The Nebraska baseball team (27-29) extended its season by at least one day on Friday afternoon with a 7-4 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers (32-22) in an elimination game at the Big Ten Tournament.

The Huskers now play tomorrow at 3:35 p.m. and will face the loser of tonight’s game between Ohio State and Indiana. Christian DeLeon is schedule to get the ball on the mound for the Huskers. With a win in the afternoon game, the Huskers would face the winner of tonight’s game tomorrow at 7 p.m.

Sophomore Pat Kelly led the Husker attack on Friday at Target Field with a 2-for-3 day, including his 12th double of the year and the first home run by any player at the tournament. The Red Wing, Minn., native’s three-run blast in the fourth capped a six-run inning for the Husker. The homer was measured at 383 feet at the pitcher-friendly park.

Nebraska got a solid start out of senior Ryan Hander, who was making his first start since April 6. The righty gave up four runs in the top of the fifth, but held the Gophers scoreless through the first four innings on two hits. Hander gave Nebraska 4.2 innings, his longest outing since throwing 6.2 innings at Louisiana Tech onMarch 8.

Luke Bublitz came in and threw 3.1 innings of scoreless relief, posting one the best outings of his career. The junior allowed just one hit, retiring the Gophers in order in the sixth and eighth innings.

Josh Roeder closed the door in the ninth, picking up his sixth save of the season. The sophomore struck out the first two Gophers he faced, before a groundout to Kelly at second base ended the game.

Kash Kalkowski and Michael Pritchard each pounded out a pair of hits and an RBI, while Tanner Lubach and Bryan Peters also added RBIs. Kalkowski’s RBI was his 40th of the season, marking the 36th-straight season that at least one Husker hitter has totaled 40 RBIs on the year.

Minnesota starter Dalton Sawyer, who was making his first start of the season, lasted just 3.2 innings. The freshman was tagged for six runs (all earned) on seven hits.

Hander pitched his way out of a jam in the second after he walked the leadoff hitter and gave up a one-out single that put runners on the corners for the Gophers. Hander responded by striking out Michael Handel and Ryan Abrahamson looking, Hander’s second and third strikeouts of the game.

The Gophers put a pair of runners on base in the third on a single and a walk, but again Hander was able to strand them both. With cleanup-hitter Matt Halloran up, Hander threw three-straight off speed pitches and got the catcher to bounce into a weak 1-3 groundout.

After going down in order in the both the second and third innings, the Husker offense bats broke through with six runs on five hits in the bottom of the fourth. Christensen led off with a single, breaking Sawyer’s streak of seven-straight Huskers retired. With Kalkowski at the plate, Sawyer tried to pick off Christensen and instead threw the ball into foul territory and Christensen cruised to third base. Kalkowski made the error hurt with a RBI single. Josh Scheffert picked up the third straight single of the inning to put runners on the corners with no out. Following a fly out from Blake Headley, Lubach laid down a perfect squeeze that not only scored Kalkowski, but Lubach also reached on the play. Sawyer came back and struck out Austin Darby and was in position to get out of the inning with just two runs scored, but Peters delivered a two-out single for the second straight game that scored Scheffert to put NU up 3-0. Minnesota left Sawyer in for one batter too long, as Kelly belted no-doubter into the left-field seats, putting the Huskers on top 6-0. It was the first home run of the tournament by any player.

The Gophers came back fighting in the top of the fifth, scoring four runs on three hits, including a three-run homer from Halloran. After a leadoff walk came around to score Minnesota’s first run of the game, Hander was in position to end the inning with a pair of runners on base and two down. Halloran worked a full count and on the sixth pitch he saw in the at-bat, the junior lifted his second home run of the season into the right-field seats, cutting the Husker lead to 6-4. Hander stayed in and hit Dan Olinger, forcing Head Coach Darin Erstad to bring in Bublitz. The junior reliever did his job, striking out Mark Tatera to end the Minnesota fifth.

After no player had hit a home run over the first 55 innings of the 2013 Big Ten Tournament, a pair of homers were hit in a 20-minute span on Friday afternoon.

Bublitz gave up a leadoff single in the seventh, but then let his defense work. The NU reliever got Kurt Schlangen to ground into a 6-4-3 double play and then Peters made a stellar play at shortstop. Andy Henkemeyer looked to have a single, but Peters made a diving stop in the hole and delivered a strike to first base for the third out of the inning.

