12 BIG 12
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS
Cornhuskers still have room for improvement
By Max Olson
Daily Nebraskan — Wednesday, March 24
The final numbers on the right field scoreboard read 15-5, but Nebraska's victory over Northern Colorado on Tuesday evening wasn't too impressive. Just ask Cornhusker baseball coach Mike Anderson.
"We were fortunate" Anderson said. "This is one of the first times where we didn't play well and still won a baseball game."
The Huskers took their first lead in the sixth inning and batted around for seven runs in the bottom of the eighth to finish off the Bears, but the focus Anderson's referring to was far from present early.
Nebraska walked seven batters in the game's first three innings and had to use three different pitchers. Starter Tyler Niederklein gave up two runs on one hit in two innings, and freshman Kurt Giller relieved him but was pulled after walking three and getting just two outs.
It was the second reliever Nebraska
went to that ended up being the difference Tuesday.
Chase Adams, a junior college transfer from Mineola, Texas, may be Nebraska's best option at closer at this point. Against Northern Colorado, though, he was asked to take the mound with two outs in the third inning and try to settle the Bears down.
His first pitch didn't accomplish that. UNC first baseman Kyle Hardman smacked a three-run double to the left field corner to vie the Bears a 4-1 lead.
But Adams took command from there, pitching a career-high 4 1/3 innings to earn his first career win. He walked three more batters, but Adams also scattered five hits and allowed only one earned run: a solo homer by UNC's Tony Crudo to lead off the top of the eighth.
"They were real good innings. We needed that," Anderson said of Adams's performance. "We had two freshmen that didn't compete well today. Chase just kind of settled in for us, and that's what we needed."
Erin Starkebaum/DAILY NEBRASKAN
Pitcher Casey Hauptman gets ready to throw a pitch during a game earlier this season. The Cornhuskers are off to a 12-11 start to the season as they get ready for more Big 12 Conference games.
KANSAS STATE WILDCATS
Wildcats getting ready for Cowboys
By Blake Thorson K-State Collegian — Friday, March 26
The Big 12 season has arrived for the K-State baseball team as they will look to continue an impressive home stand with a three-game series against the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
The Wildcats have been successful through their non-conference slate on their way to a 16-3 record and found themselves ranked 25th in the Coaches' poll two weeks ago before a midweek loss to Creighton.
Both Kansas State and Oklahoma State are receiving votes in the Coaches' and NCBWA polls this week and both teams
The Cowboys come in with a record of 14-3 and have won nine of their last 10. Last week they went 2-1 against Alabama A&M University, including a 26-0 win in the second game of the series.
For the Cats, it has been a solid combination of clutch hitting, base running, pitching and defense that has contributed to their non-conference success. However, the Cowboys pose the biggest challenge Brad Hill and his club have faced all season.
have posted impressive resumes thus far.
"I've always believed in being a multifaceted team and I think we've done that so far," Hill said.
Based on the numbers put up by his team this season Coach Hill's claim holds true as the Cats rank in the top half of the Big 12 in team pitching, batting and fielding. The Bat Cats rank second in team batting average, fourth in team ERA and third in fielding percentage.
Maybe the biggest reason for the Wildcats success has been the emergence of a solid weekend starting pitching staff. That staff comprised of senior right-hander
Ryan Daniel, sophomore right-hander Evan Marshall and junior left-handler Kyle Hunter has compiled a record of 11-0 on the season and a combined ERA of 2.44.
"Our starting staff all believes in each other so it is pretty easy to feel confident." Marshall said. "The staff took it upon themselves this offseason to not walk people."
This has been evident all season as K-State leads the nation in fewest walks per nine innings with 1.82.Marshall has surrendered only two walks in 33.2 innings pitched on the year.
At the plate, preseason All Big-12 shortstop Carter Jurica has been superb as he ranks in the top 10 in five different categories in the Big 12. Sophomore center fielder Nick Martini has continued his success from his freshman All-American campaign and carries a .351 average and a conferenceleading 16-game hitting streak into today's game.
THE WAVE MARCH 31,2010
K-State has also heated up the basepaths as they once again lead the Big 12 in stolen bases with 47, including a team-leading 12 from Jurica.
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN