# 2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team

The 2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team was Mike Anderson's sixth year as head coach. The Cornhuskers played their home games at Hawks Field.

## Preseason

Potential, Promise, Proven is the Huskers motto for the year. While 8 pitchers from 2007 left for the draft, the 2008 Cornhuskers team is the youngest for Mike Anderson with 15 newcomers plus 5 of last years redshirts. Nebraska plays 8 teams that made the 2007 NCAA tournament including 5 one seeds. The baseball team was picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 by a vote of the league coaches with 36 points and no first place votes.

## Schedule

2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball game log :
Regular season :
February (2–2)
DateOpponentSite/stadiumWinLossSaveScoreOverall record (Big 12)
Feb. 22StanfordPalo Alto, CaliforniaBleich (1-0)Weber (0-1)L 7-170-1
Feb. 22StanfordPalo Alto, CaliforniaDorn (1-0)Davis (0-1)W 9-21-1
Feb. 23StanfordPostponed (rain)
Feb. 24StanfordPalo Alto, CaliforniaInman (1-0)Bird (0-1)Stringer (1)L 2-41-2
Feb. 29UC RiversideHawks FieldAnderson (1-0)Penney (0-1)W 3-22-2 :
March (19–2–1)
DateOpponentSite/stadiumWinLossSaveScoreOverall record (Big 12)
Mar. 1UC RiversideHawks FieldJennings (1-0)Larkins (1-1)W 10-43-2
Mar. 1UC RiversideHawks FieldWeber (1-1)Applebee (0-2)Nesseth (1)W 5-24-2
Mar. 2UC RiversideHawks FieldPribanic (1-0)Orozco (0-1)W 13-1 (7)5-2
Mar. 4Nebraska–KearneyHawks FieldHatasaki (1-0)Wrobel (1-3)W 11-26-2
Mar. 8Northern ColoradoHawks FieldDorn (2-0)Reap (1-1)W 12-27-2
Mar. 9Northern ColoradoHawks FieldNesseth (1-0)Peery (1-2)Anderson (1)W 3-28-2
Mar. 9Northern ColoradoHawks FieldWeber (2-1)Kazell (0-1)Herr (1)W 8-59-2
Mar. 10Northern ColoradoHawks FieldPribanic (2-0)Keating (2-1)W 7-010-2
Mar. 11South Dakota StateHawks FieldMariot (1-0)Johnson (0-2)W 7-311-2
Mar. 14Kansas StateManhattan, KansasHerr (1-0)Hoge (0-1)Anderson (2)W 2-112-2 (1-0)
Mar. 15Kansas StateManhattan, KansasWeber (3-1)Bayuk (0-2)W 11-413-2 (2-0)
Mar. 16Kansas StateManhattan, KansasNesseth (2-0)Edwards (1-2)Anderson (3)W 5-3 (10)14-2 (3-0)
Mar. 18ArkansasHawks FieldJennings (2-0)Korbal (0-3)W 6-115-2 (3-0)
Mar. 19ArkansasHawks FieldRichards (1-0)Nesseth (2-1)L 4-915-3 (3-0)
Mar. 21OklahomaHawks FieldHerr (2-0)Duke (3-2)W 4-216-3 (4-0)
Mar. 22OklahomaHawks FieldWeber (4-1)Doyle (4-2)Nesseth (2)W 4-317-3 (5-0)
Mar. 23OklahomaHawks FieldTie 8-8 (10)17-3-1 (5-0-1)
Mar. 25Northern ColoradoHawks FieldJennings (3-0)Klausing (1-3)W 10-018-3-1 (5-0-1)
Mar. 26Northern ColoradoHawks FieldBird (1-1)Banks (0-3)W 9-419-3-1 (5-0-1)
Mar. 28TexasAustin, TexasDorn (3-0)Shinaberry (1-1)Jennings (1)W 14-420-3-1 (6-0-1)
Mar. 29TexasAustin, TexasWeber (5-1)Wood (2-2)W 2-021-3-1 (7-0-1)
Mar. 30TexasAustin, TexasBoening (2-0)Pribanic (2-1)Green (1)L 12-321-4-1 (7-1-1) :
