A junior college transfer who redshirted last season, Ledbetter led NU�s offensive attack, driving in an RBI single in the first before adding solo homers in the third and fifth innings, as the Huskers won their season opener. The first baseman also contributed a key sacrifice bunt in the seventh, as NU scored three times to break a 6-6 tie.

John Grose led off the seventh with a single before Ledbetter�s sacrifice moved Grose into scoring position. Alex Gordon then hit a hard grounder off SWT first baseman Mark Cooper who then threw the ball wide of first, allowing the Husker catcher to score from second with the go-ahead run. The error would prove costly as the Huskers added a pair of runs later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Joe Simokaitis and an RBI by Daniel Bruce, who was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

"In a tie game, that is what we had to do," NU Coach Mike Anderson said. "That was Nebraska baseball. Curtis knew it was going to happen, and he laid down a great bunt to move the runner over. We could have gotten greedy and told Curtis to go after it, but we need to manufacture runs in those situations. "We think we have the lineup to do that consistently."

The offensive production was enough for senior Steve Hale, who earned the win by throwing two innings of one-run relief, while freshman Tim Schoeninger fired two scoreless innings for his first career save. The Bobcats, who dropped to 2-5 on the season, had their best opportunity to tie in the eighth, loading the bases with one out, but the freshman right-hander induced Evan Tierce into an inning-ending double play, ending SWT�s final threat of the contest.

The Huskers banged out 13 hits in the win, including two apiece by Grose, Drew Anderson and Alex Gordon, while Joe Simokaitis also drove in a pair of runs in the victory.

Southwest Texas opened with a trio of unearned runs off NU starter Aaron Marsden in the top of the first, capitalizing on a pair of two-out errors to jump out to a 3-0 lead. With two outs and runners on first and second, Simokaitis misplayed a grounder, allowing SWT to plate its first run before Joey Zigal�s RBI single and a passed ball gave the visitors a three-run advantage.

The Huskers chipped away in the bottom of the frame, scoring twice on SWT starter Cory Covert, who lasted three innings. With one out, NU loaded the bases on an Anderson single and a pair of walks before Ledbetter delivered a soft run scoring single to left. NU cut the lead to 2-1 after Joe Gullion coaxed a two-out bases loaded walk to score Anderson.

"I told the team that the two most important runs in the game were the ones in the first inning," Anderson said. "We were tense and didn�t want to go six or seven innings without a run. It was important to answer their runs early, and we were fortunate to do that. It gave us a chance to relax at the plate.

The Huskers tied the score in the bottom of the second as Jeff Leise tripled to right before coming home on Anderson�s second hit of the day, an RBI single to left.

Southwest Texas regained the lead at 4-3 on an RBI single by Joey Zigal, who had two hits and a pair of RBIs, Nebraska took its first lead in the bottom of the third, scoring twice to take a 5-4 advantage. Ledbetter began the inning with a towering solo homer to left for his second RBI of game before Simokaits� RBI single to left plated Gordon.

The Bobcats tied the score in the fifth on a one out solo homer by Marc Coles to left, but the lead would be short-lived, as Ledbetter crushed a Davis offering over the 407 sign in right center. Davis took the loss for SWT, allowing four runs — two earned in 3.1 innings of relief.

"I didn�t know it was out," Ledbetter said. "The way they were playing us, that gap (in right center) was huge. I knew I hit it well, but I thought I would have to sprint to third."

After the shaky start, Marsden pitched well allowing five runs on eight hits in five innings, but was not involved in the decision. SWT tied the score at 6-6 on a one-out solo homer to right by Jacob Spencer off Hale, but NU would respond, scoring three times in the seventh to seal the win.

Source: University of Nebraska Athletic Dept.