The Husker offense got a run back in the seventh, starting with a leadoff double by Kelly down the left-field line. After a single from Pritchard moved Kelly to third, Christensen picked up his 36th RBI of the season with a sacrifice fly to right field off reliever Billy Soule.

Bublitz and Roeder combined to retire eight straight Minnesota batters, ending the Gophers’ season.

Today’s 3:35 p.m. game will be shown live on the Big Ten Network, while Greg Sharpe and Lane Grindle will have the call on the Husker Sports Network, including for free on Huskers.com.

After dropping a three-game series to the Michigan Wolverines (29-26) last week at Hawks Field, the Nebraska baseball team (26-28) responded with a 11-2 win on Wednesday afternoon over the Wolverines at Target Field in Nebraska’s first game of the 2013 Big Ten Tournament. Sophomore Kyle Kubat dealt 7.0 innings on one-hit ball, while Blake Headley, Pat Kelly and Austin Darby each produced multi-hit days at the plate.

Nebraska’s pitching staff limited the Wolverines to five hits on the day, including just a pair of hits over the first eight innings. The Husker bats produced 12 hits on the afternoon, marking the sixth straight game the Huskers have pounded out double-digit hits.

On the mound, Kubat dominated the Wolverines, allowing just one hit over his 7.0 innings of shutout work. The sophomore lefty sat down Michigan’s offense in order four times on the day and didn’t allow a Wolverine to reach base until the top of the fourth. Kubat took a no-hitter into the seventh, where Kevin White broke it up with a two-out single.

Luke Bublitz pitched a scoreless eight and then Colton Howell took over in the ninth with an 11-0 lead. The Wolverines scratched across two runs off the freshman reliever on three hits.

Headley led all players with three hits, while Darby belted a pair of doubles and Kelly added two singles. Darby plated four runs on the day, as Nebraska’s 6-7-8 hitters were 5-for-13 with seven RBIs.

Nebraska’s bats got after Michigan starter James Bourque, who gave up six runs (five earned) on six hits and four walks over 4.1 innings. Bourque was tough on the Huskers during last week’s series in the Lincoln, as he threw 3.2 inning of scoreless relief, giving up just two hits and striking out six.

Following a 1-2-3 first inning from Kubat, the Huskers jumped in front 1-0 on a pair of Michigan mistakes. Rich Sanguinetti led off and reach on an error by UM second baseman Patrick Biondi. After moving to second on a groundout by Kelly and to third on a base hit from Michael Pritchard, Sanguinetti was able to walk home on a balk by Bourque. With Pritchard on second and only one out, Bourque limited the damage by striking out Chad Christensen, who walked three times in the game, and Kash Kalkowski in order to end the frame.

After Kubat retired the Wolverines in order in the second and third innings, NU’s bats added three runs on three hits in the bottom of the third to give Kubat a 4-0 lead.

Bourque got a fly out off the bat of Sanguinetti to start the third, but then gave up an infield single to Kelly and a pair of walks to load the bases. Kalkowski came through with a RBI single and Headley followed with a 2-RBI single, forcing the Wolverines to get their bullpen throwing. Nebraska was unable to add any more runs though, as Bourque stopped the bleeding with a groundout and a fly out.

Kubat allowed his first base runner of the game in the top of the fourth on a leadoff walk to Biondi, but then locked back in and retired Michigan’s 2-3-4 hitters to keep Nebraska on top, 4-0.

After Kubat posted his fourth 1-2-3 inning of the game in the top of the fifth, the Husker bats added three more runs on a clutch two-out hit from Darby to take a 7-0 lead. Pritchard started the inning by working a walk and Christensen followed with a single. Kalkowski tried to move both into scoring position, but lined a bunt back at Bourque. With Headley, a lefty, due up, Michigan went to Trent Szkutnik, who started against the Huskers last Thursday in Lincoln. Headley welcomed him with a single that loaded the bases. Szkutnik came back and struck out Tanner Lubach, putting himself in position to get out of the inning without any damage. Darby had a different plan, as the sophomore blasted the first pitch he saw to right field and nearly got it out of the park, but 23-foot wall kept it in the park, holding Darby to a bases-clearing 3-RBI double.

Darby came calling again in the seventh with a RBI double off of reliever Chad Jasman that put the Huskers ahead 10-0. Nebraska had the bases loaded with two out in the inning, but Jasman got a fly out to end the inning.

