Wednesday Morning Sports – Husker Baseball Shuts Down Wildcats, Storm Take Down Lancers, Husker Football Practice Comments, Wooden Award Winners, Local Sports Results and Schedules

HUSKER BASEBALL SHUTS DOWN WILDCATS THROUGH BULLPEN PITCHING:

The Nebraska bullpen combined for seven scoreless innings, as the Huskers posted a 6-1 win at Kansas State on Tuesday night at Tointon Family Stadium.

Nebraska (16-9-1) scored six runs on 12 hits and no errors, while Kansas State (19-12) had one run on seven hits and no errors.

Caleb Clark made the start on the mound for the Huskers, allowing one run on three hits in two innings of work. The freshman struck out a pair of Wildcats and issued two walks in the 12 batters he faced. Corbin Hawkins collected his first collegiate win after pitching 1.2 scoreless innings in relief. Will Walsh and Jake Bunz teamed up to pitch the next 2.1 innings for the Big Red. Shay Schanaman threw three one-hit innings to pick up his fourth save of the season.

Nebraska returns to Big Ten play this weekend, as the Huskers travel to Michigan for a three-game series on Friday-Sunday, April 7-9 in Ann Arbor, Mich.

STORM SET TEAM RECORD IN VICTORY:

The Tri-City Storm defeated the Omaha Lancers by a final score of 3-1 in Tuesday’s battle at the Viaero Center. 

Trevor Connelly extended his season-long point streak to eighteen games, and broke the organization’s record for most consecutive games with at least one point. His eighteen-game point streak is the longest by any player in the league this season. 

Tri-City hits the ice again on Friday, April 7th, in a road game against the Sioux City Musketeers. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05pm CT.

HUSKER FOOTBALL PRACTICE COMMENTS – TUESDAY:

BARTHEL – BACKS NEED DETAILS AND DEVELOPMENT:

EJ Barthel, new Nebraska Football running backs coach, was asked if the current backfield’s experience is aiding in spring practices…

Barthel mentioned that all the backs continue to experience success and is hoping to work them all in a regular rotation. 

BARTHEL – NO BACK HAS SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE:

Nebraska Football running backs coach EJ Barthel was asked after Tuesday’s practice regarding his backfield’s continued development…

The Huskers are hoping to bring Ajay Allen and Gabe Ervin back into the fold after their injuries last season, while Rahmir Johnson and Anthony Grant look to get back to their recent success in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

BARTHEL – ERVIN IS MAKING IMPROVEMENTS:

EJ Barthel – Nebraska running backs coach – spoke after Tuesday’s practice stating that Gabe Ervin has shown more strides this spring season…

The Huskers return four backs with starting experience and significant touches including Ervin, Rahmir Johnson, Anthony Grant, and Ajay Allen.

FOLEY – KEMP CONTINUES TO WORK AT RETURN GAME:

Special Teams coach for Nebraska Football Ed Foley said he’s happy with the continued efforts by Virginia transfer receiver Billy Kemp IV to find new ways to improve his game…

The Huskers’ new receiver finished fourth all time in Cavalier history in receptions. 

FOLEY – SPECIAL TEAMS CONTINUES TO PLAY WELL:

Ed Foley, Nebraska Football’s new special teams coordinator, added after Tuesday’s practice that so far he’s having fun and his excitement continues to build…

Nebraska is now on their second special teams coach in two years, having hired Bill Busch last season to fill the role after it was vacant for numerous seasons.

FOLEY – BUSCHINI FINDING ACCURACY:

Returning punter Brian Buschini continues his refinement of skills in spring practices, as special teams coach Ed Foley mentioned during his Tuesday press conference…

Nebraska’s punter returns for a second season after transferring from Montana in 2022, and will have a new number – repping No. 18 to honor Brook Berringer. 

PURDUE’S EDEY; IOWA’S CLARK WIN WOODEN AWARD:

Purdue center Zach Edey has won the John R. Wooden Award as the nation’s top men’s college basketball player.

The announcement was made Tuesday on ESPN.

Edey is the first Canadian-born winner and the second player from Purdue to be honored, joining Glenn Robinson in 1994.

