Monday (3/16) News Links
- Thread starter HuskerFan31
- Start date
OWH: Huskers get spark, rally for fifth straight win
Hit the link.
OWH: Huskers get spark, rally for fifth straight W
Hit the link.
OWH: Huskers get spark, rally for fifth straight W
LJS: Huskers find spark to sweep FGCU after 'small talk'
Nebraska coach Darin Erstad does not usually come out of the dugout, but when he does, he means business, said Husker starter Derek Burkamper.
Erstad, who waved his arms and talked with his head bobbing during a visit to the mound in the fifth inning, said it was a "cleansing" moment.
Burkamper said it was clarifying.
Whatever it was, Erstad's visit with Florida Gulf Coast leading by two runs worked.
Nebraska answered with a 3-2 victory and a sweep of the Eagles before 4,798 fans Sunday at Haymarket Park.
Burkamper had been hit for two runs in the fourth. With one out in the fifth, Wes Edrington didn't handle a weird hop at short, then Burkamper hit the next batter.
But after his self-described "small talk," Erstad saw Burkamper strike out the next batter and Edrington dive for a hot grounder and throw out a runner at third to end the threat.
"That play by Edrington really got everybody up," said Burkamper.
NU scored a run in the bottom of the fifth when freshman Scott Schreiber, who had three hits, doubled and scored on a single by Jake Meyers.
The Huskers took the lead in the sixth with an RBI triple by designated hitter Ben Miller. Miller's shot off the padding in right center into a dusty 25-mph wind set him up to score on a single by Schreiber.
Meanwhile Burkamper, a sophomore from Muscatine, Iowa, mowed down the Eagles in order in the sixth before the standout bullpen of Jeff Chesnut, Colton Howell and Josh Roeder was perfect in the final three innings to lift NU to its fifth consecutive victory.
"It's tough to sweep when things aren't going your way, to find that extra gear on the first time we've played five games in a week, to empty the tank - credit our guys," said Erstad, whose team is 12-6.
Asked about his starters' strong showing over the weekend, he said, "All three starters kept us in the games all weekend. Florida Gulf Coast is blue-collar, scrappy and they're not going away, and sometimes you're not going to feel great, but all three starters were awesome." Chance Sinclair won Friday and Kyle Kubat won Saturday.
The NU bullpen has been just as stout.
Over the three-game series, Husker relievers threw seven innings, allowing two hits with no walks and striking out seven. Roeder picked up two saves in the three games.
Burkamper said he was confident in the relievers as well.
"I wasn't pitching great and then I got angry - and I know that's what Chance (Sinclair) and Kyle (Kubat) did the last two days - and did the best I could," he said. "And our bullpen is just oustanding.
Briefly
* The Huskers had to play Sunday without starting center fielder Ryan Boldt and regular third baseman Blake Headley, two of the top three hitters on the team. Erstad said a number of players, including left fielder Luis Alvarado, and a group of player's parents were down with some illness.
He said pitcher Jake Hohensee, who was also hit by the illness, threw some bullpen Sunday and is making progress to getting back to playing shape. Hohensee has been out since two starts in February because of injury.
* The weekend attendance of 17,083 snapped the three-game nonconference home record of 14,885 set in 2006 when NU played Alabama. The total for the five home games this week was 24,271.
* Nebraska plays host to Indiana State in games at 4:05 p.m. and 1:35 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. The Huskers open the Big Ten slate with a three-game set against Michigan on March 20-22 at Haymarket Park.
LJS: Huskers find spark to sweep FGCU after talk
Nebraska coach Darin Erstad does not usually come out of the dugout, but when he does, he means business, said Husker starter Derek Burkamper.
Erstad, who waved his arms and talked with his head bobbing during a visit to the mound in the fifth inning, said it was a "cleansing" moment.
Burkamper said it was clarifying.
Whatever it was, Erstad's visit with Florida Gulf Coast leading by two runs worked.
Nebraska answered with a 3-2 victory and a sweep of the Eagles before 4,798 fans Sunday at Haymarket Park.
Burkamper had been hit for two runs in the fourth. With one out in the fifth, Wes Edrington didn't handle a weird hop at short, then Burkamper hit the next batter.
But after his self-described "small talk," Erstad saw Burkamper strike out the next batter and Edrington dive for a hot grounder and throw out a runner at third to end the threat.
"That play by Edrington really got everybody up," said Burkamper.
NU scored a run in the bottom of the fifth when freshman Scott Schreiber, who had three hits, doubled and scored on a single by Jake Meyers.