Nebraska’s offense kept attacking and added one more run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Lubach that scored Christensen, who led off the inning with a walk.

The Huskers return to Target Field tomorrow for 3:35 p.m. game with the No. 2 seed Ohio State Buckeyes. Sophomore Aaron Bummer is scheduled to start for the Huskers, while the Buckeyes will counter with righty Brad Goldberg.

A pair of Big Ten teams are set to compete in the NCAA Super Regionals this weekend, as eighth-seeded Michigan hosts Louisiana-Lafayette and No. 14 Nebraska travels to take on third-seeded Oregon. The Wolverines and Ragin’ Cajuns will hit the diamond on Friday and Saturday, while the Huskers and Ducks will square off on Saturday and Sunday. It marks the first time since 2009 the conference has sent multiple teams to the NCAA Super Regional round.

Michigan, winners of the Ann Arbor Regional last weekend, makes its eighth appearance in the Super Regional round since the format was instituted in 2005. With a series win over Louisiana-Lafayette, winners of the Baton Rouge Regional, the Wolverines would make their 10th appearance at the Women’s College World Series and first since 2009. Friday’s game will be televised live on ESPNU at 2 p.m. ET, while Saturday’s games will be carried on ESPN beginning at Noon.

Nebraska, winners of last weekend’s Lincoln Regional, travel to Eugene, Ore., for the Oregon Super Regional, its first appearance in the round since the current format began in 2005. A series win over the Ducks, winners of their own regional last weekend, would send the Huskers to their seventh all-time appearance in Women’s College World Series and first since 2002. Saturday’s contest is scheduled for 8 p.m., while Sunday’s contests will begin at 3 p.m. ET

The 14th-seeded Nebraska softball team fought through three weather delays and a tough 13th-ranked Stanford squad to win its first regional championship since 2002 with a 10-5 victory over the Cardinal in the NCAA Lincoln Regional championship game on Sunday at Bowlin Stadium.

With the win, Nebraska (43-13) advanced to the first Super Regional in school history, as the NCAA did not adopt the regional-super regional until the 2005 season. Overall, the Huskers won their seventh NCAA regional title. The Huskers will face No. 3 seed Oregon on the road in the Eugene Super Regional (dates and times TBA).

The title did not come easy. The game started late following a 32-minute rain delay. Stanford then led 3-1 after one inning of play, before inclement weather delayed the start of the second inning for more than an hour. But the Huskers would not be denied, scoring five times in a rain-delayed fifth inning and four times in the sixth to pull away from the Cardinal (39-21).

Junior right-hander Tatum Edwards (29-8) went the distance to earn the win for the third straight game, allowing five runs (four earned) on 10 hits. Teagan Gerhart (21-13) took the loss for Stanford, allowing 10 runs (four earned) on eight hits in 5.2 innings.

Offensively, Nebraska’s seniors came up huge in their final home game. Gabby Banda was 1-for-2 with two runs scored and one RBI, and she drew her 40th walk of the season, tying the school record. Brooke Thomason was 2-for-2 in her final game at Bowlin Stadium, producing three RBIs. Courtney Breault also drove in three as part of a 2-for-4 day that included a double. Throw in Tatum and Taylor Edwards – who combined for two hits, two RBIs and three runs scored – and the first six hitters in the Husker lineup combined to go 7-for-14 with six runs scored and nine RBIs.

Freshman Alicia Armstrong also enjoyed an outstanding day at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 including a solo home run that opened Nebraska’s five-run fifth inning and ignited the Husker offense.

Before the big middle innings, Nebraska jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning thanks to a Stanford error. Tatum Edwards worked a leadoff walk after a dropped foul ball. She moved to third on a bunt single from Banda and scored the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly from Thomason.

In the bottom of the frame, a leadoff, infield single was followed by a walk. After a pop out, Jenna Rich singled to load the bases with one out. An infield single brought home the tying run before a pair of bases-loaded walk gave Stanford a 3-1 lead.

The Huskers pulled within one when Armstrong hit the first pitch of the top of the fifth inning over the fence in left field for a solo home run. A one-out error and a Tatum Edwards double then put Huskers at second and third with only one out. Banda tied the game with a squeeze bunt that scored Jordan Bettiol. Following a pickoff on a first-and-third rundown, Taylor Edwards hit a spinning ball toward second that spun away from the second baseman and into center field for a two-out, RBI single that gave Nebraska a 4-3 lead.

