NU @ Missouri Series

[Eric the Red]

Nebraska will face the Missouri Tigers in Columbia. First pitch on Friday is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be carried on the Pinnacle Sports Network.

[Eric the Red]

Huskers turn things around vs. Mizzou

 

BY CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star

Friday, Apr 07, 2006 - 10:48:06 pm CDT

 

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Nebraska’s Joba Chamberlain was laboring again and Missouri’s Nathan Culp looked as if he might go the distance for a second straight game.

 

Then, the Big 12’s leading home run hitter, Luke Gorsett, stroked his 13th homer of the season and you could feel the winds in Taylor Stadium Friday night start to swirl behind the Huskers’ sixth-ranked baseball team.

 

“It really changed momentum,” NU coach Mike Anderson said of Gorsett’s two-run, fourth-inning homer, which erased a 3-0 deficit and lit the fuse to a 6-3 victory that left NU alone in second place in the Big 12 Conference.

 

Gorsett would later produce the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning, hit-and-run single off Culp, who was coming off a complete-game shutout of Kansas, and also scored an eighth-inning run after leading off with a double.

 

Advertisement

 

 

 

 

It all happened after the left-handed junior Culp, who entered with a 6-2 record and miniscule 1.92 earned-run average, had retired the first 10 batters.

 

“We knew we were hitting him hard, we were just going to keep with it,” Gorsett said. “The second time through (the batting order) we kept our hands in better and were driving the ball up the middle.”

 

At the same time, the All-American Chamberlain seemed to pick up steam after surviving a second inning in which he had given up a run and faced a bases-loaded, no-out situation.

 

The right-handed junior — coming off a career-short 22/3-inning outing in which he walked four and allowed five runs in an 11-5 loss at Kansas State — ended up being touched for just one more run in the frame. After retiring Gary Arndt on a grounder to third for a force out at home, Chamberlain yielded an RBI fielder’s-choice grounder to Evan Frey, but after walking Brock Bond came back to strike out Zane Taylor.

 

Chamberlain allowed an RBI triple to Hunter Mense with two outs in the third, but over his final 31/3 innings gave up only three of his seven hits and one of his four walks.

 

“After I got through those first couple (innings), I knew my arm was there,” Chamberlain said. “We all fed off each other. As soon as we got going (offensively) in the fourth, my arm felt great and I got going.”

 

Gorsett had pulled Nebraska to 3-2 with his homer to deep left with two outs in the fourth.

 

“He had thrown me inside the first time and jammed me,” Gorsett said of Culp. “I took a little guess on a first-pitch fastball and I got it.”

 

So did senior catcher Jeff Christy on a 1-1 pitch he hit out to left-center leading off the fifth.

 

The Huskers then put together a two-run sixth before Chamberlain recorded his final three outs to earn his fourth win in six decisions.

 

“He was different in that last inning,” Missouri coach Tim Jamieson said of Chamberlain. “I thought we had an opportunity to get him out of the game (earlier) and put up a big number that would make it difficult for them to come back. ... That gives the other team momentum when you fail to score.”

 

Nebraska also got clutch relief from freshmen Erik Bird and Zach Herr, each of whom retired the only batter they faced after Jared Cranston walked two with one out in the seventh.

 

The Huskers then put the game in the hands of senior closer Brett Jensen, who retired all six Tigers he faced to earn his sixth save.

 

While Culp went at least six innings for the eighth time in nine starts, he gave up a season-high five runs.

 

Gorsett’s up-the-middle single in the sixth drove in Nick Jaros, who led off with a double off the right-field wall, and advanced Ryan Wehrle, who walked, to third. Wehrle, who went hitless for the first time in 10 games, then scored on Brandon Buckman’s fielder’s-choice grounder.

 

NU got another insurance run in the eighth, off reliever Travis Wendte, as Gorsett doubled to shallow left field and scored on Buckman’s double to right.

 

“We know every win on the road is big, and so we’re happy with the result,” Gorsett said after Nebraska won a series opener against Mizzou for the first time in five years to improve to 22-5 overall and 5-2 in the league. “We’ll try and get another win tomorrow.”

 

The teams play at 2 p.m. today and conclude their series with a 1 p.m. contest on Sunday.

 

Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.

[Eric the Red]

Huskers Get Past Missouri

 

Gorsett claims 3 RBIs

 

 

Luke Gorsett drove in three runs, including the go-ahead run in the sixth, as sixth-ranked Nebraska downed Missouri, 6-3, in front of a crowd of 1,811 at Taylor Stadium Friday evening.

 

Gorsett went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer, his 13th of the year, in the fourth before his RBI single in the sixth gave NU a 4-3 lead. The win, the first for Nebraska, which won the series opener against the Tigers for the first time since 2001 and for the first time in Columbia in seven seasons, by scoring six unanswered runs after spotting the Tigers a 3-0 lead.

 

Nebraska improved to 22-5 overall and 5-2 in the Big 12 with its fourth straight win, while Missouri dipped to 16-12 overall and 6-4 in the Big 12 with their third loss in the last four contests.

