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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 15, 1993)
Nebrakan QPTVPTQ Thursday, April IS, t993 llJ I ij Highly touted Erstad plays up to par with his reputation NU freshman fielder says honors don’t add pressure By Jeff Singer Senior Reporter It was just another day at the office for Nebraska freshman baseball player Darin Erstad. The preseason Big Eight Freshman of the Year again lived up to h is billing Wednesday by going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a pair of runs scored in the Comhuskcrs’ 13-9 win over Kan sas State in the first game of a doublehcadcr at Buck Beltzcr Field. Butdon’task the nativeof Jamestown, N.D., . who entered the games hitting .318 this season, to be satisfied with his performance. “There’s always room for improvement,” Erstad said. Nebraska coach John Sanders said his start ing left fielder had impressed him all season long. “It’s nice to sec a freshman like him come in here and do what he’s doing,” Sanders said. Erstad was tapped as the Associated Press’ North Dakota Athlete of the Year last year after being named all-state in four sports (baseball, football, hockey and track). Because of his high school accolades, Erstad was recruited for more than baseball. But hav ing decided to play on the diamond, he said, he is just going to try to improve as the season progresses. ‘ You have to consider it’s a big jump from North Dakota baseball to Division I baseball,” Erstad said. a _ Along with being named the prescason fresh man of the year, he was placed on Baseball America’s Top 25 Freshmen list. But Erstad said he didn’t let the notoriety of his honors bother him. “I don’t think it’s a big pressure,” he said. “There’s enough pressure as there is.” Travis Heying/DN Nebraska right fielder Marc Sagmoen slides safely into third base on a steal against Kansas State Wednesday. Huskers warm up, sweep KSU By Jeff Griesch Staff Reporter Playing in the cold suited the Nebraska baseball team just fine Wednesday nighL The Comhuskers swept a double header from Kansas State, winning the first game 13-9 and tak ing the second game 6-2 to improve to 14-15 overall and 4-6 in the Big Eight. At the start of the second game, the wind chill at Buck Beltzer Field was 20 degrees, and by the end of the game, it had dropped into the low teens. “I think that was one of the coldest double headers we have ever played in,” Nebraska coach John Sanders said. “We won though, so it got a lot warmer.” Despite the cold and windy conditions, Troy Brohawn and Tom Bergan gave the Huskers strong pitching performances to lead Nebraska to the wins. Brohawn started game one, allowing two runs on three hits and striking outcight in seven innings. With the win, Brohawn improved to 5-0 with a 1.84 ERA. In the second game, Bcrgan, 2-5,pitched the first complete game of his collegiate career, holding the Wildcats to two runs on three hits while striking out three. Jed Dalton and Marc Sagmocn led the Huskcr 11-hit attack in game one of the doubleheadcr. Dalton went 4-for-5 with one double and a season-high five RBIs in game one. He also scored one run and stole a base for the Huskers. Sagmocn got the Huskcr offense rolling with a two-run homer in the first inning to give Nebraska a 2-1 lead. Sagmocn added a solo the seventh inning of game two. On the day, Sagmocn went 3-for-5 with six runs scored and three runs batted in. After taking a 3-1 lead into the fourth inning, the Huskers erupted for six runs, all with two outs, on four hits while sending 11 men to the plate in the inning. Derek Dukart led off the fourth with a walk and advanced to second on Scan McKenna’s sacrifice bunt. Kurt Alderman then struck out but reached first on a wild pitch. After Robert Perry was retired, Brohawn doubled in Dukart and Aider man. Darin Petersen followed with a run scoring single, and after a walk to Sagmocn, Darin Erstad doubled to score Petersen. Dalton fol lowed with a two-run single to give the Huskers a 9-1 lead. Woolridge’s departure casts Huskers’ future into doubt Experts were all ready to predict Nebraska’s first-ever men’s basket ball Big Eight title for the upcoming 1993-94 season. This would have given the Comhuskcrs the chance to take down those embarrassing NIT appearance banners from the rafters of the Bob Dcvaney Sports Center and replace them with a banner signifying a league championship. But that was all before last Thurs day. With freshman point guard Andre Woolridgc’s announcement that he was leaving Nebraska and going to Iowa, the previous lock on a Big Eight title in Lincoln has now loosened, letting Kansas and Missouri into the face for the conference champion ship. Woolridgc, a 6-foot Omaha na tive, was named to the Big Eight’s all freshman team because of his 4.9 points and 1.7 rebounds in 16.8 min utes per game. But shouldn’t have Nebraska fans expected bigger numbers from the former state high school basketball player of the year, who scored 50 points in the Class A championship game in 1992 to lead Benson to the state title? No. Woolridgc had to work himself into Husker coach Danny Nee’s 10 man rotation and because the system tried to give all 10 players adequate playing ume, it was hard for Woolridgc to get enough time in game situations to adapt his skills to college-level play. Fans in Woolridgc’s hometown of Omaha have complained that it was Nee’s fault for not being able to let Woolridge’s true abilities stand out. But there’s one point these experts seem to have forgotten: HE’S ONLY A FRESHMAN. This is especially forgotten when he is compared to California’s super frosh Jason Kidd. Woolridge was rated behind Kidd as the second-best point guard com ing out of high school. And while Kidd has already developed into one of the premier point guards in the nation, Woolridge hasn’t produced like that. But this new Hawkeye will prove he deserved the accolades he received after graduating from Benson. And the moral of this story for Husker hoop fans is that Woolridge’s departure is going to hurt more than most people realize. Remember what happened two years ago when Nebraska had only one true point guard in Jamar John son , and the offense would col lapse as soon as he went to the bench? Well, the Huskers had better not let history repeat itself. Erick Strickland said of Woolridge’s departure: “Whenever you lose a quality guy, it hurts — but we’ll adjust.” If Nebraska can adjust and sign a player to come in and back up John son, or if Strickland or Jaron Boone can make the switch to point guard, the Huskers can plan on ordering their Big Eight Championship rings. But if they don’t nil the glaring hole in their lineup, they can send the order forms to Lawrence or Colum bia. Singer is a senior news-editorial and po litical science m^jor and a Daily Nebraskan sports senior reporter. Jeff Singer Bui to blame Nee for Woolridgc nol being able to blossom fast enough would be like blaming the captain of the Titanic for having icebergs on his route. In Nee’s case, he did what he had to by giving Woolridgc as much play ing time as nc could afford togive him while trying to get all 10 players into the lineup. And just because he hasn’t flour ished as fast as everybody wanted, some fans came to the conclusion that Woolridgc was overrated coming out of high school. I4 WiJw^o^lSSfonSn-studwtt ada. $15 each additional word $.75 billing charge Personal ads must be prepaid Found ads may be submitted free of charge DEADLINE: 2:oo p.m. weekday before pubHca OOfl. 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