The Huskers took the lead in the sixth with an RBI triple by designated hitter Ben Miller. Miller's shot off the padding in right center into a dusty 25-mph wind set him up to score on a single by Schreiber.
Meanwhile Burkamper, a sophomore from Muscatine, Iowa, mowed down the Eagles in order in the sixth before the standout bullpen of Jeff Chesnut, Colton Howell and Josh Roeder was perfect in the final three innings to lift NU to its fifth consecutive victory.
"It's tough to sweep when things aren't going your way, to find that extra gear on the first time we've played five games in a week, to empty the tank - credit our guys," said Erstad, whose team is 12-6.
Asked about his starters' strong showing over the weekend, he said, "All three starters kept us in the games all weekend. Florida Gulf Coast is blue-collar, scrappy and they're not going away, and sometimes you're not going to feel great, but all three starters were awesome." Chance Sinclair won Friday and Kyle Kubat won Saturday.
The NU bullpen has been just as stout.
Over the three-game series, Husker relievers threw seven innings, allowing two hits with no walks and striking out seven. Roeder picked up two saves in the three games.
Burkamper said he was confident in the relievers as well.
"I wasn't pitching great and then I got angry - and I know that's what Chance (Sinclair) and Kyle (Kubat) did the last two days - and did the best I could," he said. "And our bullpen is just oustanding.
Briefly
* The Huskers had to play Sunday without starting center fielder Ryan Boldt and regular third baseman Blake Headley, two of the top three hitters on the team. Erstad said a number of players, including left fielder Luis Alvarado, and a group of player's parents were down with some illness.
He said pitcher Jake Hohensee, who was also hit by the illness, threw some bullpen Sunday and is making progress to getting back to playing shape. Hohensee has been out since two starts in February because of injury.
* The weekend attendance of 17,083 snapped the three-game nonconference home record of 14,885 set in 2006 when NU played Alabama. The total for the five home games this week was 24,271.
* Nebraska plays host to Indiana State in games at 4:05 p.m. and 1:35 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. The Huskers open the Big Ten slate with a three-game set against Michigan on March 20-22 at Haymarket Park.
LJS: Huskers find spark to sweep FGCU after talk
NU: NU Win 3-2, Sweep FGCU In Front of Record Crowd
* A new non-conference series attendance mark was set at Hawks Field with a three-day attendance of 17,083. Topped the previous mark of 14,885 against Alabama in 2006. In five games this week attendance hit 24,271.
Lincoln - The Nebraska baseball team (12-6, 0-0 Big Ten) polished off a three-game sweep of the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles (8-12-1, 0-0 Atlantic Sun) and improved to 5-0 at home this season with a 3-2 win on Sunday afternoon.
Husker fans posted a three-day attendance of 17,083 during the series, which easily broke the previous facility record of 14,885 for a non-conference series at Hawks Field. The previous mark was set in 2006, when the Huskers opened their home schedule with a three-game series against Alabama.
Sophomore Derek Burkamper improved to 2-1 on the year with 6.0 innings of work, while Josh Roeder notched his fifth save of the season. After Burkamper retired the Eagles in order in the sixth, Jeff Chesnut, Colton Howell and Roeder each tossed a perfect inning of relief, as the Huskers retired FGCU's final 12 batters of the game.
With Ryan Boldt and Blake Headley each out of the lineup with illness, the Huskers need contributions from other players and got it. Freshman Scott Schreiber was 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored and a RBI. The Menasha, Wis., native scored NU's first run of the game after leading off the fifth with a double and then drove in the eventual game winning run in the sixth with a two-out single after Ben Miller tied the game with an RBI triple.
Freshman Jake Meyers, who was making his first start in the field after making five appearances on the mound, drove in NU's first run of the game in the fifth with a one-out single.
The Huskers had to rally on the day after the Eagles took their first lead of the series with a pair of runs in the fourth. The Huskers didn't score until the fifth after scoring in the first inning in each of their last five games.
The Eagles notched all five of their hits in the first four innings and tallied just two base runners after the fourth frame. On the other hand, Nebraska had just one hit through the first four innings, before notching six total hits over the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
The Huskers will take Monday off before getting back to their 16-game homestand with a two-game series against the Indiana State Sycamores. Tuesday's game is scheduled for 4:05 p.m., and Wednesday's game is set for 1:35 p.m.
NU Win 3-2, Sweep FGCU In Front of Record Crowd
* A new non-conference series attendance mark was set at Hawks Field with a three-day attendance of 17,083. Topped the previous mark of 14,885 against Alabama in 2006. In five games this week attendance hit 24,271.
