Lincoln – Junior Zach Kroenke delivered a complete game three-hit shutout, leading seventh-ranked Nebraska to a 6-0 victory over No. 29 Oklahoma State in front of 6,596 fans at Hawks Field Saturday afternoon.
Kroenke matched his season high with seven strikeouts, and didn’t allow a hit after the fourth inning in a 117-pitch gem to improve to 4-0 on the year. The complete game shutout was the second of Kroenke’s career and came exactly one year to the day of his first complete game shutout.
"It all started with Zach Kroenke on the mound," Head Coach Mike Anderson said. "He was great. The first time through the order, he did a great job with his fastball and the second time through the order the started throwing off-speed pitches for strikes. We got a lead, and he felt more comfortable out there."
Kroenke performance helped Nebraska – which has won 16 of its last 17 contests – improve to 24-3 on the season and 4-1 in the Big 12.
It was the first time that Oklahoma State (21-10, 4-4 Big 12) had been shutout since April 13, 2004, and the first time the Cowboys have been blanked in Big 12 play since the 2001 season.
While Kroenke shined on the mound, Alex Gordon paced Nebraska’s offensive attack, going 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs while also scoring three times. Gordon provided the game’s biggest hit, a two-run homer off of OSU starter Rick Rivas in the third that gave NU a 3-0 cushion.
The Huskers chased Rivas (1-2) in the fifth, as the Cowboy starter allowed five runs on four hits while walking five Huskers. In all, Oklahoma State pitchers combined for nine walks and also hit a batter in dropping its 10th straight game in Lincoln dating back to 1999.
The Huskers struck first, plating a run in the bottom of the first on Brandon Fusilier’s sacrifice fly that scored Daniel Bruce, who walked and eventually got to third on Gordon’s single.
Gordon added to the Huskers lead in the third inning when he hammered starter Rick Rivas' 0-1 pitch over the wall in left center for his Big 12-leading 11th homer of the year. The rally started one batter earlier as Joe Simokaitis coaxed a leadoff walk before coming home on Gordon’s round tripper.
Gordon ignited Nebraska’s fifth, as he was hit by a pitch to open the frame. Brandon Buckman chased Rivas with a one-out single to right to move runners to the corners. Ledbetter, who extended his hit streak to 15 games, then greeted OSU reliever Michael Jarman with an RBI double before a wild pitch scored Buckman to give NU a five-run lead. The Huskers added an insurance run in the sixth, loading the bases before Gordon scored on a passed ball.
The Huskers will look to sweep the series Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m when junior Brian Duensing (4-0, 2.12 ERA) takes the mound for Nebraska. Right-hander Scott Richmond (2-1, 1.25 ERA) will make the start for the Cowboys.
Box score (NCAA)
2005 Nebraska Baseball
#29 Oklahoma State at #7 Nebraska
Apr 02, 2005 at Lincoln, Neb. (Hawks Field)
Oklahoma State 0 (21-10,4-4 Big 12)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Colbert, Justin 2b....... 4 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 1
Ryal, Rusty 3b........... 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 0
Hernandez, Mike rf....... 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Parrish, Jeff c.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 0
Clarkson, Matt c........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1
Wright, Ty lf............ 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Brown, Corey dh.......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2
Carr, Adam 1b............ 3 0 0 0 0 1 10 0 0
Ptak, Steve cf........... 3 0 1 0 0 0 5 0 0
Gutierrez, Chris ss...... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 0
Rivas, Rick p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Jarman, Michael p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Monsma, Quinn p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 29 0 3 0 2 7 24 10 4
Nebraska 6 (24-3,4-1 Big 12)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Bruce, Daniel rf/cf...... 4 1 0 0 1 2 5 0 5
Simokaitis, Joe ss....... 4 1 0 0 1 1 1 4 0
Gordon, Alex 3b.......... 3 3 2 2 1 1 2 2 0
Fusilier, Brandon lf..... 3 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0
Buckman, Brandon dh...... 3 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 1
Ledbetter, Curtis 1b..... 5 0 2 1 0 0 11 0 2
Adams, Trey cf........... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nimmo, Bryce cf......... 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Gerch, Andy ph/rf....... 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 2
Christy, Jeff c.......... 3 0 0 0 1 1 6 2 2
Opitz, Jake 2b........... 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Wehrle, Ryan ph/2b...... 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0
Kroenke, Zach p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 30 6 7 4 10 7 27 9 12
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Oklahoma State...... 000 000 000 - 0 3 0
Nebraska............ 102 021 00X - 6 7 1
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E - Wehrle, R.(2). DP - Huskers 1. LOB - OS 4; Huskers 12. 2B - Ptak(4);
Fusilier, B.(4); Ledbetter, C(9). HR - Gordon, A.(11). HBP - Gordon, A.. SF
- Fusilier, B.(2). SB - Gordon, A. 2(14). CS - Ptak(1).
