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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 13, 1998)
Daniel Luedert/DN TEXAS A&M SHORTSTOP Steve Scarborough catches the ball to tag Nebraska’s Kevin Harrington as he slides into second base Saturday afternoon at Buck Beltzer Field. Nebraska lost to Texas A&M 13-5 in the first game of a dou bleheader. A&M takes two of three ■ Ml is swept by the Aggies in a Saturday doubleheader. By Andrew Strnad Staff Reporter Just as dungs appeared to be going Nebraska’s way. the Cornhuskers ran into Texas A&M first baseman John Seheschuk. After the Cornhuskers upset the 1 3th-ranked Aggies 4-3 on Friday night, Texas A&M Head Coach Mark Johnson and his team had a long meet ing before the Aggies pounded out 29 hits in a doubleheader on Saturday after noon at Buck Beltzer Field. “We were discouraged Friday night,” Johnson said. “I didn’t sleep well, so we had a long meeting and sort ed some things out.” It must have worked as Seheschuk s 7-for-10, three-home-run, nine-RBI performance almost single-handedly led the Aggies over the Huskers 13-5 and 9-4 before 834 fans. Scheschuk hit two round-tnppers in the second game for Texas A&M (31-13 overall and 14-7 in the Big 12 Conference) as NU was crippled by the relief work of sophomore Chance Caple. Chad Wiles (3-2) took the loss for Nebraska. Caple pitched 5 2/3 innings of no-hit ball as he struck out nine Huskers and moved ltis record to 7-0 on the season. The right-hander entered the game with one out in the fourth inning after Husker shortstop Bryan Schmidt drilled a two-run homer to left-center field off Aggie starter Matt Ward to cut the Aggie lead to 4-3. One run would be as close to Texas A&M as NU would get as Caple used an assortment of pitches to shut the Huskers down. “Our hitters couldn’t hit the curve, and they were undisciplined at the plate all afternoon,” Nebraska Coach Dave Van Horn said. “It s been that way a lot this season.” NU designated hitter Donny Starkins, who provided the game-win ning two-run single in the ninth inning on Friday, summed up the day in one word: frustration. “Our performance today spoiled the series,” Starkins said. “We got a huge lift (Friday) and today we had guys on base but couldn't get any hits.” The Huskers had troubles putting the ball in play as they struck out 25 times in the two-game affair. Meanwhile, the Aggies had no problems scoring runs as they pounded out six homers on the day. Scheschuk led the charge in both games after struggling at the plate on Friday, going 0 for 3. The junior lefty began the day on Saturday with a 4-for-6 outing in the first game - including a grand-slam homer to the opposite field off of senior Please see BASEBALL on 11 NU falls to Aggies, defeats Creighton By Sam McKewon Senior Reporter The conditions were right for the Nebraska men’s tennis team to upset No. 17 Texas A&M Sunday afternoon. NU Coach Kerry McDermott saw it happemng. So did his team. But the 78th-ranked Comhuskers missed opportunities in key matches and lost to the Aggies 4-3 at the Woods Tennis Center in front of estimated crowd of 100. “It was a hard-fought match,” McDermott said. “You’re thrilled if you win a match like this, and you’re mad if you don’t.” The Huskers (13-8 overall and 2-5 in the Big 12 Conference) came back to defeat Creighton 7-0 Sunday night, winning all six singles matches in straight sets. NU also won No. 2 and No. 3 doubles to take the doubles point. But against A&M, it was the Aggies (12-4 overall and 5-2 in the Big 12 Conference) who took the doubles point. NU then made its move. Junior Dinko Verzi raised his record to 14-6 by beating Shawn Madden 7-6, 6-3 in No. 1 singles, and sophomore Andrew Wiese cruised past Juan Aramburo 6-2, 6-1 in the No. 5 singles match. But the Aggies won the two close matches that ultimately decided the final score. In No. 2 singles, A&M senior Carlos Tori edged NU freshman Jorge Abos Sanchez 7-6, 7-6 - a match in which Sanchez lost a 5-2 lead in the second set. Right before that match ended, Juan Aramburo beat Husker sophomore Kelsey Moran in three sets 6-2,1-6,7-5 in No. 6 singles. Moran had served for the match at 5-4 before losing the last three games. Please see TENNIS on 11 Defense has way in NU scrimmage By Sam McKewon Senior Reporter Saturday was not a good day to be an offensive player for the Nebraska football team. It took 44 plays for the NU offense to get a first down against t h e C ornhusker defense in the first full scrimmage of the spring at Memorial Stadium. When it did