Lincoln - The Nebraska baseball team (12-6, 0-0 Big Ten) polished off a three-game sweep of the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles (8-12-1, 0-0 Atlantic Sun) and improved to 5-0 at home this season with a 3-2 win on Sunday afternoon.
Husker fans posted a three-day attendance of 17,083 during the series, which easily broke the previous facility record of 14,885 for a non-conference series at Hawks Field. The previous mark was set in 2006, when the Huskers opened their home schedule with a three-game series against Alabama.
Sophomore Derek Burkamper improved to 2-1 on the year with 6.0 innings of work, while Josh Roeder notched his fifth save of the season. After Burkamper retired the Eagles in order in the sixth, Jeff Chesnut, Colton Howell and Roeder each tossed a perfect inning of relief, as the Huskers retired FGCU's final 12 batters of the game.
With Ryan Boldt and Blake Headley each out of the lineup with illness, the Huskers need contributions from other players and got it. Freshman Scott Schreiber was 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored and a RBI. The Menasha, Wis., native scored NU's first run of the game after leading off the fifth with a double and then drove in the eventual game winning run in the sixth with a two-out single after Ben Miller tied the game with an RBI triple.
Freshman Jake Meyers, who was making his first start in the field after making five appearances on the mound, drove in NU's first run of the game in the fifth with a one-out single.
The Huskers had to rally on the day after the Eagles took their first lead of the series with a pair of runs in the fourth. The Huskers didn't score until the fifth after scoring in the first inning in each of their last five games.
The Eagles notched all five of their hits in the first four innings and tallied just two base runners after the fourth frame. On the other hand, Nebraska had just one hit through the first four innings, before notching six total hits over the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
The Huskers will take Monday off before getting back to their 16-game homestand with a two-game series against the Indiana State Sycamores. Tuesday's game is scheduled for 4:05 p.m., and Wednesday's game is set for 1:35 p.m.
NU Win 3-2, Sweep FGCU In Front of Record Crowd
@FGCU_Baseball Bats Struggle in 3-2 Loss to Nebraska
LINCOLN, Neb. - The FGCU baseball team (8-12-1) managed just five hits in the series finale at Nebraska (12-6) but still led 2-0 through four innings on Sunday afternoon. Nebraska would, however, score three unanswered runs over the fifth and sixth innings and pitch well down the stretch to put the Eagles away by a final score of 3-2. FGCU will return home to face Bethune-Cookman next weekend at Swanson Stadium in a three-game set beginning Friday (Mar. 20) at 6:30 p.m.
Freshman Josh Dye (Deland, Fla./Deland HS) made the start for the Eagles and tossed a career-best 4.1 innings and gave up just two hits, allowing one run and striking out three. Jack English (Delray Beach, Fla./Cardinal Newman HS) took over and allowed one run in 1.1 innings of work before Sterling Koerner (Fort Pierce, Fla./John Carrol HS) came in and gave up the eventual winning run during his 1.0 innings of action.
At the plate it was Zach Spivey (Ormond Beach, Fla./Spruce Creek HS) leading the FGCU attack with two hits, both doubles and an RBI. The freshman is now hitting .286 on the season with a team-high six doubles in 18 games. Three other Eagles would register a hit but nothing more. FGCU is hitting .265 as a team so far this season.
"It was disappointing not to come out of here with a win," head coach Dave Tollett said. "We had a lead today but weren't able to hold on and we need to be able to hold on to those on the road. When we get in to conference play we are going to need to pick up big wins on the road so hopefully we can learn from this weekend and move forward."
FGCU would be the team to strike first in this one. It was a scoreless game heading into the fourth when Nick Rivera (Cape Coral, Fla./Bishop Verot HS) singled up the middle to lead off. Colton Bottomley (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS) followed with a double to right center bringing up Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) who would walk to load the bases. Adam Eggnatz (Tampa, Fla./Middle Georgia College) bounced into a double play but a run would come in to score, giving FGCU a 1-0 lead. Spivey followed with a double, his second of the day, driving in the second run of the inning and pushing FGCU ahead 2-0.
Nebraska answered in the bottom of the fifth. A double down the left field line and a sacrifice bunt would force Dye out of the game in favor of English who gave up a single to the first batter he faced, allowing the runner at second to come around and score. English would pick up a strikeout to end the inning after a batter's interference call resulted in the second out.
In the bottom of the sixth English would record the first two outs of the frame before issuing a walk that brought Koerner into the game. Koerner would give up a triple and single back-to-back that resulted in two runs and pushed the Huskers into the lead, 3-2. FGCU would not put a runner on base the rest of the way as the Nebraska bullpen clamped down and held the lead as it stood.