Oklahoma State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
--------------------------------------------------
Rivas, Rick......... 4.1 4 5 5 5 1 16 23 88
Jarman, Michael..... 1.0 1 1 0 4 3 4 8 33
Monsma, Quinn....... 2.2 2 0 0 1 3 10 11 45
Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
--------------------------------------------------
Kroenke, Zach....... 9.0 3 0 0 2 7 29 31 117
Win - Kroenke, Z. (4-0). Loss - Rivas (1-2). Save - None.
WP - Jarman(1). HBP - by Rivas (Gordon, A.). PB - Parrish(6). Pitches/strikes:
Rivas 88/48; Jarman 33/14; Monsma 45/30; Kroenke, Z. 117/71.
Umpires - HP: Tim Norman 1B: Doug Williams 3B: Bob Homolka
Start: 2:05p.m. Time: 2:29 Attendance: 6596
Game: NU27
--Huskers--
#29 Oklahoma State at #7 Nebraska
Apr 02, 2005 at Lincoln, Neb. (Hawks Field)
Oklahoma State 0 (21-10,4-4 Big 12)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Colbert, Justin 2b....... 4 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 1
Ryal, Rusty 3b........... 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 0
Hernandez, Mike rf....... 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Parrish, Jeff c.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 0
Clarkson, Matt c........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1
Wright, Ty lf............ 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Brown, Corey dh.......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2
Carr, Adam 1b............ 3 0 0 0 0 1 10 0 0
Ptak, Steve cf........... 3 0 1 0 0 0 5 0 0
Gutierrez, Chris ss...... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 0
Rivas, Rick p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Jarman, Michael p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Monsma, Quinn p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 29 0 3 0 2 7 24 10 4
Nebraska 6 (24-3,4-1 Big 12)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Bruce, Daniel rf/cf...... 4 1 0 0 1 2 5 0 5
Simokaitis, Joe ss....... 4 1 0 0 1 1 1 4 0
Gordon, Alex 3b.......... 3 3 2 2 1 1 2 2 0
Fusilier, Brandon lf..... 3 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0
Buckman, Brandon dh...... 3 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 1
Ledbetter, Curtis 1b..... 5 0 2 1 0 0 11 0 2
Adams, Trey cf........... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nimmo, Bryce cf......... 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Gerch, Andy ph/rf....... 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 2
Christy, Jeff c.......... 3 0 0 0 1 1 6 2 2
Opitz, Jake 2b........... 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Wehrle, Ryan ph/2b...... 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0
Kroenke, Zach p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 30 6 7 4 10 7 27 9 12
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Oklahoma State...... 000 000 000 - 0 3 0
Nebraska............ 102 021 00X - 6 7 1
-------------------------------------------
E - Wehrle, R.(2). DP - Huskers 1. LOB - OS 4; Huskers 12. 2B - Ptak(4);
Fusilier, B.(4); Ledbetter, C(9). HR - Gordon, A.(11). HBP - Gordon, A.. SF
- Fusilier, B.(2). SB - Gordon, A. 2(14). CS - Ptak(1).
Oklahoma State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
Rivas, Rick......... 4.1 4 5 5 5 1 16 23 88
Jarman, Michael..... 1.0 1 1 0 4 3 4 8 33
Monsma, Quinn....... 2.2 2 0 0 1 3 10 11 45
Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
Kroenke, Zach....... 9.0 3 0 0 2 7 29 31 117
Win - Kroenke, Z. (4-0). Loss - Rivas (1-2). Save - None.
WP - Jarman(1). HBP - by Rivas (Gordon, A.). PB - Parrish(6). Pitches/strikes:
Rivas 88/48; Jarman 33/14; Monsma 45/30; Kroenke, Z. 117/71.
Umpires - HP: Tim Norman 1B: Doug Williams 3B: Bob Homolka
Start: 2:05p.m. Time: 2:29 Attendance: 6596
Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media Relations
