Baseball 2001

Huskers Win 10th Straight with 9-6 Victory Over Kansas St.

March 9, 2001

Lincoln -- Junior third baseman Jeff Blevins' RBI single keyed a four-run seventh inning, as Nebraska won its 10th straight game, downing Kansas State, 9-6, in front of a crowd of 1,341 at Buck Beltzer Stadium Friday afternoon.

With the win, the Huskers, who overcame an early three-run deficit by scoring three in the fifth and adding four in the seventh, improve to 12-3 overall and 4-0 in the Big 12. The 12-3 start is NU's best since 1988, while today's win was the 500th collegiate win for NU Coach Dave Van Horn, who now has a career record of 500-206 in 13 seasons.

With the score tied in the bottom of the seventh, senior first baseman Dan Johnson walked to open the inning and was replaced by pinch-runner Willie Jones, who moved to third on left fielder John Cole's bunt single. Blevins then singled to right off KSU reliever James Brazeal, scoring Jones, to break the tie. Will Bolt then increased the NU margin to 6-4 with a single to center before the Huskers would plate the final runs of the inning on a two-run single by right fielder Jeff Leise with two outs.

Brazeal (1-2) took the loss for KSU in relief, allowing four runs - all earned - in two innings of work. With the loss, KSU drops to 6-8 overall and 1-5 in conference play.

Cole led the 12-hit Husker attack, going 3 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Leise and center fielder Adam Stern added two hits each. Junior All-American Shane Komine improved to 4-1 in picking up the victory, but struggled, allowing all six runs - five earned - and 11 hits. The junior stuck out nine and walked one to pick up his fourth straight victory.

KSU would cut the lead to 8-6 in the top of the eighth on a two-run homer by Pat Maloney off Komine, but NU closer Thom Ott would dash any Wildcat comeback hopes, pitching two scoreless innings to pick up his second save. The Huskers would add a final run in the ninth, as Josh Hesse scored on a wild pitch.

Early on, KSU silenced the near capacity crowd who braved the 40-degree temperatures, scoring a pair of runs in the third on a two-run homer by Ty Soto, and adding another on an RBI groundout by J.D. Loudabarger in the fourth.

The Huskers, who did not get a hit of KSU starter Kevin Melcher until the fourth, cut the lead to 3-1, as Johnson, who led off the inning with a double, scored on second baseman Will Bolt's sacrifice fly.

KSU would extend the lead to 4-1 in the top of the fifth on Josh Cavender's RBI single, before NU knotted the score at four with three in the bottom of the frame. Singles by catcher Tito Rivera and Leise put runners on first and third with no outs, before Stern scored Rivera for the first run. Matt Hopper chased Melcher with an RBI single to cut the KSU lead to 4-3 before the Huskers tied the score on John Cole's sacrifice fly to center.

Nebraska and Kansas State continue the three-game series on Saturday afternoon beginning at noon. Jamie Rodrigue (1-1, 5.89 ERA) will take the hill for the Huskers, while Luke Robertson (2-3, 5.40 ERA) will start for the Wildcats.

Source: University of Nebraska Sports Information