The Colorado Rockies picked up right where they had left off from the night before in Arizona, combining poor starting pitching with poorer hitting in a 6-1 loss to the Diamondbacks in the rubber game of their three-game series. Starter Josh Outman lasted just three innings for the Rox, giving up five runs on seven hits. Meanwhile, one night after the Rockies struck out a season-high 16 times, the team put more balls in play, but only had their lone run and three hits to show for them. Arizona’s starter Wade Miley worked eight innings and struck out five to shackle the Rockies and send them to their second straight defeat after the team had won seven out of eight games previously. The Rockies have tonight off before returning home for a three-game weekend interleague set against the Los Angeles Angels.

Two Husker baseball players earned spots on the Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America team announced yesterday. Left-handed pitcher Kyle Kubat was one of 32 pitchers honored. Kubat became the Huskers ace in the latter part of the season, finishing his year with a 5-1 record and 2.63 ERA. Second baseman Pat Kelly was also honored, one of four at his position. Kelly batted .313 with 8 home runs and 37 RBI. Both Kubat and Kelly had previously received third-team All-Big Ten recognition.

The Colorado Rockies are set to bring back an old fan favorite. Left-handed pitcher Jeff Francis is expected to make his signing official before starting Saturday’s game. Francis has pitched for AAA Louisville in the Cincinnati Reds system this season. He last pitched in the major leagues for Kansas City in 2011, making 31 starts and going 6-16 with a 4.82 ERA. Over six seasons with the Rockies, Francis posted a 55-50 record and a 4.77 ERA. He won 17 games for the 2007 National League Champions.

Among the players drafted on the final day of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft were five current Huskers, one ex-Husker, and one Husker recruit. Matt Strahm, a left-handed pitcher out of Neosho County Community College who had committed to Nebraska, went in the 21^st round to Kansas City. Travis Huber was the first current Husker off the board when the junior right-handed pitcher went in the 23^rd round to Minnesota. He was quickly followed by two more Huskers in the same round. Senior outfielder Kale Kiser was picked by the Chicago White Sox, and junior catcher Richard Stock was selected by Cleveland. Junior outfielder Chad Christensen heard his name called by Miami in the 35^th round. Khiry Cooper, a former two-sport athlete at Nebraska who did not play baseball this past season, was drafted in the 25^th round by Boston.

(by Hilary Winter, Nebraska Sports Information)

Des Moines, Iowa- Chad Wright led the Huskers on the first day of competition at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, as he earned the NCAA title in the men’s discus. Wright’s accolades were accompanied by two other Huskers, seniors Tyler Hitchler and Morgan Wilken, earning All-America honors on the day.

Wright completed his sophomore season in stunning fashion with his first NCAA Championship. He made Husker history with a winning throw of 206-0 (62.79) on his fifth attempt of the competition, setting a personal best and moving to second all-time in the Husker record books.

With the title, Wright becomes Nebraska’s 18th men’s outdoor national champion.

Wright was joined by Hitchler, who earned his third-straight All-America honors in the men’s discus. He finished sixth on the day with a mark of 193-10 (59.08).

Morgan Wilken was the third Husker to notch All-America accolades on the day as she finished eighth in the women’s discus with a throw of 178-5 (54.39).