NEXT UP
FGCU will return home to face defending MEAC Champs Bethune-Cookman (4-15, 4-3 MEAC) Mar. 20-22. The Wildcats went 27-32 last season with a 14-10 record in the MEAC. B-CU currently holds the lead in the all-time series with FGCU, 8-7, but dropped two of three to the Green and Blue last season at home.
Following a midweek tilt with USF (12-6-1), Mar. 24 the Eagles will head to Coral Gables to face Miami for a third time (Mar. 25) before kicking off Atlantic Sun play at North Florida (14-8) Mar. 27-29. FGCU took two of three from the Ospreys during the regular season in 2014 then eliminated them from the A-Sun Tournament in the first round. The Ospreys posted an overall record of 22-31 and played their way into the A-Sun Tournament with an 11-16 league record. FGCU holds the edge in the all-time series, 17-7.
DAVE TOLLETT
In 12 seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 442-250-3 record as the only head coach in the program's history. He is a four-time Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year and has guided the Green and Blue to four A-Sun Regular Season Championships. His team has been ranked nationally on several occasions by multiple media outlets and has coached 35 All-Conference selections, 22 draft picks, 14 current minor leaguers, four A-Sun Pitchers of the Year, three All-Americans, one National Freshman Player of the Year, one National Player of the Year and one MLB All-Star.
#WINGSUP
Fans are encouraged to download the brand-new Wings Up mobile app in conjunction with SuperFanU. The fully-customized loyalty-rewards platform allows fans to check in at each of FGCU's sporting events to earn points throughout the school year toward exclusive prizes that can't be offered anywhere else.
FOLLOW ALONG
For constant, news, photos, videos and updates you can follow the baseball team on Twitter @FGCU_Baseball, Instagram @FGCU_Baseball or on Facebook: Facebook.com/FGCUBaseball. You can also find FGCU athletics on YouTube by visiting YouTube.com/FGCUEagles.
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.
@FGCU_Baseball Bats Struggle in 3-2 Loss to NU
LINCOLN, Neb. - The FGCU baseball team (8-12-1) managed just five hits in the series finale at Nebraska (12-6) but still led 2-0 through four innings on Sunday afternoon. Nebraska would, however, score three unanswered runs over the fifth and sixth innings and pitch well down the stretch to put the Eagles away by a final score of 3-2. FGCU will return home to face Bethune-Cookman next weekend at Swanson Stadium in a three-game set beginning Friday (Mar. 20) at 6:30 p.m.
Freshman Josh Dye (Deland, Fla./Deland HS) made the start for the Eagles and tossed a career-best 4.1 innings and gave up just two hits, allowing one run and striking out three. Jack English (Delray Beach, Fla./Cardinal Newman HS) took over and allowed one run in 1.1 innings of work before Sterling Koerner (Fort Pierce, Fla./John Carrol HS) came in and gave up the eventual winning run during his 1.0 innings of action.
At the plate it was Zach Spivey (Ormond Beach, Fla./Spruce Creek HS) leading the FGCU attack with two hits, both doubles and an RBI. The freshman is now hitting .286 on the season with a team-high six doubles in 18 games. Three other Eagles would register a hit but nothing more. FGCU is hitting .265 as a team so far this season.
"It was disappointing not to come out of here with a win," head coach Dave Tollett said. "We had a lead today but weren't able to hold on and we need to be able to hold on to those on the road. When we get in to conference play we are going to need to pick up big wins on the road so hopefully we can learn from this weekend and move forward."
FGCU would be the team to strike first in this one. It was a scoreless game heading into the fourth when Nick Rivera (Cape Coral, Fla./Bishop Verot HS) singled up the middle to lead off. Colton Bottomley (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS) followed with a double to right center bringing up Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) who would walk to load the bases. Adam Eggnatz (Tampa, Fla./Middle Georgia College) bounced into a double play but a run would come in to score, giving FGCU a 1-0 lead. Spivey followed with a double, his second of the day, driving in the second run of the inning and pushing FGCU ahead 2-0.
Nebraska answered in the bottom of the fifth. A double down the left field line and a sacrifice bunt would force Dye out of the game in favor of English who gave up a single to the first batter he faced, allowing the runner at second to come around and score. English would pick up a strikeout to end the inning after a batter's interference call resulted in the second out.
In the bottom of the sixth English would record the first two outs of the frame before issuing a walk that brought Koerner into the game. Koerner would give up a triple and single back-to-back that resulted in two runs and pushed the Huskers into the lead, 3-2. FGCU would not put a runner on base the rest of the way as the Nebraska bullpen clamped down and held the lead as it stood.
