[mNhhh]

Huskers eager to get back on the field

By CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star Baseball season at Nebraska isn’t meant to end on May 17, as it did in 2009.

Regular-season play is supposed to lead to the Big 12 Conference Tournament, then an NCAA regional.

When neither of those things occur — and last year was the first time since 1998 that both hadn’t — well, you’ve got an interesting scenario for Saturday’s first practice of the spring.

“There’s a lot of anticipation — I know that,” sophomore third baseman Cody Asche said. “It’s been a long offseason.”

For Asche — who hit .290 while starting 33 of 43 games last spring — some of the pent-up emotion is the product of missing most of summer ball because of a hand injury. But mostly, it’s because the Huskers went 25-28-1 last year.

Since then, Nebraska has added 20 players to a roster that will be at 35 when play begins Feb. 19 at 2008 national champion Fresno State. NU’s recruiting class was ranked 13th-best nationally by Collegiate Baseball, but eighth-year coach Mike Anderson has a hunch his returning players will set the tone.

“There’s some veteran guys that have a bad taste in their mouth,” he said. “It’s good. Chemistry is good. Bonding is good. Talent level, I think, is improved. It’s a matter now of finding out the unknowns of the season. The unknown is how we’re going to perform. You just don’t know.”

Among the eight regular-position returnees who made at least 20 starts in 2009 are All-Big 12 first baseman Tyler Farst, who hit a team-best .333, and right fielder Adam Bailey, who led NU with 12 home runs and 50 RBIs.

The Huskers also return two of their three weekend starting pitchers — Sean Yost and Jordan Roualdes, while another starter from 2009, 15th-round draft pick Mike Nesseth, is expected to begin this year as the closer.

But Nebraska fans will notice a heavy influx of new pitchers, too. Freshmen Tom Lemke, Kurt Giller and Ryan Hander all turned down pro offers to become Huskers. Pitching coach Eric Newman gave also gave high marks last fall to junior-college transfers Chase Adams, Khris Tate and Ryan Hughes, along with freshman Zach Hirsch.

“I’m not a big believer in experience has a lot to do with it,” Asche said of having success. “Our coaches are so good and prepare us so well that, ultimately, it’s up to us to perform, and we just didn’t perform up to Nebraska standards (last season).

“All the guys are working really hard to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

Briefly

* Though Anderson has a move or two to make before finalizing the roster (which must be accomplished by Feb. 18), sophomore pitcher Kash Kalkowski has already been removed from the list. The right-hander from Grand Island (1-2, 7.02 ERA in 2009) missed fall practice after having shoulder surgery.

Kalkowski plans to return in 2011, but Nebraska has appealed to the NCAA to receive an exemption and carry a 36-player roster this season. Two other pitchers will sit out 2010 because of injury — reliever Erik Anderson (recovering from Tommy John surgery) and Nick Ludemann (rehabbing after his second shoulder procedure). Another, Eric Rose, opted for a medical hardship that ended his career.

Roualdes had a knee scoped recently, so he’ll be held out for at least a couple weeks, and freshman shortstop Bryan Peters will miss significant time after being hit in the face by a pitch Tuesday during a workout.