NU baseball brings strong mental game
If you’re going by name recognition and history, the biggest surprise in college baseball thus far this season is North Carolina-Wilmington.
The Seahawks, who played in NCAA regionals in 2003, ’04 and ’06, are 22-4 and riding a 21-game winning streak that earned them their first appearance in the Baseball America poll.
But if you’re talking about the team that’s obliterated expectations nationally, look no further than the one playing host to Texas Tech in Haymarket Park this weekend.
Nebraska — which had to deal with heavy personnel losses from a 2007 team that made the school’s eighth NCAA Tournament appearance in nine seasons — was picked by Big 12 Conference coaches to finish sixth in the 10-team race.
Apparently, the Huskers, who over the past nine seasons finished that low only once, were offended.
NU is 21-4-1 and leading the Big 12 with a cast that no one would say is among the fleetest or most powerful.
So what gives?
“The mental side of what these kids do is really special,” Nebraska assistant coach Dave Bingham said. “Only a few teams that I’ve been around I’ve ever seen do that. I think that’s what separates them.
“I mean, there’s better hitters and there’s faster runners that we play against, but nobody has the focus on a pitch-by-pitch basis like this club has had.”
Just in case you think Bingham is one of these young, excitable types who might be prone to exaggeration: He’s in his 25th season coaching college ball and has led an NAIA national champion, as well as taken Kansas to the College World Series.
When he talks about the Huskers’ hot start — which represents the third-best 26-game record in school history — Bingham sends waves of praise toward Mike Anderson.
You might remember that it was Anderson who decided to make changes to his coaching staff following last season, first parting ways with Andy Sawyers, then switching Bingham’s duties away from pitching.
This came after Anderson had dealt with numerous off-the-field incidents that led to suspensions, two players being dismissed and three more suspended for some early games this year.
While one of those players transferred, another one, veteran outfielder/designated hitter Andy Gerch, didn’t return for his senior season because of an injury.
NU then lost Jeff Tezak, a second-team All-Big 12 pick at DH last season, after knee surgery seven games into the season.
With all that, a projected sixth-place finish could have seemed overly optimistic.
“As far as everybody else, we’ll surprise from here on out, but as a team we knew what we could be,” senior first baseman Craig Corriston said.
Consider, though, that before this season, Corriston hadn’t played first.
Junior left fielder Nick Sullivan, who leads NU with a .368 batting average, hardly played last year because of injuries.
And only five of the Huskers’ 17 pitchers had ever played for NU.
Oh, well. NU carries the Big 12’s lowest earned-run average (2.96).
“The bond that we’ve created and the work that we’ve been doing from when we showed up here in the fall ... we just kind of kind of expect things to get done in this way,” Sullivan said.
In addition to himself, seniors Mitch Abeita, Jake Opitz and Bryce Nimmo all are hitting at least .345. Corriston, a .320 hitter last season, is up to .319 after sitting out the first six games.
Junior Jake Mort is at .261, which is 54 points higher than his 2007 average. But Mort’s biggest value is providing the spark to a defense that’s fielding at a .966 clip. Mort’s career .967 fielding percentage is the best by a NU third baseman.
With eight players having driven in at least 10 runs (and two more should soon join that list), and true freshmen Ben Kline, Dan Johnston and David Stewart supplying regular contributions, the Huskers are truly a happy bunch.
“We just mesh real well. It sound cliché to say that, but this team, I don’t know, there’s just something about us,” Corriston said. “Everybody gets along. Everybody’s on the same page. Everybody’s focused on one goal.
“I don’t want to bring last year up, really, but compared to last year’s team, it’s like (then) other guys worried about, ‘I want to do this.’ Guys on this team, everybody’s focused on the right reasons — and one reason. And that’s being successful here at Nebraska. It’s a very unselfish team.
Still, to think Nebraska could continue at this pace is, well, simply not realistic.
“We know it’s going to happen sooner or later,” Corriston said of hitting a rough stretch. “I think we’ll be fine. It’s not going to be smooth sailing all of — I don’t know how many games we play – but you just keep playing.”
And, the Huskers hope, keep adding to their shock value.
“Coach Anderson’s just done a marvelous job with this group of kids to keep ’em believing in themselves and understanding how to play baseball ... and they’ve responded,” Bingham said. “They’re very mature about doing this as a collective unit. Nobody seems to care who’s the best player or who gets the most credit. I think they just play and respect each other.”
