Tuesday Morning Sports – Husker Baseball Ties in Seven Innings with San Diego, Bolt Pitching Comments, Stars Continue Season with Subdistrict Win, Thompson to Return for Huskers, Nebraska Football Spring Practice Schedule Set, Local Sports Schedule

NEBRASKA BASEBALL GIVES UP LEAD; TIES WITH SAN DIEGO TO END SERIES:

Nebraska finished its series at San Diego with a 16-16 tie on Monday afternoon at Fowler Park. Due to travel curfew, the game was called off after seven innings.

Nebraska (0-3-1) scored 16 runs on 17 hits and an error, while San Diego (3-0-1) recorded 16 runs on seven hits and three errors.

Seven Huskers recorded a two-hit performance on Monday, highlighted by Charlie Fischer going 2-for-4 with a double, home run, four RBI and three runs. Dylan Carey went 2-for-4 with a double, home run, two RBI and two runs scored. Max Anderson, Ben Columbus, Efry Cervantes, Garrett Anglim and Brice Matthews also had two hits apiece.

San Diego made a late comeback with six runs on one hit in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 16.

The Huskers continue play next weekend with a three-game series at South Alabama on Friday-Sunday, Feb. 24-26 in Mobile, Ala.

BOLT – PITCHING IS SIMPLE:

Husker Baseball Head Coach Will Bolt was blunt and adamant after his team’s pitching after the blown six-run lead heading into the final inning at San Diego on Monday…

The Huskers held a 16-10 lead into the top of the seventh inning with closer Shay Schnaman on the mound, but allowed the contest to tie before travel restrictions cut the game short. Nebraska is now 0-3-1 on the year. 

KEARNEY CATHOLIC BOYS CONTINUE SEASON, WIN OVER GIBBON:

The #5 seed Gibbon boys basketball team went up early against #4 Kearney Catholic on Monday in the Subdistrict C1-9 matchup.

The Stars would find a halftime lead and controlled the second half for the first round sub-district win, setting them up with a chance to take on #1 seed Wood River tonight. 

Tip-off from Wood River High School is set for 6 PM.

CASEY THOMPSON READY TO “RUN IT BACK” WITH HUSKERS:
Nebraska quarterback Casey Thompson is staying with the Huskers for his final year of eligibility. 

The announcement was made on his twitter page, where Thompson posted a graphic saying “Run It Back” in reference to another season with the Big Red. Thompson transferred to Nebraska from Texas, coming to Lincoln with two years of eligibility. Last season, Thompson threw for over 2400 yards, throwing 17 touchdown’s and 10 interceptions. He also recorded five rushing touchdowns. Thompson did miss time with an arm and hand injury. 

The Huskers will have a quarterback competition, as the Huskers now have Thompson returning and Georgia Tech transfer Jeff Sims.

HUSKER FOOTBALL ANNOUNCES SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE:

Nebraska’s spring football schedule has been set.

The Huskers announced the 15-practice slate – which includes the annual Red-White Spring Game – on Monday night.

Following the university’s spring break, which runs March 12-19, the spring season officially begins on March 19 with the first practice set for the next day – which all leads up to the April 22 spring game.

With the exception of the first practice on Monday, March 20, the Huskers are going with a Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday setup so the team will be getting one day of rest during the week and have Sundays and Mondays off.

RHULE NABS FIRST COMMIT OF 2024 CLASS:

It didn’t take long for Altair (Texas) Rice Consolidated athlete Roger Gradney to become the first commitment of Nebraska’s 2024 recruiting class. 

Gradney announced his commitment to Matt Rhule and Nebraska on social media, choosing the Huskers over Texas Tech, UTSA and Campbell. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound athlete is Nebraska’s first commitment in the 2024 class. 

Gradney’s pledge comes soon after Omar Hales, Evan Cooper and other members of the Huskers staff extended an offer to the Texas native after months of interest. 

Gradney fits what Rhule and his staff value from an athletic perspective. He’s a standout on the track, having run a 10.88 in the 100, jumping 43-feet, 4.5 inches in the triple jump and thrown 130-7 in the discus. On the football field, Gradney scored at least one TD four different ways (rushing, receiving, kickoff return, punt return) as a sophomore. 

Gradney is ranked as the No. 28 athlete in the nation, the No. 40 player in the state of Texas and the No. 234 player in the state of nation for his class.

HOUSTON TOPS CBB TOP 25:

Houston returned to No. 1 in the AP men’s college basketball poll on Monday for the third time this season, while Northwestern and Texas A&M barged into the rankings after each had a pair of impressive wins last week.