 

Chamberlain overcame a rocky start to pitch six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits to improve to 4-3 on the season. Chamberlain, who allowed two runs in the second and another in the third, held the Tigers off the scoreboard over his final three innings. Three relievers then combined to hold MU scoreless over the last three frames, including Brett Jensen, who retired all six hitters he faced for his sixth save.

 

The Tigers struck early, scoring twice off of Chamberlain in the second on an RBI double by Hunter Mense and a sacrifice bunt off the bat of Evan Frey. After a leadoff single by Derek Chambers, Chamberlain walked Kyle Mach to put two on with no outs. Mense then doubled into the corner for the first run before Frey made hit 2-0 three batters later, squeezing Mense home from third.

 

Missouri extended the lead to 3-0 one inning later on Mense’s triple to right center, scoring Jacob Priday, who opened the third with a single, but Chamberlain would settle down and hold MU off the board, allowing the Huskers to begin a comeback.

 

MU starter Nathan Culp retired the first 10 Huskers he faced before running into trouble in the fourth. With one out, Nick Jaros singled to left and came home two batters later, as Gorsett launched the Tiger left-hander’s first pitch over the bullpen in left to pull NU within run.

 

The Huskers used the long ball again in the fifth to knot the score at four, as Jeff Christy opened the inning with his fourth homer of the season, a shot over the fence in left center.

 

In the sixth, the Huskers continued the rally, scoring twice to take a 5-3 lead. Jaros, who had two hits and scored twice, opened the frame with a double off the wall in right before a walk to Ryan Wehrle put two on with no outs. After fouling off several pitches, Gorsett lined Culp’s 2-2 pitch into center, scoring Jaros to give NU a 4-3 lead. Buckman then gave the visitors a two-run advantage, scoring Wehrle on a fielder’s choice.

 

Culp, who entered Friday’s game with a 1.98 ERA in eight starts, went 6.1 innings, allowing a season-high five runs on nine hits to drop to 6-3 on the season.

 

Missouri started to rally in the bottom of the seventh, as NU reliever Jared Cranston issued consecutive one-out walks to Priday and Chambers. Erik Bird stuck out Kyle Mach for the second out before Zach Herr got NU out of the jam by getting Mense to ground out to second. That would be MU’s final threat as Jensen pitched two perfect innings for the save.

 

The Huskers tacked on an insurance run in the eighth on back-to-back doubles by Gorsett and Buckman to make it 6-3.

[Eric the Red]

Huskers up 2-1 in the bottom of the 6th

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

They won game 2 5-2 in 13 innings!

[Jarred04]

crazy game, hopefully tomorrow isn't as hard on us. I really wanted Watson to get the W, i think he deserved it.

[hskrfannnwk]

Anyone hear how the game went today?

[hskrfannnwk]

OOPS! just found the score... Huskers won 13-7....

[Eric the Red]

SWEEP

[Eric the Red]

Huskers Complete Sweep over Missouri

 

By: Wire Reports

 

Date: Apr 9, 2006

 

Jeff Christy had a career high four hits, as sixth-ranked Nebraska used its largest single-inning output of the year to overcome a four-run deficit and post a 13-7 victory over Missouri Sunday afternoon.

 

 

With the win, the Huskers (24-5, 7-2 Big 12) picked up their first road sweep in two season and the first sweep of the Tigers since the 2002 season. It also marked the first time Missouri had been swept at home in four seasons.

 

Christy went 4-for-5 and totaled four of Nebraska’s season-high 19 hits, as NU scored eight runs with two outs in the fifth, highlighted by two-run hits by Nick Jaros and Ryan Wehrle and a three-run homer by Luke Gorsett, his Big 12-leading 14th round tripper of the season.

 

Wehrle and Gorsett drove in three runs apiece, while seven Huskers had at least two hits, in helping to its highest single-game run total of the season.

 

The Huskers broke quickly, getting an RBI single from Wehrle in the top of the first. Bryce Nimmo singled and stole second before Wehrle broke out of an 0-for-9 slump with a run-scoring single to center.

 

The Tigers responded in the second, scoring three runs as five straight Tigers reached base in one stretch. Consecutive singles by Trevor Helms and a well executed hit and run by J.C. Field put runners on the corners. Gary Arndt’s RBI single tied the score before Brock Bond coaxed a bases-loaded walk two batters later. Dorn retired the next hitter, but then uncorked his first wild pitch of the season, allowing a third Tiger run to score.

 

Missouri extended its lead to 5-1 in the third on Arndt’s second hit of the day, a two-run double to left center. John McKee doubled with one out before Field’s single two batters later put runners on the corners. Arndt, the No. 9 hitter in the Tiger lineup, then sent a 1-0 pitch into the gap cleared the bases and gave Missouri a four-run lead.

 

After the early struggles, Husker starter Johnny Dorn righted himself as he faced the minimum over his final 3.1 innings of work to improve to 5-2 on the season. In all, he went six innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and stuck out four to give NU a chance to comeback.

 

Nebraska began to rally in the top of the fourth, getting two runs back on Andrew Brown’s third homer of the season. Gorsett extended his hit streak to 10 games with a leadoff single before Brown deposited an Aaron Crow pitch over the wall in right center, pulling NU within 5-3.