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com
The Seahawks, who played in NCAA regionals in 2003, ’04 and ’06, are 22-4 and riding a 21-game winning streak that earned them their first appearance in the Baseball America poll.
But if you’re talking about the team that’s obliterated expectations nationally, look no further than the one playing host to Texas Tech in Haymarket Park this weekend.
Nebraska — which had to deal with heavy personnel losses from a 2007 team that made the school’s eighth NCAA Tournament appearance in nine seasons — was picked by Big 12 Conference coaches to finish sixth in the 10-team race.
Apparently, the Huskers, who over the past nine seasons finished that low only once, were offended.
NU is 21-4-1 and leading the Big 12 with a cast that no one would say is among the fleetest or most powerful.
So what gives?
“The mental side of what these kids do is really special,” Nebraska assistant coach Dave Bingham said. “Only a few teams that I’ve been around I’ve ever seen do that. I think that’s what separates them.
“I mean, there’s better hitters and there’s faster runners that we play against, but nobody has the focus on a pitch-by-pitch basis like this club has had.”
Just in case you think Bingham is one of these young, excitable types who might be prone to exaggeration: He’s in his 25th season coaching college ball and has led an NAIA national champion, as well as taken Kansas to the College World Series.
When he talks about the Huskers’ hot start — which represents the third-best 26-game record in school history — Bingham sends waves of praise toward Mike Anderson.
You might remember that it was Anderson who decided to make changes to his coaching staff following last season, first parting ways with Andy Sawyers, then switching Bingham’s duties away from pitching.
This came after Anderson had dealt with numerous off-the-field incidents that led to suspensions, two players being dismissed and three more suspended for some early games this year.
While one of those players transferred, another one, veteran outfielder/designated hitter Andy Gerch, didn’t return for his senior season because of an injury.
NU then lost Jeff Tezak, a second-team All-Big 12 pick at DH last season, after knee surgery seven games into the season.
With all that, a projected sixth-place finish could have seemed overly optimistic.
“As far as everybody else, we’ll surprise from here on out, but as a team we knew what we could be,” senior first baseman Craig Corriston said.
Consider, though, that before this season, Corriston hadn’t played first.
Junior left fielder Nick Sullivan, who leads NU with a .368 batting average, hardly played last year because of injuries.
And only five of the Huskers’ 17 pitchers had ever played for NU.
Oh, well. NU carries the Big 12’s lowest earned-run average (2.96).
“The bond that we’ve created and the work that we’ve been doing from when we showed up here in the fall ... we just kind of kind of expect things to get done in this way,” Sullivan said.
In addition to himself, seniors Mitch Abeita, Jake Opitz and Bryce Nimmo all are hitting at least .345. Corriston, a .320 hitter last season, is up to .319 after sitting out the first six games.
Junior Jake Mort is at .261, which is 54 points higher than his 2007 average. But Mort’s biggest value is providing the spark to a defense that’s fielding at a .966 clip. Mort’s career .967 fielding percentage is the best by a NU third baseman.
With eight players having driven in at least 10 runs (and two more should soon join that list), and true freshmen Ben Kline, Dan Johnston and David Stewart supplying regular contributions, the Huskers are truly a happy bunch.
“We just mesh real well. It sound cliché to say that, but this team, I don’t know, there’s just something about us,” Corriston said. “Everybody gets along. Everybody’s on the same page. Everybody’s focused on one goal.
“I don’t want to bring last year up, really, but compared to last year’s team, it’s like (then) other guys worried about, ‘I want to do this.’ Guys on this team, everybody’s focused on the right reasons — and one reason. And that’s being successful here at Nebraska. It’s a very unselfish team.
Still, to think Nebraska could continue at this pace is, well, simply not realistic.
“We know it’s going to happen sooner or later,” Corriston said of hitting a rough stretch. “I think we’ll be fine. It’s not going to be smooth sailing all of — I don’t know how many games we play – but you just keep playing.”
And, the Huskers hope, keep adding to their shock value.
“Coach Anderson’s just done a marvelous job with this group of kids to keep ’em believing in themselves and understanding how to play baseball ... and they’ve responded,” Bingham said. “They’re very mature about doing this as a collective unit. Nobody seems to care who’s the best player or who gets the most credit. I think they just play and respect each other.”
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com
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