Jennings named starter for NCAA regional opener
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BY CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star
One could call this Mike Anderson’s way of giving back to Dan Jennings.
Well, it also has a lot to do with giving his Nebraska baseball team what he believes is its best shot at winning the NCAA regional at Haymarket Park this weekend. But choosing the junior left-hander to start Friday’s opener against Eastern Illinois, instead of All-Big 12 Conference pick Johnny Dorn, became easier when Anderson considered what Jennings has sacrificed this season.
“Jennings was one of the most unselfish pitchers we had all year, because he gave up a starting role to help out,” Anderson said Wednesday. “We won series because of Dan Jennings.”
Dorn, a senior right-hander who will start Saturday, took control of Nebraska’s staff, pitching the opening game in NU’s final 12 series. With Thad Weber and Aaron Pribanic as the Nos. 2 and 3 starters, Jennings filled critical long- and short-relief roles during league play.
He pitched in all nine league series, and in four of those, took the mound in two games. He compiled a 2-2 record, with four saves and a 3.33 earned-run average in conference play.
Named honorable-mention All-Big 12, Jennings also started seven mid-week games and went 4-0, with a 2.43 ERA. His best effort came against Arkansas on March 18, when he went the distance and allowed just five hits in a 6-1 win.
“Coach ‘A’ kind of talked before about (how) some sacrifices have to be made, and with those you sacrifice a lot of recognition from the Big 12,” Jennings said Wednesday. “But I told him none of that really matters to me. ... It doesn’t mean as much as going out and winning.”
Jennings (6-3, 2.95 ERA) will be making his second straight start, as he also threw the Big 12 Tournament opener against Baylor last Wednesday. He took the loss after giving up three earned runs on four hits and five walks in six innings.
Anderson, though, likes having a lefty facing an Eastern Illinois lineup that has three left-handed hitters in the first five spots.
“I feel confident with him. I feel confident against the matchup and I said all along we’re trying to win this (regional),” Anderson said. “We think that’s the way to try and go about it.”
At 27-28, Eastern Illinois is one of just five teams in the NCAA Tournament with a sub-.500 record. On top of that, the Panthers will be throwing freshman right-hander Josh Mueller (6-7, 4.26 ERA).
Meanwhile, Dorn (6-1, 2.38) will be matched against either No. 2 seed UC Irvine, which features a pitching staff that has the nation’s second-lowest ERA, or No. 3 seed Oral Roberts, which is among the top 20 teams in batting average and home runs.
Undoubtedly, those potential matchups helped shape Nebraska’s pitching rotation for the weekend.
But it’s not like Jennings, who allowed three earned runs in nine innings in two NCAA regional games last year, was a random pick to start the opener.
“It’s not like we’re doing something crazy,” Anderson said.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
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