 

In the sixth, the Huskers got some clutch hitting, chasing Crow after 5.2 innings of work, as the Nebraska erupted for eight runs on six hits, all with two outs. Jake Opitz opened the rally with a double to left before Christy’s second hit of the day drew the Huskers within a run. After a Jake Mort single kept the rally alive, Brent Combs came in to face the left-handed hitting Nimmo, but walked him to load the bases. Nick Jaros then gave the Huskers their first least since the first with a two-run single before Wehrle made it 8-5 with a two-run double to left. Rick Zagone then came in and walked Buckman before Gorsett capped the inning with a towering three-run homer that cleared the scoreboard in left, giving NU a six-run cushion.

 

Crow allowed six runs on 10 hits to drop to 0-3 on the season.

 

The Huskers eventually pushed the lead to 12-5 before MU closed to within 12-7 with a pair of runs in the seventh. Charlie Shirek shut the Tigers down the last two innings, as he went the final three frames to earn his first career save.

 

The Huskers wrap up the eight-game road trip on Tuesday evening, as they travel to Iowa City, Iowa, to take on the Hawkeyes. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. and will be carried on the Pinnacle Sports Network and on Huskers.com. There will be no HuskersNside video available for Tuesday’s game at Iowa.

 

 

 

#6 Nebraska at Missouri

Apr 09, 2006 at Columbia, MO (Taylor Stadium)

 

Nebraska 13 (24-5,7-2 Big 12)

 

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB

------------------------------------------------------

Nimmo, Bryce cf.......... 5 2 3 1 1 0 3 0 1

Jaros, Nick lf........... 6 1 2 2 0 0 2 0 1

Wehrle, Ryan ss.......... 6 1 2 3 0 1 2 4 2

Buckman, Brandon 1b...... 4 1 1 0 1 0 8 3 1

Gorsett, Luke rf......... 5 2 2 3 0 0 2 0 1

Brown, Andrew dh......... 5 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 1

Opitz, Jake 2b........... 5 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0

Christy, Jeff c.......... 5 3 4 1 0 0 6 0 0

Mort, Jake 3b............ 5 1 2 0 0 1 0 1 1

Dorn, Johnny p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0

Shirek, Charlie p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

Totals................... 46 13 19 12 2 3 27 11 8

 

Missouri 7 (16-14,6-6 Big 12)

 

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB

------------------------------------------------------

Frey, Evan cf............ 4 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 1

Bond, Brock 3b........... 2 1 1 1 2 0 0 1 2

Taylor, Zane lf.......... 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0

Priday, Jacob rf......... 5 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 2

Mense, Hunter 1b......... 4 0 1 1 0 0 12 0 2

McKee, John dh........... 5 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0

Helms, Trevor 2b......... 4 1 1 0 0 2 4 5 0

Cales, David ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

Field, J.C. c............ 4 2 2 0 0 0 4 0 0

Arndt, Gary ss........... 4 0 3 3 0 0 3 7 0

Crow, Aaron p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

Combs, Brant p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Zagone, Rick p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Parker, Taylor p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Totals................... 38 7 14 6 2 5 27 14 9

 

Score by Innings R H E

-------------------------------------------

Nebraska............ 100 208 101 - 13 19 1

Missouri............ 032 000 200 - 7 14 0

-------------------------------------------

 

E - Nimmo, B.(1). DP - Huskers 1. LOB - Huskers 8; Tigers 9. 2B - Wehrle,

R.(12); Opitz, J.(3); Christy, J. 2(6); McKee; Arndt. HR - Gorsett, L.(14);

Brown, A.(3). HBP - Frey. SH - Bond. SF - Mense. SB - Nimmo, B. 2(13);

Jaros, N.(9); Wehrle, R.(10).

 

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP

--------------------------------------------------

Dorn, Johnny........ 6.0 8 5 5 2 4 24 28 104

Shirek, Charlie..... 3.0 6 2 2 0 1 14 15 52

 

Missouri IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP

Crow, Aaron......... 5.2 10 6 6 0 2 27 27 95

Combs, Brant........ 0.0 2 3 3 1 0 2 3 13

Zagone, Rick........ 0.1 1 2 2 1 0 2 3 12

Parker, Taylor...... 3.0 6 2 2 0 1 15 15 44

 

Win - Dorn, J. (5-2). Loss - Crow (0-3). Save - Shirek, C. (1).

WP - Dorn, J.(1). HBP - by Dorn, J. (Frey). Inherited runners/scored: Combs 2/2;

Zagone 1/1. Pitches/strikes: Dorn, J. 104/67; Shirek, C. 52/35; Crow 95/59;

Combs 13/6; Zagone 12/3; Parker 44/32.

Umpires - HP: Bob Homolka 1B: Randy Bruns 3B: Tim Norman

Start: 1:04p.m. Time: 2:48 Attendance

[Eric the Red]

Luke Gorsett, his Big 12-leading 14th round tripper of the season.

[StuckinChicago]

So um... has anyone notice that Luke Gorsett IS THE FRICKEN MAN!!!!!