Dorn isn't feeling the pressure - yet
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BY CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star
OMAHA — Johnny Dorn isn't about to fall apart now. There's too much of the Nebraska baseball team that's rubbed off on the talented freshman pitcher.
"It's kind of amazing. You go in the clubhouse during the super regionals and look at all the guys — they're joking around right when we're getting dressed," Dorn said Saturday after the Huskers worked out at Millard South High School.
Tonight, the kid from Grand Island will make the biggest outing of his career when he steps on the Rosenblatt Stadium mound for the first time and tries to pitch the Huskers past Florida at the College World Series.
Surveying Saturday's scene, it was hard to tell that Dorn and his teammates, who produced a 5-3 opening-game victory against Arizona State on Friday, were on the verge of another significant challenge.
With "Joe Simokaitis, (Alex) Gordon, all the talent we have, there's no reason we should be nervous," Dorn said.
Friday's result extended Nebraska's winning streak to a nation-best 11 games, and if the Huskers keep it going tonight they'll advance to a contest at 1 p.m. Wednesday that could put them in the best-of-three CWS championship series.
Should Nebraska fall tonight, the Huskers would play at 1 p.m. Tuesday in an elimination game.
With Dorn, who was recently invited to the Team USA Trials, the Huskers (57-13) have to like their chances of having an extra day off. Nebraska is 12-0 in games that he's started. Dorn, 10-0 with two no-decisions as a starter, has won 12 straight decisions while building a 12-1 record that includes a 1.98 earned-run average.
Florida, which captured its first Southeastern Conference regular-season title and beat fellow SEC member Tennessee 6-4 on Friday, will pitch right-handed senior Tommy Boss (8-4, 4.17).
The Gators (46-20) advanced by giving All-America pitcher Luke Hochevar just his third loss in 18 decisions.
Although Nebraska coach Mike Anderson was as surprised as anyone to see Hochevar struggle, he said the outcome didn't matter to his club.
"We really have made it a three-team tournament in our bracket, along with us," Anderson said. "We've done a lot of stuff on Florida. We've done a lot of stuff on Tennessee ... so it doesn't catch us off guard."
Dorn spent part of Friday watching the Florida-Tennessee game from his hotel room.
"I had the scouting report there on the bed, flipping to each team whenever they were hitting," he said. "I think the scouting report kind of matches up well against Florida."
Senior center fielder Jeff Corsaletti leads Florida with a .368 average while batting from the left side. First baseman Matt LaPorta, a right-handed swinger, is hitting .335. He added to his single-season school record and moved into a tie for the national lead by swatting his 25th home run on Friday.
"The one guy you've got to watch out for is LaPorta," Dorn said. "Miss outside — don't miss over the plate."
Dorn then smiled, as if he realized he'd just stated the obvious. But his relaxed look might've been a dead giveaway as to how he'll be feeling as a pitcher tonight.
While watching Nebraska play on Friday, "I just tried to take it all in and get used to it as quick as possible so I'd be fine with it," Dorn said of the magnified attention on the Huskers.
"(Winning that game) helps, not having all the pressure of the season being on your back, but I'll chill out with the guys (on Saturday), watch the (Tennessee-Arizona State game on TV) and then go out there and focus."
Dorn's approach sounded perfect to Brian Duensing, who, prior to Friday, was the only pitcher on the team to start a CWS game for the Huskers.
"I think it's important to remember the feelings (from Friday), but we definitely have to move forward," Duensing said. "We're not going to necessarily relax, but we've kind of calmed down a little bit and we'll go out and play just the way we have all year — just hard and hard-nosed."
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
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