against Texas Tech, the 6-foot-1, 205 pounder is sixth in the Big 12 Conference with a .382 batting average. His on-base percentage of .452 ranks 10th.
Mullinax also has 12 multi-hit games in 26 starts, has already matched last season's RBItotal, hit four homers and leads NU with 11 sacrifices.
"He's very underappreciated, but not by me," said Anderson, who has used Mullinax in all of the top four hitting slots and wouldn't hesitate to put him at shortstop or third base if needed.
Currently, Mullinax is batting cleanup, behind the Huskers' Golden Spikes Award nominee Alex Gordon.
"Is he a true four-hole hitter? No," Anderson said. "But he's great hitting behind Alex because people see his numbers and think, 'Well, we've got to pitch to Alex.'
Gordon, by the way, is leading Nebraska and ranks No. 2 in the Big 12 with a .392 batting average.
"It's nice to get the big-time attention like Gordon's getting. It's also nice to not always have that pressure," Mullinax said. But "hitting behind him, I've got to produce so he can get a chance to. If I'm not producing, they're always going to pitch around him."
Mullinax didn't hesitate to leave the West Coast to play for the Huskers because "the way Iplay the game and the way they play the game, it fit real good."
His wife, studying to become an elementary school teacher, had similar thoughts.
Well-schooled in the game of baseball, Amber Mullinax was able to take time off from work to travel to nearly every Nebraska road game last season.
And when the Huskers play at home, Jake knows where to find her in Haymarket Park. And considering that the two are expecting their first child in September, he keeps a close eye.
"It kind of relaxes me a little bit just to see her," Mullinax said.
By the time the Mullinaxes become parents, they may have relocated, as Jake hopes to play professionally. But wherever they are, Lincoln will remain close in their hearts.
"My mind was pretty made up that I wanted to come here," said Mullinax, who's finally feeling at home in Lincoln. "I've kind of adjusted to it. Waking up when it's cold, thinking, 'Are we going to play today?' I'm like, 'Yeah, we're going to play today. I'm in Nebraska.' "
n The Huskers are fielding at a .978 clip, well ahead of the single-season record of .971 set in 1994 and 95.
n After having started the Big 12 season against No. 2 Texas and Texas A&M, which has been in the top 10 most of the season, Tech is hitting a paltry .178 in Big 12 action. The Red Raiders haven't won their last nine league series, while Nebraska has won 10 straight.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@;journalstar.com.
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