come, it was with the third-team offense on a fourth-down pass from redshirt freshman Eric Crouch to wing back Demond Finister. The first-team offense, com manded by quarterbacks Bobby Newcombe and Frankie London, was able to score only one touch down. Combined, London and Newcombe lost 14 yards on 20 carries. The duo completed only n ~ c \ s_ / l IKJ After the scrimmage, London said he didn't see many positives offensively. “We all have some things we have to work on offense,” London said. “I can’t even say everything that w'ent wrong. We didn't exe cute.” The Nebraska defense, on the other hand, was all smiles after the scrimmage, making up for a less-than-perfect performance last Wednesday in a half scrim mage. “We just told ourselves: Get off to a good start,” senior defen sive tackle Jason Wiltz said. “And we did. We got all the kinks out, and we're back in the groove.” NU Coach Frank Solich said the offense didn’t advance as far as he would have liked on Saturday. “We didn’t execute or block very well,” Solich said. “I’m not totally displeased, but we’ve got a way to go.” U-- 'f . / V eveft everything that went wrong" Frankie London quarterback Nebraska’s defense seemed to disrupt the offense from the opening snap, dismantling the option game and hurrying the quarterbacks on passes. Neither London nor Newcombe had time to throw downfield, as the longest comple tion either had was Newcombe’s 16-yard pass to tight end Sheldon Jackson. Solich said the quarterbacks didn’t have time to execute any big plays. “They did some nice things,” Solich said. “But they were really coramWinrY all Aa\r TViam pAiilHn’t execute the option game.” NU did have some strong offensive showings, mostly from third- and fourth-string players. Senior quarterback Jay Runty completed 6 of 9 passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, and freshman Alik Tillery had 13 car ries for 77 yards and a touch down. It was Tillery’s second score of the spring. No defensive statistics were kept, but NU's defense held the offense to 2.5 yards per carry and recovered two fumbles. It held No. 1 I-back DeAngelo Evans to 12 yards on six carries, as well. Wiltz said he foresees the defense continuing to play well throughout spring practice, which ends with the Red-White Spring Game on April 25. “The defense was designed for speed,” Wiltz said. “It’s going to be tough for any team to keep up with us.” Voss sets single-season win record By Shannon Heffelfinger Senior Reporter With little celebration or praise, Jenny Voss shattered the Nebraska softball team’s single-season record for wins in record time. The sophomore pitcher allowed nine hits and struck out 10 batters in 13.2 innings Saturday as the Comhuskers defeated Baylor 4-0 and 4-1 in a doubleheader in Waco, Texas. Voss (25-6) broke the 24-win record she set as a freshman - and she did it in record time. Nebraska has more than one month of regular-sea son play left. The Huskers (32-8 overall and 8-0 in the Big 12 Conference) barely noticed the record. NU Assistant Coach Lori Sippel said NU’s focus fell elsewhere Saturday. “We actually didn’t celebrate (Voss’ record) much,” Sippel said. “I’m kind of sorry we didn’t. But we’re just at that point where we’re so focused as a team on winning this « We actually didn V celebrate (Voss 'record) much. Vm kind of sorry we didn’t.” Lori Sippel NU assistant softball coach conference that we just hopped on the plane and went home after the game without really thinking about it.” Nebraska, which moved up to No. 7 in last week’s NFCA/USA Today Poll, has won 11 straight - the third longest winning streak in school his tory. All cylinders were clicking for NU against the Bears. In the first game, sophomore Jennifer Lizama hammered a double to left in the top of the first inning. Catcher Jenny Smith singled Lizama in from third for NU’s first run. Runs by Alice Brewer and Jamie Fuente followed, and the Huskers added their fourth and final run in the seventh when Lizama stole home. During the double header, Lizama went 3 for 5 with three runs scored. “We’ve had people hit very well,” Sippel said. “There have been hills and valleys, but our team has been so mature that there has always been someone to pick them up.” Despite Voss’ record-setting per formance and the impressive play of the entire team, Sippel said, the Huskers are still a long way from per fection. “Have we hit all six cylinders yet?” Sippel said. “No, I don’t think so. But we’re just going to keep plug ging away until we get there, and the girls believe we will.”