Tuesday Morning Sports – Kearney Baseball Outguns Hastings, Lopers Find New Soccer Coach, Husker Baseball Rematches Creighton, Nebraska Softball Faces Hawkeyes, Local Sports Schedule

KEARNEY BASEBALL OUTGUNS HASTINGS, HEADS TO HAC TOURNAMENT:

The Kearney Bearcats Baseball team had to get their bats rolling late, finding their rhythm in the fifth inning to take the lead over Hastings and earn their eighth win on the season 14-9. 

Kearney trailed early in a 4-0 hole at the end of the second inning, but rallied back by scoring three runs in the third and fourth innings. Trailing 8-6 at the bottom of the fifth, Kearney exploded for scores after Reese Bober crushed a three run-home run and the Bearcats added a total of 6 runs in the fifth. 

The #2 Bearcats now begin the HAC Tournament today beginning with a first round bye followed by taking on the winner of #7 Lincoln Northeast and #10 Lincoln Pius X. The second contest will have first pitch at 3 PM from Lincoln’s Densmore Fields. 

UNK SOCCER FINDS A NEW HEAD COACH (AGAIN)

Nebraska-Kearney Athletic Director Marc Bauer announced Monday that Rob Breton is the Lopers new head women’s soccer coach.

The Maryland native replaces Neil Piper, who accepted the position in February but recently left UNK due to unforeseen family circumstances back in Texas. Breton will be the fourth head coach in school history; the program began in 2009. He begins his duties Monday.

Breton spent the past three years as an assistant women’s coach at Division II Alderson Broaddus University (Philippi, W.V.). With an enrollment of 800, the school competes in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) with the women’s soccer team led by head coach and former Creighton assistant Jaron Hulme.

He helped coach three all-conference players, had one player sign an overseas professional contract, saw the team’s cumulative grade point average rise to 3.63, and had 45 student-athletes earn a 4.00 semester GPA.

Breton played at Division II West Virginia Wesleyan (Buckhannon, W.V.), helping the Bobcats reach the 2010 Elite Eight and earn a No. 2 national ranking. The team co-captain also helped Wesleyan reach the conference finals three straight seasons.

HUSKER BASEBALL PREPARES FOR IN STATE RIVAL CREIGHTON REMATCH:

Nebraska is set for a rematch with in-state rival Creighton, as the Huskers host the Bluejays at Hawks Field.

First pitch between the Huskers and Bluejays is set for 6:35 p.m. Pregame on KGFW begins at 6 PM. 

Nebraska was swept in its conference series at home against Big Ten-leading Rutgers last weekend.

Creighton enters Tuesday night’s midweek matchup with an 18-8 record and 3-0 mark in Big East play after sweeping Georgetown last weekend.

Creighton has won the last three meetings after winning earlier this season in Omaha and posting wins in Omaha and Lincoln in 2019. The last time the Huskers won over the Bluejays was on March 26, 2019 with a 6-3 victory in Omaha.

HUSKER SOFTBALL FACES HAWKEYES IN DOUBLEHEADER:

The Nebraska softball team hosts the Iowa Hawkeyes at Bowlin Stadium for a doubleheader tonight. 

The first game, which was originally set for 4 p.m., will begin at 3 p.m. followed by 5:30 game two start.

Nebraska has won its last 13 games with an offense that leads the Big Ten in numerous categories including runs, hits, home runs, RBIs, total bases, slugging percentage, walks and on-base percentage. Nebraska also remains the only undefeated team in conference play in the Big Ten. 

Iowa (18-18, 1-8 Big Ten) is coming off of a 1-2 series against Minnesota where the Hawkeyes picked up their first conference win in game two of the three-game series. Iowa opened Big Ten Conference play with 0-3 series losses to Wisconsin and Maryland. 

NEBRASKETBALL’S VERGE EARNS PORTSMOUTH INVITE:

Nebraska senior guard Alonzo Verge Jr. has been selected to participate in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) taking place this week.

The four-day pre-draft camp features 64 of the top seniors in the country and scouts from both the NBA and overseas. The event runs from Wednesday, April 13 to Saturday, April 16, and is the first PIT since 2019 because of COVID-19.

Verge started 31 games for the Huskers in the 2021-22 season after transferring from Arizona State, averaging 14.5 points, 5.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. He led the Big Ten Conference in assists per game and ranked among conference leaders in steals (1.6, third), free throw percentage (.770, 10th), field goal percentage (.450, 12th) and points per game (16th).

NEBRASKA SPRING GAME POSTGAME COMMENTS:

FROST – PASS RUSH LOOKED STRONG DESPITE DEPTH

Nebraska Football completed their spring practice sessions with the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday, as the White Defense won the contest with key stops and turnovers against the Red Offense. 

Nebraska Head Coach Scott Frost added he was very happy to see the defensive pass rush continue to dominate in the Spring… 

Frost continued that some of the dominance was due to injuries on the offensive line, but overall stated it was good to see the defense back to their dominant ways. 