NEXT UP
FGCU will return home to face defending MEAC Champs Bethune-Cookman (4-15, 4-3 MEAC) Mar. 20-22. The Wildcats went 27-32 last season with a 14-10 record in the MEAC. B-CU currently holds the lead in the all-time series with FGCU, 8-7, but dropped two of three to the Green and Blue last season at home.
Following a midweek tilt with USF (12-6-1), Mar. 24 the Eagles will head to Coral Gables to face Miami for a third time (Mar. 25) before kicking off Atlantic Sun play at North Florida (14-8) Mar. 27-29. FGCU took two of three from the Ospreys during the regular season in 2014 then eliminated them from the A-Sun Tournament in the first round. The Ospreys posted an overall record of 22-31 and played their way into the A-Sun Tournament with an 11-16 league record. FGCU holds the edge in the all-time series, 17-7.
DAVE TOLLETT
In 12 seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 442-250-3 record as the only head coach in the program's history. He is a four-time Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year and has guided the Green and Blue to four A-Sun Regular Season Championships. His team has been ranked nationally on several occasions by multiple media outlets and has coached 35 All-Conference selections, 22 draft picks, 14 current minor leaguers, four A-Sun Pitchers of the Year, three All-Americans, one National Freshman Player of the Year, one National Player of the Year and one MLB All-Star.
#WINGSUP
Fans are encouraged to download the brand-new Wings Up mobile app in conjunction with SuperFanU. The fully-customized loyalty-rewards platform allows fans to check in at each of FGCU's sporting events to earn points throughout the school year toward exclusive prizes that can't be offered anywhere else.
FOLLOW ALONG
For constant, news, photos, videos and updates you can follow the baseball team on Twitter @FGCU_Baseball, Instagram @FGCU_Baseball or on Facebook: Facebook.com/FGCUBaseball. You can also find FGCU athletics on YouTube by visiting YouTube.com/FGCUEagles.
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.
@FGCU_Baseball Bats Struggle in 3-2 Loss to NU
PG: Illini flying high
The history of college baseball in the state of Illinois cannot be told without mention of Richard "Itch" Jones. In 15 years as Head Coach at the University of Illinois, Itch led the Illini to 474 wins, two Big Ten regular season titles, a Big Ten tournament title and two NCAA tournament appearances.
But before taking the job with Illinois in 1991, Itch was the winningest coach in school history at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where he led the Salukis to 10 NCAA tournaments, three College World Series and a 738-345-5 record in 21 seasons.
After the 1990 campaign in which Itch's Salukis went 49-14 to earn a top-15 national ranking, the legendary coach was named Head Coach at Illinois. Going with him to Champaign was the then-24-year-old Dan Hartleb, who played two seasons for Itch and was his graduate assistant for two more at Southern Illinois. At Illinois, Hartleb would serve as Itch's associate head coach and pitching coach for the next 15 years.
When Itch retired after the 2005 season, Coach Hartleb was promoted to head coach - the 10th in 136 years of Illinois baseball - and has continued his predecessor's winning tradition ever since. In nine seasons, Coach Hartleb has led the Illini to as many NCAA Tournament appearances (two) as Itch did in his 15 years at Illinois.
The program reached new heights under Coach Hartleb in 2014, going 17-7 in Big Ten play to secure the school's best record during the conference's 24-game schedule era. Coach Hartleb's pitching staff led the way, posting a school record 3.25 ERA.
Returning nearly all key pieces from last year's squad, the 2015 Illini are flying high. Much like their sweep of the nationally-ranked Gators early last year in Gainesville, Fla., Illinois stole two of three games from the nationally-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys in Stillwater, Okla. two weeks ago to stake their claim as one of the country's top programs.
"From a recognition standpoint, it was a big series against a very good Oklahoma State team," Coach Hartleb told Perfect Game over the phone last week. "But our guys went in there with the idea that we were going to win games."
In their Friday night matchup, lefthander Kevin Duchene tossed seven innings of three-hit ball. Perfect Game Second-Team All-American, Tyler Jay, recorded the final five outs to nail down his fourth save and set the tone for a thrilling series. Shortstop Adam Walton led the offense from the leadoff spot, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a home run, three RBI and a stolen base.
Redshirt senior Drasen Johnson (1.75 ERA in five starts) took the series-tying loss in game two on Saturday. Junior catcher Jason Goldstein homered, but defensive miscues cost Illinois, setting the stage for the Sunday rubber match.
