HuskerConnection Player/Pitcher of the Week

Week 1 Results (3-0): 2-20-04 vs. Northwestern: NU 19 NW 3 2-21-04 vs. New Mexico: NU 12 NM 8 2-22-04 vs. Kent State: NU 22 KS 9

PLAYER	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	AVG	OBP	SLG
OF Daniel Bruce	3	13	8	6	0	0	3	9	1	3	2	.462	.533	1.154
CURRENT ’04 STATS	3	13	8	6	0	0	3	9	1	3	2	.462	.533	1.154
Comments: Daniel Bruce didn’t waste any time in piling up the numbers in this weekends action. All he did was hit a 3-run home run in his first at-bat of the tournament and didn’t let up from there. He went on hit 2 more home runs during the remainder of the weekend and drove in 9 runs in the 3 games total. Bruce’s 8 runs scored on the weekend also tied for the team lead for Jake Mullinax. Also led the team with 2 stolen bases in the 3 games. His obscene slugging percentage also led the team and had a stellar week in the outfield as well with where he was perfect on 5 chances. Not much Daniel didn’t get done this weekend when you look at the all the numbers. Looks like time put in during the summer/fall has really paid off for not only Daniel, but the entire team. At this point in the season the pitching is usually pretty far ahead of the hitting, but that didn’t seem to be the case for the Huskers. They might not have been facing Rice, Texass, and USC this weekend, but to put up those kinds of offensive numbers in weekend 1 is pretty darn rare. Scary thing is that Curtis Ledbetter really didn’t break loose yet at the plate. Hit some balls hard, but seemed a little anxious in the early goings and topped a few balls to the left side, which is understandable. There really doesn’t seem to be any weaknesses in this lineup from top to bottom. Boyer looked ‘prototypical’ at the top of the lineup. Mullinax is primed for a big year, Gordon is all world and then some at the plate. When you have very good hitters like Bruce, Steele, Keith, Simokaitis, etc. down in the 7-8-9 slots in the order, you know your lineup is going to be a very productive one.

PITCHER	G	IP	W	L	SV	H	HR	ER	BB	SO	ERA	OBA
LHP ZACH KROENKE	1	6.1	1	0	0	6	0	0	1	11	0.0	.231
CURRENT ’04 STATS	1	6.1	1	0	0	6	0	0	1	11	0.00	.231
Comments: Zach Kroenke picked up where he left off last season, throwing a ‘gem’ in the opening game of the season for the Huskers. Kroenke busted on the scene in ’03 with an impressive first season going 5-2 with a 2.72 ERA and holding opponents to just a .239 batting average. Zack also pitched a complete game in a Regional win over Eastern Michigan, the first complete game by an NU freshman since ’00. He has been praised by Associate Head Coach/Pitching Coach Rob Childress for his work this past off-season in learning how to get better command of his pitches and using the entire strike zone. He has a plan on the mound and he seems to be a battler. A ‘bulldog’ mentality as they say on the mound. He shows very good maturity on the mound for a younger pitcher and doesn’t get rattled. The sky is definitely the limit for Kroenke this season and he looks to be a fixture in the weekend rotation for NU this season.