The 7-foot-4 Edey is the first player since winner David Robinson of Navy in 1987 to have at least 750 points, 450 rebounds and 50 blocks in a single season.

Caitlin Clark of Iowa won the women’s Wooden Award. She led the Hawkeyes to the national championship game where they lost to LSU.

EMBIID SCORES 52; EDGES CELTICS:

Joel Embiid earned the highest stamp of approval from coach Doc Rivers after the All-Star center blistered Boston for his third 50-point game of the season and carried the 76ers on his beat-up, 7-foot frame to victory, as Rivers claimed the ‘MVP race over’ in his postgame comments.

Embiid strengthened his bid for the award with 52 points and 13 rebounds, and the NBA scoring leader carried Philadelphia to a 103-101 win over the Celtics on Tuesday night.

He joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain as the only NBA centers with three 50-point games in a season. Embiid had a career-high 59 points against the Utah Jazz in November and 53 against Charlotte in December. 

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Girls Soccer: v. Norfolk @ Kearney High School
    • KHS 1-0 Norfolk (OT)
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Boys Golf: @ Wood River Invite
    • KCHS = 1st Place (332)
    • Quinten Hogeland = 1st (78)
    • Alex Ables = 2nd (80)
    • Nash Malone = 5th (83)
  • Girls Soccer: v. Aurora
    • KCHS 4-0 Aurora
  • Boys Soccer; v. Aurora
    • Aurora 2-0 KCHS

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Boys Golf: @ Kearney Invite @ Meadowlark Hills – 11 AM
  • Track & Field: v. Kearney Invite @ Kearney High School – 12:30 PM
    • 12:30 PM = Field Events
    • 1 PM = Running Events
  • Baseball: @ Grand Island Triangular @ Ryder Park
    • GAME 1 v. Norfolk – 4 PM
    • GAME 2 v. Grand Island – 6 PM
  • Boys Soccer: @ Lincoln East @ Seacrest Field – 5 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Boys Golf: @ Arcadia Loup City Invite – 10 AM
  • Girls Tennis: @ Lexington Invite – 10 AM
• UNK:
  • Volleyball: v. Regis @ Ogallala, NE – 8:30 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • Softball: v. Morningside – 4 PM
  • Softball: v. Morningside – 6 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Kearney Baseball v. Norfolk (4 PM – 7 PM)
  • Kearney Baseball @ Grand Island (7:30 PM – 10:30 PM)

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Girls Tennis: @ Omaha Westside Invite @ Koch Family Tennis Center – 8 AM
  • Girls Soccer: @ Lincoln High @ Beechner Athletic Complex – 1 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • Women’s Soccer: v. Iowa Western C.C. @ Foster Field – 1 PM
  • Softball: @ Emporia State – 3 PM
  • M/W T&F: @ Jo Meaker Classic @ Canyon, TX – 3 PM
  • Softball: @ Emporia State – 5 PM
  • M/W T&F: @ K.T. Woodman Classic @ Wichita, KS – 6 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: @ K.T. Woodman Classic @ Wichita, KS – 6 PM
  • Baseball: v. Northwestern @ Duncan Field – 1 PM
  • Baseball: v. Northwestern @ Duncan Field – 3:30 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Baseball v. Northwestern (5:30 PM – 10 PM)

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Baseball: @ Double Dual @ Lincoln’s Densmore Fields
    • GAME 1 v. Lincoln High – 10 AM
    • GAME 2 v. Lincoln North Star – 1 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ Jo Meaker Classic @ Canyon, TX – 12:30 PM
  • M/W T&F: @ K.T. Woodman Classic @ Wichita, KS – 12 PM
  • Women’s Tennis: @ Missouri Western
  • Softball: @ Washburn – 1 PM
  • Softball: @ Washburn – 3 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE: 
  • M/W T&F: @ K.T. Woodman Classic @ Wichita, KS – 12 PM
  • Baseball: v. Morningside @ Duncan Field – 1 PM
  • Softball: v. Mount Marty – 1 PM
  • Softball: v. Mount Marty – 3 PM
  • Baseball: v. Morningside @ Duncan Field – 4 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Baseball v. Northwestern (1:30 PM – 6 PM)

SUNDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Baseball v. Northwestern (12 PM – 4 PM)