Approaching the end of his Husker career, pitcher Johnny Dorn understands when someone asks him to reminisce. Just don't expect to get much out of him about his freshman season, when he won 12 games and was na
CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Thursday, May 1, 2008 7:00 pm
Approaching the end of his Husker career, pitcher Johnny Dorn understands when someone asks him to reminisce.
Just don’t expect to get much out of him about his freshman season, when he won 12 games and was named a third-team All-American. Or the next year, when he had nine victories and was tabbed second-team All-Big 12 Conference.
Dorn really isn’t interested in delving any further back than last year.
And, in an instant, that memory brings disgust to the voice of the senior who is 36-10 in his career and has more wins than any other active NCAA Division I pitcher.
Sure, the right-hander from Grand Island went 10-3 in 2007, but he knows that’s mainly because the Husker offense almost always had his back.
Dorn’s earned-run average of 5.23 was nearly a point and a half higher than his sophomore season and more than double his 2005 mark.
His ERA in Big 12 action was an even spottier 6.22.
But those unacceptable numbers have played a big part in Dorn being where he is this season: 5-1 with a 2.60 ERA.
“I think you always want to take a couple things back that you can’t get, but one of my main goals was to be more consistent, and I think I’m doing all right at that,” Dorn said.
He’d have to nitpick, because Nebraska enters a three-game series against Louisiana-Lafayette today and Saturday ranked No. 6 with a 34-8-1 record.
Ask any Husker about that and he’ll say Dorn deserves a lot of credit, not only for his pitching, but for willing his pride in the program on others — either during workouts or in the locker room.
“It took me a couple days (last fall) to figure out that’s the guy I need to follow,” said freshman Casey Hauptman, who Tuesday threw a career-long four innings of shutout relief to earn his first victory.
Why’s that?
“Just because he was a respected guy from everybody,” Hauptman said. “And just the way he got right down to work.”
Dorn has always enjoyed challenges, but firmly believes he’s getting through them better now because of the guidance of NU’s first-year pitching coach Eric Newman.
Before the season, Newman put Dorn on a swimming program to build his strength and endurance. Since then, Dorn has thrown nearly every day and sometimes has pitched more than one bullpen session in between starts.
“It just keeps you mentally strong, I think, more than anything,” Dorn said. “The stuff he puts you through, you’ve got to be mentally tough to get through. So if you can take that on the field, it’s going to help you a lot.”
Examples of that include:
* Dorn has gone at least seven innings in eight of 10 starts.
* He has 73 strikeouts, just three shy of his single-season best in 2005.
Dorn’s sole loss was a 1-0 setback at Oklahoma State, the only 1-0 game in the history of Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.
And in all four of his no-decisions, he didn’t allow more than two runs.
“I think he’s got a more sharp breaking ball, a lot harder fastball, a little bit more velocity,” senior catcher Mitch Abeita said. “But, you know, Johnny Dorn’s always had that confidence and aura around him when he takes the mound.
“He’s been the same guy for four years. I’ve only caught him for two, but I’m willing to go out and say he’s always been that type of competitor. And I think this year he feels like he’s gained a lot of responsibility and he’s owning up to it.”
As fate would have it, Dorn is about to take part in a college baseball rarity, as Louisiana-Lafayette’s pitcher tonight, senior left-hander Hunter Moody, is No. 2 in career wins (29) among active Division I players.
“It’s just a coincidence, but I don’t know, I heard he’s a pretty good pitcher, so I think it’s going to be a pretty good matchup,” Dorn said.
Regardless of how it goes, he’s not likely to spend much time looking back on it.
“We’re just trying to prepare for the next day,” Dorn said of the Huskers, who next weekend play host to the only team ahead of them in the Big 12 race, Texas A&M. “I kind of like having (Lafayette) before A&M, so we can stay focused on a day-to-day basis rather than look forward.”
Mizzou game televised
Nebraska’s May 18 game at Missouri, the teams’ Big 12 regular-season finale, will be televised nationally by FSN (channel 37).
The game time has been changed to 3:30 p.m.
FSN will also televised the Big 12 Tournament championship game May 25 from Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.