FROST – PORTAL STILL AN OPTION FOR SOME POSITIONS

The Nebraska Football team wrapped up their Spring Football practices for the year on Saturday at the conclusion of the Red-White Spring Game. Head Coach Scott Frost was happy to see the improvement of his team from the beginning of the 14 practice session, but did say in his post-practice comments the Big Red are still peeking into the portal… 

One of those positions could be defensive line, where the Huskers hosted TCU transfer Ochaun Mathis and his family. Mathis currently has the Huskers in his Top 5. 

FROST – QUARTERBACKS ARE STILL LEARNING THE NEW OFFENSE

Head Coach Scott Frost seemed satisfied with his defense’s efforts in the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday, but mentioned in his post-game press conference he thought the offense will need to continue to work out some of the kinks…

Frost was asked if a starter was named after the conclusion of spring practices, as the Head Coach added he would not name QB1 until fall camp.

FROST – GREAT TO HAVE FANS SEE THE TEAM WORK:

Head Coach Scott Frost was pleased to see his team compete and practice well in front of 54,000+ fans at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. He added his team check marked all the boxes for him and his coaching staff… 

Frost and the Huskers now settle into a long summer preparing for Northwestern in Ireland on August 27. 

FROST – SIMPLE OFFENSE STRUGGLED IN FIRST HALF

It was a stellar defensive performance on Saturday by the White team as the Nebraska Football Team completed their 2022 Spring Practice sessions. The Red offense struggled at times due to their simplicity suggested Head Coach Scott Frost… 

Nebraska’s offense played five different quarterbacks while several running backs also saw action and received carries. The Big Red now await Northwestern on August 27. 

FROST – LONG SUMMER TO PREPARE FOR SEASON OPENER

As the Huskers wrapped up the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday, Head Coach Scott Frost was already peeking ahead as to what comes next with the team off until fall camp… 

Frost and the Huskers are aiming for their first winning season since 2016.

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

MONDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: v. Hastings
    • KHS 14-9
  • GIRLS TENNIS: @ Varsity Invite @ Koch Tennis Center – 8 AM
    • KHS = 10th of 24
    • Olivia Flood = Consolation Champion
  • BOYS GOLF: HAC Golf Championships @ Norfolk Country Club
    • Cole Fedderson = HAC Champion
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BASEBALL: v. Hastings
    • KHS 14-9

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BOYS GOLF: Varsity Invite @ Johnson Lake – 10 AM
  • BASEBALL: HAC Tournament
    • #2 KHS = First Round Bye.
      • KHS v. Winner of Lincoln Pius/Lincoln Northeast – 3 PM
  • BOYS SOCCER: @ Lincoln Southeast – 5 PM
  • GIRLS SOCCER: v. Lincoln Southeast – 7 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS TENNIS: @ Lexington Dual Invite – 9:30 AM
  • BOYS GOLF: @ Ravenna Triangular – 4 PM
  • GIRLS SOCCER: @ Columbus Scotus – 5 PM
  • BOYS SOCCER: @ Columbus Scotus – 5 PM
  • BASEBALL: HAC Tournament
    • #2 KHS = First Round Bye.
      • KHS v. Winner of Lincoln Pius/Lincoln Northeast – 3 PM
• UNK:
  • WOMENS GOLF: @ Wayne State Classic
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • MENS/WOMENS GOLF: @ Lochland Community College Invite

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: HAC Tournament
    • #2 KHS v. TBA
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BASEBALL: HAC Tournament
    • #2 KHS v. TBA
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • MENS/WOMENS TENNIS: v. Concordia – 11 AM, 1 PM
  • SOFTBALL: v. College of St. Mary (Doubleheader) – 4 PM, 6 PM

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • GIRLS TENNIS: Kearney Invite – 9:30 AM
  • BOYS GOLF: @ Lochland Country Club – 10 AM 
  • T&F: @ Omaha Central Invite – 4 PM
  • GIRLS SOCCER: @ Norfolk – 5 PM
  • BOYS SOCCER: v. Norfolk – 7 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • T&F: @ Gothenburg Invite – 2:30 PM
• UNK:
  • MENS TRACK: @ Mt. Sac Relays – @ Walnut, CA
  • WOMENS TENNIS: @ Northeastern State – 3 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • BASEBALL: v. Midland University (Doubleheader) – 3 PM, 5 PM

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • MENS TRACK: @ Bryan Clay Invite @ Azusa, CA
  • WOMENS TENNIS: @ Central Oklahoma – 11 AM
  • M/W T&F: v. Loper Invite – 11 AM, 3 PM
  • SOFTBALL: v. Lincoln (Doubleheader) @ Patriot Park – 2 PM, 4 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BOYS SOCCER: v. Omaha Central – 1:30 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • SOFTBALL: v. Central Missouri (Doubleheader) @ Patriot Park – 12 PM, 2 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: @ UNK Invite
  • BASEBALL: v. Mount Marty University (Doubleheader) – 4 PM, 6 PM
  • MENS/WOMENS TENNIS: @ Midland University – 11 AM