Huskers hope to rekindle early fire
ARLINGTON, Texas - As the lowest seed in the Big 12 Conference Baseball Tournament, Nebraska clings to a better-late-than-never hope it can recapture the spark that led to a 24-5 start, and then hurtle to an NCAAregional.
The Huskers, 35-21 entering tonight's opener against top-ranked Texas at Ameriquest Field, need to win the five-day event or do well enough to give the NCAA Tournament selection committee reason to believe NU is worthy of an at-large bid.
Considering NU came up short in its last seven league series, it all seems far-fetched.
"Iguess my sole comfort is the fact we have a talented team. We'll see how it works out," Nebraska coach Mike Anderson said. "We've been close the second half of the season, where we were over the top in the first."
During their backside slide, the Huskers went 4-9 in games decided by two or fewer runs. They also failed to score more than four runs on 15 occasions and finished hitting just .258 in league play.
It's been enough to make Big Red followers forget how things have usually gone for their team at the Big 12 Tournament. In five appearances, Nebraska has compiled an 18-4 record while winning three titles and playing in another championship.
In those, however, the Huskers were seeded lower than second only once. Now, they come limping in as a No. 8.
"We don't have that luxury to think about how well we did in the regular season, because we didn't," senior relief pitcher Mike Sillman said. "We've got to go out and start something new, start a streak going and make good things happen."
In its first attempt to do so, NU will send its hottest hurler, left-handed senior Justin Pekarek, to the mound. Pekarek (7-1, 3.19 ERA)hasn't allowed a run over a 27-inning stretch that spans seven games. Included in that was a three-inning relief appearance against the Longhorns on April 25, a game Nebraska won 4-3.
Since then, Texas is just 7-6, has been shut out three times and scored once in two other contests.
But the Longhorns will have right-handed sophomore Sam LeCure (7-2, 2.39) working the plate tonight. In Texas' 4-2 victory against Nebraska on April 24, LeCure allowed both Husker runs on four hits over 31/3 innings and had six strikeouts.
"There's no more words to say, you've just got to do it," junior first baseman Curtis Ledbetter said in regard to the challenge the Longhorns present. "We beat them before, we're going down to beat them again, and then we just continue on through the week.
"Our losses this season have been almost a matter of one big hit. That's something we've just got to do this week. If we do, we're going to win some ballgames."
That's a big if, as Nebraska's overall batting average of .286 represents its lowest in 10 years.
"It's a new season, that's the nice thing," Anderson said when asked whether his lineup can get hot. "If we truly believe in the little things we say, like 4-for-4 attitude, at some point you've got to put the past behind you. This is a good chance to do it.
"Just come out swinging, pitch the way we have, play defense the way we have and everybody will be happy."
In its final three-game series against Big 12 runner-up Oklahoma, NU pitching allowed just eight runs. In the game before that, Creighton managed just one.
"Teams that win the Big 12 Tournament, you've got to get hot offensively, but you've got to be deep on the mound," pitching coach Rob Childress said. "We could be pitching better, but we pitched pretty darn good this past weekend and Ithink that's going to be a confidence boost going into this tournament."
Texas - 48-11 overall and the Big 12 regular-season champ at 19-7 - has won the past two league tournaments. The Longhorns ended Nebraska's three-year stranglehold on the event in the 2002 championship, the only postseason meeting between the teams.
In the second such matchup, the Huskers are hoping to improve the Big 12 No. 8 seed's record against No. 1 to 4-2.
"We know we've got to do well to keep playing, and we're going to give everything we have," Sillman said. "If that's not enough in the end, it's not enough. (But)we're not wore down. We'll be playing strong."
n A Nebraska win would put the Huskers in an 8 p.m. Thursday game against either Oklahoma State or Texas A&M. Aloss would force NU into a 1 p.m. Thursday elimination contest against the Cowboys or Aggies. Left-handed sophomore Zach Kroenke will start for Nebraska, regardless of which game it's in.
The tournament follows a two-bracket format in which the survivors meet in a single championship game at 1 p.m. Sunday.
n The Huskers are 5-0 this season in games played on Wednesdays.
n Despite its offensive woes, NUis the only Big 12 team this year not to be shut out.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@;journalstar.com.