Senior righthander John Kravetz (1.83 ERA in five starts) continued his dominance in game three with seven strong innings. He turned the mound over in a tie game to Jay, who tossed 3.0 scoreless innings. Jay was eventually credited with the win - his third of the season - after David Kerian's two-run home run in the 10th inning sealed the game - and the series - for the Illini.
Jay's dominance vs. Oklahoma State - in addition to the three scoreless innings he tossed March 2 at Coastal Carolina - earned him the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week Award. But Jay deflects the recognition, however deserving, to his teammates.
"I'd rather have one of my teammates win that award instead of me," Jay said. "Duchene threw one hell of a game on Friday. But it's cool. It's something I'll look back on when I'm older. But right now I'm just focused on playing."
While Jay serves primarily as the team's closer, he earned a win in his first career start on February 15 at Lamar, striking out six in five scoreless innings.
"I like starting, but it's two different games for me," Jay said. "Closing, you're the big bad guy coming in to shut things down. And when you're starting, you get to toy around and use more of your pitches. I enjoy doing both. But with the way our starters have been throwing, there should be no adjustments. I have no problem doing whatever the coaches ask me to do."
"That's the thing that impresses me so much about Tyler," Coach Hartleb said. "He has the desire to do whatever it takes for our team to be successful."
Ranked as the No. 19 college junior on Allan Simpson's Top 100 College Juniors list, Jay is considered Illinois' top prospect. The 6-foot-1 lefthander gained national attention after his dazzling sophomore season, being named to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. On the same roster as Vanderbilt's Carson Fulmer, among others, Jay worked under pitching coach Rob Childress, a former lefthanded pitcher and current head coach at Texas A&M. Jay worked with another lefty, coach Kyle Hallock, in the Cape Cod League last summer. He credits much of his success this year to Childress and Hallock for helping him develop and refine his changeup, a pitch that his catcher at Illinois, Jason Goldstein now calls Jay's best secondary pitch.
Jason Goldstein (Photo: University of Illinois Athletics)
"Our other pitchers laugh," Goldstein said. "Because most of them don't throw their fastball as hard as Tyler's 87 mph changeup. And it moves like a sinker."
A short, unknown lefthander throwing in the high-80s as a freshman, Jay now works in the mid-90s with what Goldstein calls "three plus secondary pitches."
"Tyler has matured greatly over his three years here," Goldstein said. "He wasn't so sure about himself at first. He wasn't a top recruit and came in as a short kid that nobody had heard of. But he has an unbelievable work ethic and the mentality of, 'I really don't care who's hitting, I am better than them.'"
That level of confidence is easy to possess when you're one of the top closers in the country. But for Goldstein - a self-described "non prospect" out of high school - confidence comes from owning perhaps the most underappreciated job on the diamond.
Catching for the Reds Scout Team during his junior season in high school, Goldstein's coach got him an invite to the 2011 Perfect Game National Showcase in Minneapolis. After a solid showing, he was invited to the Perfect Game All-American Classic, where he caught top prospects such as Mitchell Traver (now at TCU), Ryan Burr (Arizona State) and Hunter Virant (UCLA).
"That was, so far, the highlight of my baseball career," Goldstein said of playing in the PG All-American Classic. "The event was first class. It was neat getting to meet and play with the best in the country, and even the best in the world with Carlos Correa."
That exposure led Goldstein to Illinois, where he's been a three-year starter and now leads a loaded pitching staff that includes Jay, Duchene, Kravetz, Johnson and Rob McDonnell, who boast a composite 1.29 ERA in 139 1/3 innings this season.
"He calls his own games," Jay said of his catcher Goldstein. "Behind the plate, when it comes to calling pitches based on his pitchers, I think he understands all of them. And when it comes to knowing what he wants to do in a certain situation, he's so flawless. I can have a pitch grip in my hand, and he's got the finger down already. We just have that connection. And it's not just like that between me and him, that's with everybody. He's like a wizard back there, that's the best way I can put it. He just knows a ton about the game."
Goldstein's wizardry behind the dish led the Illini to an 11-3-1 record to start the season. After winning their home opener against Chicago State last Tuesday, the Illini took two of three last weekend from Coach Hartleb's former team, Southern Illinois.
Now 14-4-1 in his 10th year as head coach at Illinois, Hartleb is proud of his Illinois baseball program. With success on the field and in the classroom, the athletic department has helped install new turf and built a $1 million clubhouse expansion, a "major upgrade" according to Coach Hartleb. They're currently in the process of erecting a new video board and even have drawings on the table to construct a new complex. With good support, Illinois is becoming one of the top baseball programs in the country.