April (13–4)
DateOpponentSite/stadiumWinLossSaveScoreOverall record (Big 12)
April 1CreightonPostponed until April 23 (Cold Weather)
April 4Texas TechHawks FieldDorn (4-0)Karns (1-5)W 6-222-4-1 (8-1-1)
April 5Texas TechHawks FieldWeber (6-1)Ramos (1-3)Jennings (2)W 5-223-4-1 (9-1-1)
April 6Texas TechHawks FieldPribanic (4-1)Bettis (3-2)Jennings (3)W 5-324-4-1 (10-1-1)
April 8IowaCanceled (Cold Weather)
April 11Oklahoma StateStillwater, OklahomaOliver (3-2)Dorn (4-1)L 0-124-5-1 (10-2-1)
April 12Oklahoma StateStillwater, OklahomaLyons (6-2)Weber (6-2)L 2-1924-6-1 (10-3-1)
April 13Oklahoma StateStillwater, OklahomaJennings (4-0)Blanford (3-3)W 14-525-6-1 (11-3-1)
April 15Wichita StateHawks FieldBird (2-1)Kelley (4-2)Herr (2)W 3-026-6-1 (11-3-1)
April 18KansasHawks FieldDorn (5-1)Czyz (2-4)Jennings (4)W 7-627-6-1 (12-3-1)
April 19KansasHawks FieldWeber (7-2)Esquibel (3-3)Herr (3)W 8-628-6-1 (13-3-1)
April 20KansasHawks FieldWalz (3-0)Pribanic (3-2)Smyth (7)L 3-628-7-1 (13-4-1)
April 22CreightonHawks FieldJennings (5-0)Hauer (6-2)Nesseth (3)W 4-329-7-1 (13-4-1)
April 23CreightonRosenblatt StadiumMariot (2-0)Moore (4-5)W 16-730-7-1 (13-4-1)
April 25BaylorPostponed until April 26 (Rain)
April 26BaylorWaco, TexasNesseth (3-1)Kenpf (5-2)Herr (4)W 6-4 (10)31-7-1 (14-4-1)
April 26BaylorWaco, TexasWeber (8-2)Tolleson (4-3)W 14-1 (7)32-7-1 (15-4-1)
April 27BaylorWaco, TexasKempf (6-2)Pribanic (3-3)Thurman (2)L 3-832-8-1 (15-5-1)
April 29Western IllinoisHawks FieldHauptman (1-0)Percival (1-6)Nesseth (4)W 6-433-8-1 (15-5-1)
April 30Western IllinoisHawks FieldBird (3-1)Zenesek (1-2)W 6-134-8-1 (15-5-1) :
May (5–4)
DateOpponentSite/stadiumWinLossSaveScoreOverall record (Big 12)
May 2Louisiana–LafayetteCanceled (Rain)
May 3Louisiana-LafayetteHawks FieldHerr (3-0)Glass (2-3)W 4-335-8-1 (15-5-1)
May 3Louisiana-LafayetteHawks FieldBird (4-1)Harmon (1-2)W 4-3 (14)36-8-1 (15-5-1)
May 9Texas A&MHawks FieldStarling (8-0)Jennings (5-1)L 3-6 (16)36-9-1 (15-6-1)
May 10Texas A&MPostponed until May 11 (Rain)
May 11Texas A&MHawks FieldJennings (6-1)Thebeau (5-3)W 9-837-9-1 (16-6-1)
May 11Texas A&MHawks FieldNesseth (4-1)Minks (4-1)W 13-1038-9-1 (17-6-1)
May 13CreightonRosenblatt StadiumBird (5-1)Hellhake (3-1)Hauptman (1)W 8-139-9-1 (17-6-1)
May 16MissouriColumbia, MissouriCrow (12-0)Jennings (6-2)L 8-139-10-1 (17-7-1)
May 17MissouriColumbia, MissouriBerger (4-4)Weber (8-3)Allen (2)L 22-939-11-1 (17-8-1)
May 18MissouriColumbia, MissouriZagone (2-3)Pribanic (3-4)Gibson (2)L 3-739-12-1 (17-9-1) :
Postseason :
Big 12 Tournament (1–2)
DateOpponentSite/stadiumWinLossSaveScoreOverall record (Big 12)
May 21BaylorOklahoma CityTolleson (6-4)Jennings (6-3)Kempf (2)L 4-1039-13-1
May 23Kansas StateOklahoma CityDorn (6-1)Bayuk (1-5)Herr (5)W 5-240-13-1
May 24Oklahoma StateOklahoma CityLyons (11-2)Weber (8-4)Weinhardt (4)L 5-1140-14-1 :

