Huskers Look to Put an End to Postseason Woes

Since junior reliever Robbie Palkert has been on the Nebraska baseball team, he’s played in four NCAA Tournament games. All four resulted in a loss. Palkert remembers the scenes. He watched as his teammates broke down into tears following those defeats.

This year though, Palkert and the rest of the Huskers (31-22) are determined not to disappoint in the tourney. “I don’t want that to happen (again),” Palkert told reporters at Haymarket Park. “That was such a crappy feeling.”

Last year, Nebraska didn’t even make the tournament. However this season, the Huskers have been on a roll of sorts that began about three weeks ago. Less than 24 hours after they took a drubbing to Arizona State, the Huskers turned around and won the second game of that series, 2-1. They also were victorious in game three to win the series against the Sun Devils.

Since then, the Huskers won their final regular season series against Michigan and made it all the way to the Big 10 Tournament title game. Although they lost the championship game to Ohio State, the Huskers feel they have momentum behind them.

“Everybody is playing for their lives. Everything is right in front of you, Palkert said. “We got a taste of what Omaha looks like with 17,000 people watching you… we’re all thirsting for that again.”

Nebraska’s road to redemption will begin with UConn (36-23) starting on Friday, a team that NU head coach Darin Erstad said shares a lot of similarities with the Huskers.

“Fielding percentage is similar, stolen bases is similar. Batting average, home runs, all that stuff,” Erstad said. “It’s two very scrappy teams going at it. They’re a two seed and deserve it.”

Although Nebraska has a tall task ahead of them; fortune could favor the Huskers, who will be playing at Brickyard Ballpark in downtown Oklahoma City this weekend, the site where Nebraska last won a conference tournament title game back in 2005.

“I didn’t get to play there but I’ve heard a lot about it and I know a lot about some of that magic in the building that the Husker baseball program has had,” Erstad said. “I’m hoping they left a little bit there that we can borrow.

The Huskers will play the Huskies for the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday. First pitch is set for noon. Coverage will begin at 11:30 on KLIN.

(Photo – Kenny Larabee)