NU baseball team ready for intrasquad contests

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BY CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star

Intrasquad games can produce surprising results, but Mike Anderson fully expects his Nebraska’s baseball team’s Red/White Series at Haymarket Park during the next three days to be a continuation of what he’s seen consistently this fall.

“I think our talent level’s good,” said the Huskers’ eighth-year coach. “We’re a talented team that needs to develop, and we’ve got some time to do that. But it sure is nice to see balls going out of the ballpark and strikes being thrown.”

Coming off a rare season of missing the NCAA Tournament, Nebraska has added a 21-member class of newcomers that Collegiate Baseball ranked 13th-best in the nation. That’s the highest the publication has ever listed a Nebraska group of recruits.

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The Huskers also return Tyler Farst, an all-Big 12 first baseman; Adam Bailey, the team’s leading home-run hitter and run producer; six other position players who made at least 20 starts; and five of the top six starting pitchers from 2009.

Bailey, still considered the top power threat, will sit out the Series after chipping a bone in his wrist during a recent scrimmage. But Anderson said two sophomores — third baseman Cody Asche and catcher Cody Burleson — along with junior-college transfer catcher Patric Tolentino, freshman shortstop Josh Scheffert and senior first baseman Cade Thompson have all provided pop this fall.

On the mound, five of the seven contending for spots in the starting rotation after junior Mike Nesseth are freshmen. The exceptions are senior lefty Michael Mariot and right-handed sophomore Sean Yost (who is resting his arm this fall). Lefty Zach Hirsch also will miss the Series with an injury, but fans can get their first looks at right-handers Luke Bublitz, Kurt Giller, Tom Lemke and Tyler Niederklein.

Thursday’s seven-inning opener is set to start at 3 p.m. The Series continues with nine-inning contests at 3 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday. There is no admission charge and concessions will be on sale. Anderson said if rain disrupts the schedule Thursday, then the team plans to play a nine-inning game on Friday and two seven-inning contests Saturday.

Assistants Eric Newman and Dave Bingham will lead the Red and White teams, and Anderson said he instructed each to draft their rosters with one main thought: “However you want to, manage it to win. I’m not into showcasing.”

The Huskers will scrimmage more next week and wrap up fall practice next Friday.

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