## Season Facts

* Johnny Dorn's 13 Strike out game against Northern Colorado is his career high.
* Aaron Pribanic threw back to back complete games against UC Riverside and Northern Colorado becoming the first Husker pitcher to toss consecutive complete games since Aaron Marsden in March 2003.
* The 14-game win streak Nebraska put together tied for the fourth-longest win streak in school history and the longest since a 15-game win streak in 2000. The Huskers’ streak fell two games shy of the Big 12 record of 16 set by Kansas State (2006) and Texas Tech (2002).
* The Tie against Oklahoma on March 23 was the first tie for Nebraska since 1996 and the fourth one in league games since the Big 12 established in 1996.
* The Huskers’ 5-0-1 start in Big 12 play is their best since the league was formed in 1997. The previous start was 5-1 on four occasions, most recently in 2005.

## Awards

* Mitch Abeita
** All-Big 12 First Team
** ABCA All-Midwest Region Team
* Craig Corriston
** Big 12 Player of the Week (03/17/2008)
** All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
* Johnny Dorn
** Big 12’s Co-Pitcher of the Week (03/10/2008)
** All-Big 12 First Team
** ABCA All-Midwest Region Second Team
** Third-Team All-American
* Dan Jennings
** All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
* Bryce Nimmo
** All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
* Jake Opitz
** All-Big 12 First Team
** ABCA All-Midwest Region Second Team
* Nick Sullivan
** Big 12 Player of the Week (03/24/2008)
* Thad Weber
** All-Big 12 Second Team

## Rankings

Ranking Movement :
| | Poll | Pre- season | Feb 25 | Mar 3 | Mar 10 | Mar 17 | Mar 24 | Mar 31 | April 7 | April 14 | April 21 | April 28 | May 5 | May 12 | May 19 | May 26 | June 3 | June 10 | Final |
| | USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll | NR | --* | NR | NR | 24 | 17 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 10 | -- | -- | 23 |
| | Baseball America | NR | NR | NR | NR | 22 | 19 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 13 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| | Collegiate Baseball (Top 30) | 38 | NR | NR | NR | 22 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 15 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| | NCBWA (Top 35) | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 30 | 22 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| | Rivals.com | NR | NR | NR | NR | 21 | 16 | 12 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 11 | - | - | 21 |
| NR = Not Ranked ||||||||||||||||||||
* USA Today/ESPN did not release a poll after the first weekend of play.

## Huskers in the 2008 MLB Draft

| Player | Position | Round | Overall | MLB Team |
| Aaron Pribanic | RHP | 3 | 98 | Seattle Mariners |
| Dan Jennings | LHP | 9 | 168 | Florida Marlins |
| Jake Opitz | 2B | 12 | 371 | Chicago Cubs |
| Johnny Dorn | RHP | 15 | 448 | Florida Marlins |
| Thad Weber | RHP | 16 | 493 | Detroit Tigers |
| Mitch Abeita | C | 19 | 590 | New York Yankees |
| Zach Herr | LHP | 38 | 1155 | San Diego Padres |