Nebraska (1-0) vs. #2 Oregon St. (1-0) / Tempe Diablo Stadium / Husker Classic in Tempe, AZ / 11 AM MST (10 AM PST) / No TV / KEJO 1240 AM / KPOJ 620 AM
Oregon St. meets Nebraska for the first of 2 times in less than a week today, in the second game of the Husker Classic, hosted away from home by the Huskers. Nebraska is the home team today, possibly fitting since they traveled farther to be the tournament host than any of the other teams involved.
The Beavers will face the Huskers again next Friday, across town in Surprise, in the Pac-12-Big-10 Tournament.
On opening day, despite playing more like the 102nd ranked team in the country than the #2 ranked team until about the 8th inning, according to coach Pat Casey, the Pac-12 defending champion Beavers came from behind to beat defending WCC regular season champion Gonzaga 4-3, when Jeff Hendrix delivered a 2 RBI game winning single.
The Huskers also had to come from behind, having fallen behind Pacific, whom Oregon St. will play tomorrow and Monday, 3-0 in the 4th inning. But Nebraska answered with 3 runs in the bottom of the 4th inning to tie the game, and put away the 5-3 win with a 2 run 7th inning.
Junior LHP Jace Fry will take the mound for Oregon St. today, having come back from Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss the regular season last year, though he did pitch in the College World Series run.
Nebraska will counter with counter with another left hander, Aaaron Bummer.
Because of the left hander, despite carrying Oregon St. to the opening day win, Casey has benched Hendrix today, in favor of Nick Rulli. Hendrix did have the same hand he had a nail ripped off get stepped on on a pickoff move yesterday, and has to have a sore hand this morning.
Casey has also moved Kavin Keyes to first, after Jerad Casper committed an error yesterday, and will try Caleb Hamilton at third base today, and send Gabe Clark out as the DH.
Here's today's starting lineup for the Beavers:
2B - Andy Peterson
CF - Nick Rulli
LF - Michael Conforto
RF - Dylan Davis
DH - Gabe Clark
1B - Kavin Keyes
3B - Caleb Hamilton
C - Logan Ice
SS - Trevor Morrison
P - Jace Fry
Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com