A falling rain then intensified and forced a 36-minute rain delay, the third weather delay of the day. Following the break, Thomason walked to put runners on first and second before Courtney Breault ripped a two-run double to right center to score two and put the Huskers up 6-3. Breault’s double capped a five-run inning in which four runs were unearned.

A two-out Husker error then allowed Stanford to pull within 6-4 in the bottom of the fifth.

Nebraska made up for the error with a four-run sixth inning. Armstrong began the frame with an infield single, before Mattie Fowler walked. After the next two batters were retired, Banda walked to load the bases before Taylor Edwards picked up an RBI with a two-out bases-loaded walk. Thomason then produced a two-run single before Breault capped the inning with an RBI infield single that deflected off the pitcher.

Trailing 10-4, Stanford answered with a two-out RBI single from Erin Ashby to trim the lead to five. But that was as close as the Cardinal would get, as Tatum Edwards held Stanford scoreless the rest of the way.

With a shot at the No. 2 seed at the Big Ten Tournament on the line, the Nebraska baseball team (25-28, 15-9 Big Ten) was unable to take care of businesson Saturday afternoon at Hawks Field. The Huskers dropped a 19-9 decision to the Michigan Wolverines (29-25, 14-10 Big Ten).

The Huskers could do no worse than the No. 3 seed in the tournament coming into the game and will face the No. 6 seed Wolverines in the opening round of the tournament, as the Wolverines punched their ticket with the win on Saturday at Hawks Field.

The two teams will play the second game of the tournament on Wednesday at 3:35 p.m. in Minneapolis, Minn., at Target Field. No. 4 Illinois and No. 5 Minnesota will play the opener at 12:05 p.m. on Wednesday.

Nebraska’s offense put up nine runs for the second straight game on Saturday and registered double-digit hits for the fifth straight game with 10 on the afternoon, but were unable to keep up with the Wolverine offense. Husker pitching gave up a season-high 19 runs on season-high 23 hits, the first time all season the Huskers have given up 20 or more hits.

Five Wolverines notched at least three hits on the day, including a four-hit game from both Travis Maezes and Cole Martin.

Sophomore Pat Kelly produced three hits for the second straight game, ending the series with a 7-for-14 performance at the plate with five RBIs. Chad Christensen was the only other Husker with a multi-hit day, as the totaled his 239^th and 240^thcareer hits, tying him with Alex Gordon for ninth all-time in Nebraska history.

Michigan jumped out to an early 4-0 lead with three runs in the first and a run in the second. The Huskers answered in the bottom of the fourth with a four spot, with NU stringing together three-straight two-out singles.

Needing a win to qualify for the league tournament, the Wolverines combined to score 10 runs over the fifth and sixth inning that put them ahead 14-5. Michigan put the game away for good with five runs in the top of the eighth.

The Huskers never stopped fighting, as NU plated four runs in the bottom of the ninth after entering the inning in a 19-5 hole.

The Huskers will head to Minneapolis on Monday and practice at Target Field on Tuesday in preparation for the league tournament. Greg Sharpe and Lane Grindle will have the call of every game of the tournament on the Husker Sports Network, including for free on Huskers.com. The Big Ten Network will also carry every game of the tournament live.

 

The players have been selected for the East and West teams for the 29th Annual West Nebraska All-Star Volleyball Game.

The 13 members of each all-star volleyball team were selected from nominations by their respective high school coach.

The East squad will be led by Shelly Byrn from North Platte St. Pat’s.  Valerie Kershner from Sutherland High School will assist her.

The West will be led by Kim Turnbull-Campbell from Gordon-Rushville High School.  Kim Davis from Chadron will be her assistant coach.

The game will be played Saturday, June 1, at Cougar Palace on the campus of Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff.  Game time is 2:00 p.m. MDT.

A portion of the proceeds from the match will benefit the Scotts Bluff County Volunteer Center.

