Drew Christo is back to throwing fire for Nebraska baseball

Drew Christo wants to keep his focus tight as he moves into the biggest role of his Nebraska pitching career. He made his name as a starter at Elkhorn High School, where as a senior he posted a 0.43 earned-run average.

In his third year at NU, he’s a starter again. Beat Grand Canyon in the series opener last week. Gets the ball for the series opener Thursday at College of Charleston, too. One out. One inning. One game.

“Pound the strike zone and be on attack when we’re on the mound,” Christo said Tuesday.

And do so throwing his fastball 94 miles an hour.

Heat was Christo’s signature at Elkhorn, what helped establish him as Perfect Game’s No. 44 prospect in the nation. Christo could have signed with a Major League Baseball team out of high school, but he chose to major in biology and pitch at NU, where his dad, Monte, had once been a starting quarterback.

Husker legacy. Top talent. Elite arm packed into a 6-foot-4, 230-pound frame. Christo’s signing wasn’t so different from that of Dylan Raiola.

But pitching at the collegiate level can take time. Christo knows it. Just five appearances, and 5.1 innings, in 2022. In 2023, better — 11 appearances, more than a strikeout per inning, an opposing batting average of just .190. Nebraska coach Will Bolt and pitching coach Rob Childress then recommended Christo play summer ball in Alaska.

Christo rediscovered himself up north. Came back in the fall throwing fire — and controlling where it went.

“I’ve learned about myself as a pitcher and, even more than that, off the field,” Christo said. “Dealing with priorities. How to be in the best headspace to attack college baseball.”

Opening week — another yellow light. Christo’s fastball dipped to 90 on the radar gun. His slider took a commensurate drop. He didn’t seem right, didn’t start, and gave up two runs over two innings in the 7-6 loss to Oklahoma.

“Now he’s learned the fastball command part of his game,” Bolt said. “But he’s also a guy who, if he’s throwing 90, it’s not going to be as effective as 94.”

Between that appearance and the GCU series, the radar gun told Nebraska coaches good thing. So Christo got the ball, threw six strong innings that included four strikeouts, and got his first win of the year.

“I felt the arm was in good enough shape to do it,” Christo said, “so it was good to get an extended (appearance).”

Now he hopes to post another quality start against Cougars, a 7-0 squad that beat up on Marshall and Youngstown State in their opening two weekends. Charleston wins 73% of its games at home, Bolt said, and its hitters are patient, logging 58 walks — against just 40 strikeouts — so far this season.

Nebraska pitchers can’t be wild or unfocused. Suits Christo just fine. Bolt wants a “mentally tough” team that stays “very present” in its habits. Christo wants to be there whether he pitches one inning or six.

Of course, he’ll take the latter. That’s who he was at Elkhorn, and who he wants to be now for 4-3 Nebraska.

“That’s what I’ve been — I’ve been a starter,” Christo said. “That’s what I’m used to.”

* Brett Sears, Will Walsh and Caleb Clark are scheduled to start in games 2, 3, and 4 of the series. Along with Christo, it’s the same starting rotation as last week.

* Nebraska’s power hitter, Gabe Swansen, spent the last two games of the Grand Canyon series on the bench after striking out nine times in 13 at-bats. Bolt said Swansen, who hit .291 with 18 home runs last season, will likely return to the lineup.

“He’s great player, but sometimes you need to sit and watch a little bit and realize you’re making the game maybe a little bit harder than it needs to be,” Bolt said of Swansen, hitting .077 to start 2024. “So I’m hoping he gains some of that (insight) this weekend. We don’t need him to carry us. We just need him to be a cog in the wheel. Not the featured piece — because we’re not going to do it this year with one or two guys. It’s going to be a collective effort.”

* Though it’s early and RPIs fluctuate wildly, Nebraska’s tough early scheduling is helping its RPI. NU stands 16th nationally — second behind in the Big Ten behind Rutgers at 13th — according to WarrenNolan.com. Charleston’s RPI is 136.

* The vaunted pitching staff of preseason Big Ten favorite Iowa (3-4) struggled last week at the Jax College Baseball Classic, as the Hawkeyes lost 7-5 to Auburn, 12-9 to Virginia and 12-6 to Wichita State. The Huskers play at WSU on March 12 and 13. ​