RELIEF from page 9
fireman, who puts out the fire. I kind
of like both of those duties.”
The pressure, Komine said, is
present in both situations.
Chad Wiles agreed.
Wiles, who was used primarily as
a starter last season, has worked
almost exclusively out of the pen this
spring.
“Starting, it’s a whole different
kind of pressure,” Wiles said. “You
know you have to go out there and
you have to be sharp for six, seven
innings. My role, it’s just all in two
innings. You have to close the door.
“It’s seems to be more exciting.
You go out there and the game’s on
the line a lot of times.”
Van Horn said Wiles was moved
to the pen after showing somewhat of
a lack of control late last season.
But Wiles’ improvement this
year, Van Horn said, has been impres
sive.
Wiles, a right-handed junior, has
struck out 19 in 21 1/3 innings and
owns a 4.64 ERA.
“I think Chad Wiles is kind of
stepping into the closer role a little
bit,” Van Horn said. “But he’s been
pitching so well, we might give him
an opportunity to start.”
Senior Jarod Bearinger has also
seen a significant number of starting
roles throughout his career, though
he has only started one game this sea
son in 11 appearances. The righty
lowered his ERA to 5.52 after surren
dering just one earned run in 4 2/3
innings in Sunday’s second game
with ISU.
Others, such as sophomore lefty
Brandon Penas, have been forced to
adjust solely to the role of relief
pitcher.
Penas has been used primarily in
lefty-lefty matchups this season, in
which the pitcher has the theoretical
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advantage.
“He’s a situational guy,” Van
Horn said. “He can come in and get
the lefties. When he’s on, he’s good.
He’s kind of sneaky-quick with his
fastball.”
A starter in high school, Penas,
now a sophomore, said it took a while
to adjust to his role. In 12 innings this
season, Penas has struck out 15 while
posting a 6.75 ERA.
“I kind of had to adjust to it men
tally,” Penas said. “It’s kind of tough
sometimes because you’d come in
situations with two guys on and
nobody out, and you have to get an
out
“You could be sitting in the
dugout for eight innings on a cold
day and then (Pitching Coach Rob
Childress) could say, ‘Go down and
get hot.’”
Nebraska will return to action
today with a double-header begin
ning at 3 p.m. against Western
NU divers
to represent
U.S. in meet
From, staff reports
Former Nebraska diver Travis
Niemeyer and current NU diver
Erik Cook qualified for the U.S.
National Diving Team last week
end, finishing in the Top 4 at the
U.S. Diving Championships.
Niemeyer, who dove for the
Comhuskers in the spring of 1996
after transferring from Southern
Illinois, was third in the meet with
a score of 370.02. Cook scored
314.34 overall for fourth place.
Neimeyer and Cook will com
pete for the United States in the
World University Games to be held
in Spain this summer.
Mark Ruiz of the Orlando
Diving Club was the top finisher.
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«
When he s on, he s good. He’s kind of
sneaky-quick with his fastball.”
Dave Van Horn
NU coach on pitcher Brandon Penas
Illinois at Buck Beltzer Field. The
first game will be a seven-inning
contest, followed by a nine-inning
nightcap.
“We have a lot of young guys that
have stepped up this season,” Penas
said. “We’ve all done a good job and
I hope we continue to do a good job.
We have a lot of games left that mean
a lot.”
The Huskers, who fell two spots
to No. 21 in the Collegiate Baseball
Poll this week, will return to Big 12
Conference play Friday against
Missouri. NU will play host to a
three-game series with the Tigers.
Note:
Komine and junior fust baseman,
Ken Harvey were named the Big 12
conference pitcher of the week and
player of the week, respectively.
Harvey, who leads the nation
with a .533 average, knocked 12 hits
in 20 at bats last week - including his
fifth four-hit game of the season
against Iowa State on Sunday.
Komine earned his first career
save against ISU on Saturday before
working 9 2/3 innings in relief
against the Cyclones on Sunday.
JNU s JN epo, Koziol
honored at dinner
By Darren Ivy
Senior staff writer
The Bob Devaney Sports Center
floor looked more like a prom set-up
than a basketbaU court Sunday night as
the Athletic Department held its annual
academic awards banquet
A record230Nebraska student-ath
letes were awarded bronze, silver and
gold medallions for achieving a 3.0
grade point average or better during die
previous two semesters or cumulatively
during their time at NU.
Approximately 700 professors, stu
dents, coaches and parents attended the
event
“It’s an opportunity to put academic
excellence in the spotlight for student
athletes,” said Keith Zimmer, associate
director of academic programs and
director of life skills in the Athletic
Department, y
Volleyball player Fiona Nepo and
gymnast Jim Koziol were honored as
the female and male student athletes of
the year. Those athletes were selected
by the Intercollegiate Athletic Faculty
Committee. The nominations were
based on the athlete’s academic and ath
letic achievement, and involvement in
the community.
Television sports analyst Anne
Meyers-Drysdale was the keynote
speaker.
Injuries hurt Huskers
INJURIES from page 11
Newcombe and the hindrance of a
green jersey, Eric Crouch wasn’t able to
secure the No. 1 job next fall as he suf
fered through a 4-for-13 day with two
Interceptions arid only 63 yards
through die 'air Saturday.
Perhaps the most heated competi
tion this spring was for the starting
kicking jobs between Josh Brown and
Dan Hadenfeldt.
Brown may have won the job by
virtue of his 34-yard field goal and his
45.7 yard punting average, compared
to Hadenfeldt, who missed both field
goal opportunities and averaged 49.5
yards per kick.
The coaches considered the spring
a success with the best yiet to come.
“We’re anticipating a good year,”
Receivers Coach-Brown said. “Injuries
can work two ways - negatively
because you can’t see just how good
you’ll be, and positively because it
gives younger players a chance to step
up and show what they can do, and we
saw a lot of that in the spring.”
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