The Cougars, riding a seven-game winning streak, jumped over Alabama and back into the top spot, where they spent two weeks in November and December and had another two-week stint last month.

The Crimson Tide dropped only one spot after losing to Tennessee and routing Georgia in their lone week at No. 1. Kansas sits at No. 3 up two spots. 

UCLA remained at No. 4 while Purdue slid two spots to round out of the top five.

Kansas State dropped two spots to No. 14, Indiana is No. 17, and Creighton dropped one position to No. 19.

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

MONDAY:

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Boys Basketball: C1-9 SUBDISTRICT:
    • #4 Kearney Catholic v. #5 Gibbon @ Wood River High School
      • KCHS 63-48 Gibbon

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Boys Basketball: C1-9 SUBDISTRICT SEMIFINAL:
    • #4 KCHS @ #1 Wood River – 6 PM
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Girls Basketball: A-5 DISTRICT SEMIFINAL
    • #2 Kearney v. #3 Papillion-LaVista South @ Kearney High School – TBA
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • Men’s Basketball: GPAC Tournament Quarterfinal
    • Hastings College @ Jamestown, ND
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • DISTRICTS: Kearney Girls Basketball v. Papillion-LaVista South (5:45 PM – 7:45 PM)

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Swimming & Diving: State Championships @ Bob Devaney Sports Center
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Swimming & Diving: State Championships @ Bob Devaney Sports Center
  • Boys Basketball: C1-9 SUBDISTRICT FINAL @ Wood River High School
    • #4 KCHS v. TBD
• UNK:
  • Men’s Basketball: @ Missouri Western State @ St. Joseph, MO – 6:30 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • Softball: @ McPherson, KS – 1 PM
  • Softball: @ McPherson, KS – 3 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Swimming & Diving: State Championships @ Bob Devaney Sports Center
  • Girls Basketball: A-5 DISTRICT FINAL
    • #2 Kearney v. TBD
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Swimming & Diving: State Championships @ Bob Devaney Sports Center
• UNK:
  • Softball: v. Sioux Falls @ Topeka, KS – 10 AM
  • Softball: v. Rockhurst @ Topeka, KS – 12 PM
  • M/W T&F: @ MIAA Championships @ Pittsburg, KS
  • Women’s Tennis: v. Barry, FL @ Ernest Grundy Tennis Center – 5:30 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W Tennis: @ Metro @ Denver, CO – 2 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Baseball @ South Alabama (6 PM – 10:30 PM)
  • OR DISTRICT FINAL: Kearney Girls Basketball @ TBD

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Swimming & Diving: State Championships @ Bob Devaney Sports Center
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Swimming & Diving: State Championships @ Bob Devaney Sports Center
  • Boys Basketball: District Final
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ MIAA Championships @ Pittsburg, KS
  • Women’s Tennis: v. Hawaii Pacific OR Indianapolis @ Ernest Grundy Tennis Center
  • Wrestling: @ NCAA Super Region VI @ Chadron State – 10 AM
  • Softball: v. Missouri-St. Louis @ Topeka, KS – 11:30 AM
  • Women’s Basketball: v. Fort Hays State – 2 PM
  • Men’s Basketball: v. Fort Hays State – 4 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE: 
  • Women’s Wrestling: @ KCAC Championships, York, NE – 9 AM
  • M/W Bowling: @ NAIA National Qualifier @ Belton, MO – 10 AM
  • M/W Tennis: @ CSU Pueblo, Pueblo, CO – 12 PM
  • Softball: @ Sterling – 1 PM
  • Softball: @ Sterling – 3 PM
  • Baseball: v. Peru State @ Tulsa, OK – 3 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • DISTRICTS: Kearney Boys Basketball v. TBD
  • OR Nebraska Men’s Basketball v. Minnesota (1:30 PM – 5:15 PM)

SUNDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ MIAA Championships @ Pittsburg, KS
  • Women’s Tennis: v. TBD @ Ernest Grundy Tennis Center
  • Softball: v. St. Cloud State @ Topeka, KS – 9:30 AM
  • Softball: v. Minnesota Crookston @ Topeka, KS – 11:30 AM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W Bowling: @ NAIA National Qualifier @ Belton, MO – 10 AM
  • Softball: @ Friends, KS @ Wichita, KS – 12 PM
  • Baseball: v. Peru State @ Tulsa OK – 12 PM
  • Softball: @ Friends, KS @ Wichita, KS – 2 PM
  • Baseball: v. Peru State @ Tulsa, OK – 3 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Women’s Basketball v. Northwestern (12:45 PM – 4 PM)