"I think it's because we've had success," Coach Hartleb said. "But in the bigger picture, it's because all of our kids graduate."
On the diamond, the Illini are setting their sights high. Feeling they were snubbed out of the NCAA Regionals last season, Goldstein says he and his teammates know they're capable of doing what it takes to reach the next level this year.
"Realistically, we're swinging for Omaha," he said. "Right now, some people look at us and are realizing that we're pretty decent. But I think we've known that since last year. Our pitchers are pretty damn consistent in what they do. And there are no automatic outs in our lineup. We need to find a way to be as consistent as possible and do the little things like getting guys in from third base with less than two outs. When we get the job done in those situations, I have a hard time believing anyone is going to beat us in a three-game series."
"I think the biggest thing is knowing that we have other teams targeting us now," Jay added. "Last year, we had a series against Florida where we wanted to come out and let them know that we could play. We're those guys to other teams now. So we just have to come out with energy for every game and be ready to go.
"We want to go to Omaha. And I want this team to be known as one of the best ever to play at Illinois."
PG: Illini flying high
The history of college baseball in the state of Illinois cannot be told without mention of Richard "Itch" Jones. In 15 years as Head Coach at the University of Illinois, Itch led the Illini to 474 wins, two Big Ten regular season titles, a Big Ten tournament title and two NCAA tournament appearances.
But before taking the job with Illinois in 1991, Itch was the winningest coach in school history at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where he led the Salukis to 10 NCAA tournaments, three College World Series and a 738-345-5 record in 21 seasons.
After the 1990 campaign in which Itch's Salukis went 49-14 to earn a top-15 national ranking, the legendary coach was named Head Coach at Illinois. Going with him to Champaign was the then-24-year-old Dan Hartleb, who played two seasons for Itch and was his graduate assistant for two more at Southern Illinois. At Illinois, Hartleb would serve as Itch's associate head coach and pitching coach for the next 15 years.
When Itch retired after the 2005 season, Coach Hartleb was promoted to head coach - the 10th in 136 years of Illinois baseball - and has continued his predecessor's winning tradition ever since. In nine seasons, Coach Hartleb has led the Illini to as many NCAA Tournament appearances (two) as Itch did in his 15 years at Illinois.
The program reached new heights under Coach Hartleb in 2014, going 17-7 in Big Ten play to secure the school's best record during the conference's 24-game schedule era. Coach Hartleb's pitching staff led the way, posting a school record 3.25 ERA.
Returning nearly all key pieces from last year's squad, the 2015 Illini are flying high. Much like their sweep of the nationally-ranked Gators early last year in Gainesville, Fla., Illinois stole two of three games from the nationally-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys in Stillwater, Okla. two weeks ago to stake their claim as one of the country's top programs.
"From a recognition standpoint, it was a big series against a very good Oklahoma State team," Coach Hartleb told Perfect Game over the phone last week. "But our guys went in there with the idea that we were going to win games."
In their Friday night matchup, lefthander Kevin Duchene tossed seven innings of three-hit ball. Perfect Game Second-Team All-American, Tyler Jay, recorded the final five outs to nail down his fourth save and set the tone for a thrilling series. Shortstop Adam Walton led the offense from the leadoff spot, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a home run, three RBI and a stolen base.
Redshirt senior Drasen Johnson (1.75 ERA in five starts) took the series-tying loss in game two on Saturday. Junior catcher Jason Goldstein homered, but defensive miscues cost Illinois, setting the stage for the Sunday rubber match.
Senior righthander John Kravetz (1.83 ERA in five starts) continued his dominance in game three with seven strong innings. He turned the mound over in a tie game to Jay, who tossed 3.0 scoreless innings. Jay was eventually credited with the win - his third of the season - after David Kerian's two-run home run in the 10th inning sealed the game - and the series - for the Illini.
Jay's dominance vs. Oklahoma State - in addition to the three scoreless innings he tossed March 2 at Coastal Carolina - earned him the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week Award. But Jay deflects the recognition, however deserving, to his teammates.
"I'd rather have one of my teammates win that award instead of me," Jay said. "Duchene threw one hell of a game on Friday. But it's cool. It's something I'll look back on when I'm older. But right now I'm just focused on playing."
While Jay serves primarily as the team's closer, he earned a win in his first career start on February 15 at Lamar, striking out six in five scoreless innings.
"I like starting, but it's two different games for me," Jay said. "Closing, you're the big bad guy coming in to shut things down. And when you're starting, you get to toy around and use more of your pitches. I enjoy doing both. But with the way our starters have been throwing, there should be no adjustments. I have no problem doing whatever the coaches ask me to do."
