Kroenke struck out a career-high 11 Wildcats and scattered six hits in 6.1 innings of work to improve to 1-0 on the season. The Omaha Northwest product threw just over 100 pitches and allowed six hits and two unearned runs, taking advantage of a Husker offense that scored five times in the first and eight more in the third. Kroenke fanned seven of the first 13 Northwestern hitters he faced, while his 11 strikeouts nearly doubled his previous high of six set twice last spring.

"I felt really good out there, and my arm was loose all day." Kroenke said. "I wanted to help us get off to a quick start this weekend, and really had my slider working all day. After we got ahead early, I was just able to go out there and throw strikes."

"Zach�s performance was one of the biggest highlights today," Nebraska Coach Mike Anderson said. "He did what you would expect from a Friday starter, and he was dominant today. He had very good control and filled the zone with strikes."

Kroenke was backed by a prolific Husker offense that scored 19 runs, the most runs NU has scored in a opener since a 23-run outburst against New Mexico State in 1996. Every starter except one had at least one hit � including homers by Daniel Bruce, who drove in three runs and scored four times, and Alex Gordon, who drive in five runs on two round trippers. Catcher John Grose did not have a hit, but was hit three times and drew a walk while scoring twice.

"There were a lot of encouraging signs today," Anderson said. "Offensively, we put pressure on early by getting runners on base and working deep into counts and that was good to see for our first time out. It is still early and we still have a lot to improvements to make, but it was a very good start today."

Nebraska jumped on Northwestern right-hander Dan Konecny, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first. The Huskers took advantage of two hit batters and a walk and needed just two hits � an RBI single by Curtis Ledbetter and Bruce�s three-run blast to left � to put up a five-spot on the Wildcat starter. With one out and runners on first and second, Ledbetter lined a single to center, scoring Jake Mullinax from second. After Grose was hit by a pitch, Chad Steele�s ground out plated another run before Bruce sent the Wildcat starter�s next pitch over the fence to give the Huskers all the offense they would need.

The Huskers exploded for eight runs, knocking Konecny (0-1), who allowed 10 runs on six hits to take the loss � out of the game in the third. The Huskers sent 12 men to the plate, highlighted by a two-run double by center fielder Colin Shockey, run scoring hits by Joe Simokaitis, who had two hits and a pair of RBIs and Jake Mullinax, who went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and Gordon�s three-run homer off the scoreboard in left center.

Northwestern, who fell to 1-3 with the loss, put up a pair of unearned runs in the fourth of Kroenke but NU came back with two more in the bottom of the frame as Bruce was hit by a pitch and came around on Shockey�s single which was misplayed into a two-base error before Simokaitis plated Shockey with an RBI single, giving NU a 13-run advantage.

"The starters did a nice job of getting us a lead early on and that allowed us to get a lot of people in the game," Anderson said. "We were able to get 16 position players in and get many of our newcomers a chance to get some experience today. That will only help us down the road."

The Huskers increased their lead to 19-2 with four runs in the eight, on an RBI triple by freshman Braden Keith, who came home on Kevin Belcher�s groundout and a two-run homer by Gordon. It was the first multi-homer game for Gordon, who went 2-for-5 with a career-best five RBIs.

Mike Phelps� solo homer in the ninth off Dustin Timm provided the final margin, as Timm, who had Tommy John surgery last March, retired the first four hitters he faced and threw a career-high 2.2 innings of relief. Dan Polhman, who went 2-for-4 with a run scored, was the only Northwestern player with more than one hit.

The Huskers continue tournament play Saturday afternoon when they take on the host Lobos at 3 p.m. (CST)

Source: University of Nebraska Athletic Dept.