LINCOLN With a doubleheader sweep of Northern Colorado Sunday at Haymarket Park, Nebraska ran its winning streak to eight games.
Not that Cornhuskers' coach Mike Anderson claimed to notice.
"Honestly, eight in a row means nothing and I mean that," Anderson said. "We're more focused on the process."
Nebraska (9-2) won the first game 3-2 on Craig Corriston's two-out RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning and then led 5-0 after two innings on its way to an 8-5 second-game victory.
The Huskers now have their longest winning streak since winning 12 in a row in April of 2006. After not having a four-game series sweep since 2005, Nebraska will try to sweep its second four-game set in a row when they host the Bears (5-7) at 1:35 p.m. Monday.
"We do feel good, no doubt," Corriston said. "Everything's going the right way right now, so that's a good feeling to have. We've just got to be ready for that time when things aren't going our way."
That applied to Corriston, who was batting .133 (2-for-15) when he delivered his game-winning single on a 3-2 count in game one.
"No matter who it is up there, we've got faith in all nine guys right now," Corriston said. "Hopefully it can stay like that the whole year. It's a good feeling."
Nebraska had to scratch out an opening-game victory after scoring just two runs in six innings against Northern Colorado starter Jon Klausing, a former Husker who actually graduated from NU last December. Nebraska scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth off reliever Sean Perry (1-2) as Mitch Abeita drew a leadoff walk, stole second with two out and scored on Corriston's single through the left side of the infield.
Northern Colorado coach Kevin Smallcomb was ejected from the game by home plate umpire Patrick Spieler soon after Abeita crossed home plate. Smallcomb had previously argued that Corriston should've been called out on a 2-2 pitch.
NU starter Dan Jennings pitched six strong innings, allowing two hits and two earned runs while striking out three and walking three. Mike Nesseth (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings to get the win and Erik Anderson threw a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save.
The Huskers had just three hits in the game, but drew nine walks off UNC pitching. Jake Opitz delivered a RBI groundout and Bryce Nimmo ha d a RBI single to give Nebraska a 2-0 lead in the third.
Game two followed a much different theme as Nebraska took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The inning included doubles by Cody Neer and Nick Sullivan. Neer also stole home in the frame.
Freshman David Stewart's leadoff homer the first of his career gave the Huskers a 5-0 advantage in the second. Stewart led off the fourth with a double and scored on DJ Belfote's single to center to make it 6-0 and Jake Opitz later singled home Belfonte for a 7-0 lead.
Ben Kline's RBI single in the fifth wrapped up Nebraska's scoring for the day as the Huskers went ahead 8-0.
NU starter and winner Thad Weber (2-1) started to run out of gas in the sixth. The Bears cut their deficit to 8-4 with a four-run outburst, highlighted by Kevin Sandberg's two-run homer to left-center field.
After Weber allowed another run and the Bears got the tying run to the plate in the seventh, Zach Herr came in to squelch the comeback bid. The left-hander allowed one hit and no runs over the final 2 2/3 innings, striking out six and walking none to earn his first save.
Herr now has 11 strikeouts and no walks in six innings this season. Nebraska's bullpen owns a streak of 22 consecutive scoreless innings pitched going back to the final game of the Stanford series on Feb. 24.
Anderson said he's liked the approach of all of Nebraska's pitchers so far and credited first-year pitching coach Eric Newman.
"So far, so good," Anderson said. "I like the attack and the mode that our pitchers have been in, that's for darn sure. I think they're throwing well and finding the strike zone a lot."
What exactly is that "mode?"
"Good rhythm, good pace, a lot of intent, a tremendous amount of purpose and pretty good knowledge of what their plan is," Anderson said. "Eric's done a great job. You can just see it in their body language and everything else.
"They may make a mistake, but when they do, they have the ability to get back up."
Belfonte, Optiz and Stewart led Nebraska's 11-hit attack with two hits apiece. Opitz finished with two RBIs.
Anderson, who had made several substitutions midway through game two, said he actually didn't mind that the Bears made a comeback.
"We're fortunate that it happened because we had five or six freshmen who were out there playing for something, instead of playing with a big lead or anything else," Anderson said. "At some point throughout this year, each of those kids are going to be counted on to produce, so the more you can kind of recreate that and have those situations, the better we are."
Game notes
& Fans with tickets from Friday's scheduled NU-UNC game that was postponed can use them for reserved seating for Monday's game. They can also use last Friday's ticket for general admission seating later in the season.
& Aaron Pribanic (1-0, 1.86 ERA) is scheduled to start the final game of the series for Nebraska. He will be opposed by UNC's T.R. Keating (2-0, 3.00 ERA).
& NU's Jennings has allowed just six hits over 15 2/3 innings this season.
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