"That's the thing that impresses me so much about Tyler," Coach Hartleb said. "He has the desire to do whatever it takes for our team to be successful."
Ranked as the No. 19 college junior on Allan Simpson's Top 100 College Juniors list, Jay is considered Illinois' top prospect. The 6-foot-1 lefthander gained national attention after his dazzling sophomore season, being named to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. On the same roster as Vanderbilt's Carson Fulmer, among others, Jay worked under pitching coach Rob Childress, a former lefthanded pitcher and current head coach at Texas A&M. Jay worked with another lefty, coach Kyle Hallock, in the Cape Cod League last summer. He credits much of his success this year to Childress and Hallock for helping him develop and refine his changeup, a pitch that his catcher at Illinois, Jason Goldstein now calls Jay's best secondary pitch.
Jason Goldstein (Photo: University of Illinois Athletics)
"Our other pitchers laugh," Goldstein said. "Because most of them don't throw their fastball as hard as Tyler's 87 mph changeup. And it moves like a sinker."
A short, unknown lefthander throwing in the high-80s as a freshman, Jay now works in the mid-90s with what Goldstein calls "three plus secondary pitches."
"Tyler has matured greatly over his three years here," Goldstein said. "He wasn't so sure about himself at first. He wasn't a top recruit and came in as a short kid that nobody had heard of. But he has an unbelievable work ethic and the mentality of, 'I really don't care who's hitting, I am better than them.'"
That level of confidence is easy to possess when you're one of the top closers in the country. But for Goldstein - a self-described "non prospect" out of high school - confidence comes from owning perhaps the most underappreciated job on the diamond.
Catching for the Reds Scout Team during his junior season in high school, Goldstein's coach got him an invite to the 2011 Perfect Game National Showcase in Minneapolis. After a solid showing, he was invited to the Perfect Game All-American Classic, where he caught top prospects such as Mitchell Traver (now at TCU), Ryan Burr (Arizona State) and Hunter Virant (UCLA).
"That was, so far, the highlight of my baseball career," Goldstein said of playing in the PG All-American Classic. "The event was first class. It was neat getting to meet and play with the best in the country, and even the best in the world with Carlos Correa."
That exposure led Goldstein to Illinois, where he's been a three-year starter and now leads a loaded pitching staff that includes Jay, Duchene, Kravetz, Johnson and Rob McDonnell, who boast a composite 1.29 ERA in 139 1/3 innings this season.
"He calls his own games," Jay said of his catcher Goldstein. "Behind the plate, when it comes to calling pitches based on his pitchers, I think he understands all of them. And when it comes to knowing what he wants to do in a certain situation, he's so flawless. I can have a pitch grip in my hand, and he's got the finger down already. We just have that connection. And it's not just like that between me and him, that's with everybody. He's like a wizard back there, that's the best way I can put it. He just knows a ton about the game."
Goldstein's wizardry behind the dish led the Illini to an 11-3-1 record to start the season. After winning their home opener against Chicago State last Tuesday, the Illini took two of three last weekend from Coach Hartleb's former team, Southern Illinois.
Now 14-4-1 in his 10th year as head coach at Illinois, Hartleb is proud of his Illinois baseball program. With success on the field and in the classroom, the athletic department has helped install new turf and built a $1 million clubhouse expansion, a "major upgrade" according to Coach Hartleb. They're currently in the process of erecting a new video board and even have drawings on the table to construct a new complex. With good support, Illinois is becoming one of the top baseball programs in the country.
"I think it's because we've had success," Coach Hartleb said. "But in the bigger picture, it's because all of our kids graduate."
On the diamond, the Illini are setting their sights high. Feeling they were snubbed out of the NCAA Regionals last season, Goldstein says he and his teammates know they're capable of doing what it takes to reach the next level this year.
"Realistically, we're swinging for Omaha," he said. "Right now, some people look at us and are realizing that we're pretty decent. But I think we've known that since last year. Our pitchers are pretty damn consistent in what they do. And there are no automatic outs in our lineup. We need to find a way to be as consistent as possible and do the little things like getting guys in from third base with less than two outs. When we get the job done in those situations, I have a hard time believing anyone is going to beat us in a three-game series."
"I think the biggest thing is knowing that we have other teams targeting us now," Jay added. "Last year, we had a series against Florida where we wanted to come out and let them know that we could play. We're those guys to other teams now. So we just have to come out with energy for every game and be ready to go.
"We want to go to Omaha. And I want this team to be known as one of the best ever to play at Illinois."
PG: Illini flying high
Similar threads