ROSTERS

EAST

Player	High School
Brook Boucher	North Platte St. Pat’s
Samantha Byrn	North Platte St. Pat’s
Rachel Hoesing	Mullen
Joli Hopping	Sutherland
Halie Jones	Broken Bow
Samantha Kennedy	Sutherland
Brekkan Martinosky	Paxton
Skylar Mathis	Valentine
Taylor Sandoe	Medicine Valley
Madison Tomlinson	Mullen
Jacey Wiggins	Gothenburg
Kylie Wroot	North Platte
Jenna Young	Hershey

 

 

 

 

WEST

Player	High School
Brayden Auer	Scottsbluff
Alia Brennan	Chadron
Ashlyn Eitemiller	Chadron
Rachael Ernest	Leyton
Chalsey Grentz	Mitchell
Madi Malzahn	Sidney
Sara Marlatt	Gordon-Rushville
Santanna Mitchell	Gering
Kali Robb	Sidney
Brooke Robertson	Ogallala
Karissa Segelke	Sidney
Conner Wolff	Potter-Dix
Kelsy Wood	Hemingford

The athletic director at the University of Nebraska at Kearney is stepping down after 11 years because of concerns about his health.

UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen praised Jon McBride’s accomplishments when announcing the chance on Monday.

McBride will shift into a new role to help with athletics projects, and a national search is underway for his replacement.

McBride was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2009. He says that his symptoms have been manageable with medicine, but doctors recommend reducing stress and regular exercise.

During McBride’s tenure, UNK teams have won 55 regular season and tournament championships in eight sports. And the university’s athletes routinely earned grade-point averages better than 3.0.

Four Big Ten teams were selected to the 2013 NCAA Softball Tournament, it was announced on Sunday night. Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin will represent the conference in this year’s bracket, which will get underway on Thursday with regional action.

Michigan advances to its 21st national tournament, having appeared in the last 19 annual events. The Wolverines, who have earned berths to nine Women’s College World Series previously in their history, are the No. 8 national seed and will host regional competition this weekend. The Wolverines will open play against Valparaiso, with California and Central Michigan also part of the Ann Arbor Regional, which will be carried by ESPN3 beginning Friday.

Minnesota, which finished as the runner-up in the Big Ten Tournament, returns to the NCAA bracket for the first time since 2003 and will make its eighth all-time appearance. The Gophers are part of the Seattle Regional and will take on Hawaii in the opening game of the double-elimination regional on Friday. Portland and host Washington make up the other half of the four-team pod.

Nebraska earns its first berth in the NCAA Tournament as a member of the Big Ten and its 21st all-time. Appearing in the field for the fourth time in the last five seasons, the Huskers are seeded 14th nationally and will serve as one of 16 regional hosts in the opening round this weekend. Nebraska takes on Northern Iowa in its first game on Friday, with Stanford and Tulsa also part of the Lincoln Regional.

Wisconsin earned the Big Ten’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after claiming its first Big Ten Tournament title on Sunday afternoon. The Badgers will make their fourth appearance all-time in the annual postseason event and first since 2005. Wisconsin is part of the Eugene Regional, where it will face North Carolina in its first game of tournament play on Thursday, while host Oregon will square off against BYU.

The 64-team field is divided into 16, four-team double elimination regionals, which begin Thursday. The 16 regional winners advance to super regionals, where eight will emerge as Women’s College World Series participants.

 

(AP)-University of Colorado quarterback Jordan Webb and former CU offensive lineman Alex Lewis have been charged with second-degree assault.

Athletics spokesman Dave Plati says the two were arrested early Saturday morning, but he declined to comment about the charges because he hadn’t seen the police report. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately return a call for comment.

Lewis, the starting left guard who announced Friday he was transferring to Nebraska, also was charged with two counts of harassment.

Webb was Colorado’s primary starter last season, throwing for 1,434 yards and eight touchdowns with eight interceptions. He is recovering after tearing his right ACL during spring practice.

Details of what led to Saturday’s arrests have not been released. Webb and Lewis are scheduled to appear in court Monday afternoon.

Blue Jays pitcher J.A. Happ was hit in the head by a line drive and taken off the field on a stretcher during Toronto’s 6-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.

In a frightening scene at Tropicana Field, Desmond Jennings’ second-inning liner caromed squarely off the left side of Happ’s head in a loud “thwack!”

The ball went all the way into the bullpen in foul territory halfway down the right-field line.Happ dropped face down at the front of the mound, holding his head with his glove and bare hand.

Happ was taken to a hospital for tests but the Blue Jays had no update on his condition immediately after the game, manager John Gibbons said.

Happ was released from the hospital Friday morning.