Husker baseball team gets split to open season
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BY MARK ALLAN PETERSON / For the Lincoln Journal Star
ARLINGTON, Texas — Even a trip to Texas proved to be too cold for comfort for a Nebraska team forced to spend the entire preseason practicing indoors.
After struggling early in the first game of a Friday doubleheader against New Mexico, the Huskers quickly shook off any opening-day rust by holding the Lobos to just one run and one hit in the final seven innings of a 6-2 win in game one.
But it was a different story when the two met again in the nightcap in sub-20-degree weather.
The Huskers (1-1) looked nothing like their No.7 Collegiate Baseball national ranking after making two errors and two wild pitches and allowing three two-run innings in a 6-2 loss to the Lobos (3-4).
“We just didn’t take care of things defensively,” coach Mike Anderson said after the game two loss. “You can’t give a team that many outs. They took advantage of it each time. Just some simple things (cost NU). Simple PFP, pitcher fundamental practice, or a simple bunt or a routine ground error.
“Those are things you never want to give up but when we did, they took advantage of it.”
After holding every practice indoors for the past two months, the Huskers were greeted with weather in the low 30s Thursday when they arrived in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb for a three-day, four-game schedule at the Texas-Arlington Invitational.
Despite the weather, Anderson found time to get outdoor practice time late Thursday and early Friday morning before the Huskers’ opening game.
Preseason all-American Tony Watson (1-0) went six innings in the opener, giving up four hits and one run while striking out four as he picked up the win.
“I had to find what I was doing and get in a rhythm,” Watson said. “The first couple of innings I was struggling with my command. By the third, fourth, fifth inning, I started trusting my fastball and kept rolling with the momentum the rest of the way.”
First baseman Daniel Stovall drove in the Lobos’ only run on a first-inning single as New Mexico got off to a quick lead while holding Nebraska hitless until the third inning.
“We were bad, from an offensive side and everything,” Anderson said. “Tony ([Watson) did a good job in the third inning, had a seven-pitch inning, and it changed the momentum of the game.”
Craig Corriston and Jake Opitz led the Huskers with two hits apiece, while Corriston drove in three runs.
“I think we were just excited to get out here,” Corriston said. “We’ve been indoors for almost two months now. The first couple of innings we kind of struggled to get started. I think it was a little bit of nerves, but once we got those out we were rolling.”
Johnny Dorn (0-1)suffered the loss for Nebraska in the second game, despite giving up just one earned run in five innings.
“You just try to get comfortable as quick as you can, try to get in a groove and hope things go well for you,” Dorn said. “We felt we were all ready to come out here and play. I just think things didn’t go our way.”
Luke Wertz came in in relief for Dorn, giving up three hits, four runs and two walks while facing 10 batters.
Ryan Wehrle and Jeff Lanning each had a run, with Andy Gerch and Bryce Nimmo driving in NU’s two runs.
The Huskers were without senior starting first baseman Andrew Brown, a Texas native, because a violation of an unspecified team rule. Brown, who did not travel with the team, will be back after the tournament.
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