The Huskers, 35-21 entering tonight's opener against top-ranked Texas at Ameriquest Field, need to win the five-day event or do well enough to give the NCAA Tournament selection committee reason to believe NU is worthy of an at-large bid.
Considering NU came up short in its last seven league series, it all seems far-fetched.
"Iguess my sole comfort is the fact we have a talented team. We'll see how it works out," Nebraska coach Mike Anderson said. "We've been close the second half of the season, where we were over the top in the first."
During their backside slide, the Huskers went 4-9 in games decided by two or fewer runs. They also failed to score more than four runs on 15 occasions and finished hitting just .258 in league play.
It's been enough to make Big Red followers forget how things have usually gone for their team at the Big 12 Tournament. In five appearances, Nebraska has compiled an 18-4 record while winning three titles and playing in another championship.
In those, however, the Huskers were seeded lower than second only once. Now, they come limping in as a No. 8.
"We don't have that luxury to think about how well we did in the regular season, because we didn't," senior relief pitcher Mike Sillman said. "We've got to go out and start something new, start a streak going and make good things happen."
In its first attempt to do so, NU will send its hottest hurler, left-handed senior Justin Pekarek, to the mound. Pekarek (7-1, 3.19 ERA)hasn't allowed a run over a 27-inning stretch that spans seven games. Included in that was a three-inning relief appearance against the Longhorns on April 25, a game Nebraska won 4-3.
Since then, Texas is just 7-6, has been shut out three times and scored once in two other contests.
But the Longhorns will have right-handed sophomore Sam LeCure (7-2, 2.39) working the plate tonight. In Texas' 4-2 victory against Nebraska on April 24, LeCure allowed both Husker runs on four hits over 31/3 innings and had six strikeouts.
"There's no more words to say, you've just got to do it," junior first baseman Curtis Ledbetter said in regard to the challenge the Longhorns present. "We beat them before, we're going down to beat them again, and then we just continue on through the week.
"Our losses this season have been almost a matter of one big hit. That's something we've just got to do this week. If we do, we're going to win some ballgames."
That's a big if, as Nebraska's overall batting average of .286 represents its lowest in 10 years.
"It's a new season, that's the nice thing," Anderson said when asked whether his lineup can get hot. "If we truly believe in the little things we say, like 4-for-4 attitude, at some point you've got to put the past behind you. This is a good chance to do it.
"Just come out swinging, pitch the way we have, play defense the way we have and everybody will be happy."
In its final three-game series against Big 12 runner-up Oklahoma, NU pitching allowed just eight runs. In the game before that, Creighton managed just one.
"Teams that win the Big 12 Tournament, you've got to get hot offensively, but you've got to be deep on the mound," pitching coach Rob Childress said. "We could be pitching better, but we pitched pretty darn good this past weekend and Ithink that's going to be a confidence boost going into this tournament."
Texas - 48-11 overall and the Big 12 regular-season champ at 19-7 - has won the past two league tournaments. The Longhorns ended Nebraska's three-year stranglehold on the event in the 2002 championship, the only postseason meeting between the teams.
In the second such matchup, the Huskers are hoping to improve the Big 12 No. 8 seed's record against No. 1 to 4-2.
"We know we've got to do well to keep playing, and we're going to give everything we have," Sillman said. "If that's not enough in the end, it's not enough. (But)we're not wore down. We'll be playing strong."
n A Nebraska win would put the Huskers in an 8 p.m. Thursday game against either Oklahoma State or Texas A&M. Aloss would force NU into a 1 p.m. Thursday elimination contest against the Cowboys or Aggies. Left-handed sophomore Zach Kroenke will start for Nebraska, regardless of which game it's in.
The tournament follows a two-bracket format in which the survivors meet in a single championship game at 1 p.m. Sunday.
n The Huskers are 5-0 this season in games played on Wednesdays.
n Despite its offensive woes, NUis the only Big 12 team this year not to be shut out.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@;journalstar.com.
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