Huskers sweep Northern Colorado
Sure, the Northern Colorado baseball team entered the fourth and final game of its series against Nebraska with a team batting average of .214.
On top of that, while losing the first three games, the Bears managed to score all of nine runs.
Just don’t think it was just their struggles that led to Aaron Pribanic throwing NU’s first nine-inning compete-game shutout of the season Monday at Haymarket Park.
“He would’ve given anybody in the country a tough time today,” NU pitching coach Eric Newman said of the junior right-hander, who scattered five hits in the Huskers’ 7-0 win.
The transfer from Hutchinson (Kan.) Junior College improved to 2-0 and lowered his earned-run average to 0.96 in three appearances.
Against UC Riverside on March 2, in his first career start for NU, Pribanic went the distance in a seven-inning, 13-1 victory.
“I was pretty confident about what I did (in that game),” Pribanic said. “As far as trusting my stuff, I thought that would translate to another game easily, so I felt like I was going to be good again today.”
Northern Colorado’s best opportunities to score came in the third and sixth innings. But shortstop Ben Kline’s diving stop with two outs and a runner at second saved a run in the third, while Pribanic pitched around a leadoff double in the sixth.
Other than that, the Bears were pretty much overwhelmed by Pribanic, who struck out seven to increase his season total to 14 in just 182/3 innings.
It’s numbers like those that have Newman and head coach Mike Anderson giving serious thought to putting Pribanic in the rotation for this weekend’s Big 12 Conference-opening series at Kansas State.
“He’s throwing a 92-to-95-mile-an-hour fastball, and locating his breaking pitches,” said Anderson, who then let out a chuckle. “I don’t think anybody wants a piece of that, that way.”
With Pribanic dealing that kind of stuff Monday, the Huskers got all they would need on Nick Sullivan’s second-inning RBI double.
The Huskers — who improved to 10-2 by winning their ninth straight game at home — then watched sophomore right fielder DJ Belfonte cap the scoring by lining an eighth-inning solo home run off Chad Murray into the visitors’ bullpen behind right field. Belfonte’s first career homer came on his 332nd plate appearance for NU.
The no-doubt blast was part of a 3-for-5 performance that left Belfonte with a .392 batting average.
“I don’t take anything for granted out on the field,” Belfonte said when asked if he knew he’d be able to display his home run trot after swinging at a 2-0 pitch in the eighth inning. “I thought I hit a couple last year and they didn’t go out, so I just dropped my head and started running.”
Upon reaching the dugout, Belfonte took some ribbing from his teammates, but he played it cool and was already making plans for anything they might have planned for later.
When asked after the game if a teammate had delivered an obligatory shaving cream pie to the face or another prank, Belfonte said, “Not yet. I’m gonna probably go out the back way, though.”
Having recorded its second straight four-game sweep, Nebraska tries to finish the homestand undefeated when it faces South Dakota State at 1:35 p.m. today. Junior right-hander Erik Bird (0-1, 0.00 ERA) is scheduled to make his first career start.
Briefly
** Center fielder Bryce Nimmo is one of 30 candidates for the Lowe’s Senior Class Award, presented annually to student-athletes in eight sports. The award focuses on the Four C’s: Classroom, character, community and competition.
** Senior pitcher Johnny Dorn was named Big 12 co-pitcher of the week along with Texas A&M’s Brooks Raley. Dorn struck out 13 and allowed one run in a 12-2 Husker win against Northern Colorado on Saturday.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
On top of that, while losing the first three games, the Bears managed to score all of nine runs.
Just don’t think it was just their struggles that led to Aaron Pribanic throwing NU’s first nine-inning compete-game shutout of the season Monday at Haymarket Park.
“He would’ve given anybody in the country a tough time today,” NU pitching coach Eric Newman said of the junior right-hander, who scattered five hits in the Huskers’ 7-0 win.
The transfer from Hutchinson (Kan.) Junior College improved to 2-0 and lowered his earned-run average to 0.96 in three appearances.
Against UC Riverside on March 2, in his first career start for NU, Pribanic went the distance in a seven-inning, 13-1 victory.
“I was pretty confident about what I did (in that game),” Pribanic said. “As far as trusting my stuff, I thought that would translate to another game easily, so I felt like I was going to be good again today.”
Northern Colorado’s best opportunities to score came in the third and sixth innings. But shortstop Ben Kline’s diving stop with two outs and a runner at second saved a run in the third, while Pribanic pitched around a leadoff double in the sixth.
Other than that, the Bears were pretty much overwhelmed by Pribanic, who struck out seven to increase his season total to 14 in just 182/3 innings.
It’s numbers like those that have Newman and head coach Mike Anderson giving serious thought to putting Pribanic in the rotation for this weekend’s Big 12 Conference-opening series at Kansas State.
“He’s throwing a 92-to-95-mile-an-hour fastball, and locating his breaking pitches,” said Anderson, who then let out a chuckle. “I don’t think anybody wants a piece of that, that way.”
With Pribanic dealing that kind of stuff Monday, the Huskers got all they would need on Nick Sullivan’s second-inning RBI double.
The Huskers — who improved to 10-2 by winning their ninth straight game at home — then watched sophomore right fielder DJ Belfonte cap the scoring by lining an eighth-inning solo home run off Chad Murray into the visitors’ bullpen behind right field. Belfonte’s first career homer came on his 332nd plate appearance for NU.
The no-doubt blast was part of a 3-for-5 performance that left Belfonte with a .392 batting average.
“I don’t take anything for granted out on the field,” Belfonte said when asked if he knew he’d be able to display his home run trot after swinging at a 2-0 pitch in the eighth inning. “I thought I hit a couple last year and they didn’t go out, so I just dropped my head and started running.”
Upon reaching the dugout, Belfonte took some ribbing from his teammates, but he played it cool and was already making plans for anything they might have planned for later.
When asked after the game if a teammate had delivered an obligatory shaving cream pie to the face or another prank, Belfonte said, “Not yet. I’m gonna probably go out the back way, though.”
Having recorded its second straight four-game sweep, Nebraska tries to finish the homestand undefeated when it faces South Dakota State at 1:35 p.m. today. Junior right-hander Erik Bird (0-1, 0.00 ERA) is scheduled to make his first career start.
Briefly
** Center fielder Bryce Nimmo is one of 30 candidates for the Lowe’s Senior Class Award, presented annually to student-athletes in eight sports. The award focuses on the Four C’s: Classroom, character, community and competition.
** Senior pitcher Johnny Dorn was named Big 12 co-pitcher of the week along with Texas A&M’s Brooks Raley. Dorn struck out 13 and allowed one run in a 12-2 Husker win against Northern Colorado on Saturday.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
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