May 11, 2007

Baseball Records Historic Win

Swearer, Keeble Big at the Plate; Seefus, Hovdestad Big on the Mound

      Kearney, Neb. –   Sophomore Ryan Seefus threw six strong innings and fellow sophomore Nate Swearer went 4 for 5 to lead the Nebraska-Kearney baseball team to an 11-5 win over Mesa State in the RMAC Tournament Friday afternoon in Grand Junction, Colo.

       This is the first time in school history UNK has won two games in an RMAC Tournament. The victory also allows the Lopers (30-22) to reach the 30 win mark for only the third time in school history. The other two times were in 1990 (30-24) and 1981 (37-25).

      Finally, UNK eliminates the nationally-ranked Mavericks (46-12) on their home field and continues on in the tournament.

      The Lopers will play New Mexico Highlands Saturday at 1:00 p.m. CST. The Cowboys face Metro State tonight in the final game of the day. If Highlands wins, the Roadrunners are eliminated and the Lopers and Cowboys are the only two teams left in the tourney.

       In this case, UNK would have to beat HU twice to win the tourney title. If Metro wins tonight, the Loper-Cowboy winner would then face Metro tomorrow afternoon for the title.

     Today, UNK jumped out to a 4-2 lead by scoring four runs after two were out in the fourth. Junior catcher Griff Watson (Omaha North) had an RBI single and then junior shortstop Tyler Keeble (3 for 4, three runs) hit a two run homer to dead center field.

     This was Keeble’s first homer of the year and first as a Loper.

     Mesa quickly responded, tying the game in the bottom of the inning on a solo homer and run scoring double. The Mavs then moved ahead in the sixth when, with two outs, Chandler Herdt walked, stole second and scored on a single from Blaine Bernades.

     UNK took the lead for good with a four run seventh. After tying the game on a Mesa error, senior Cody Lusero (Papillion-LaVista) hit a double to give the Lopers the lead. Swearer then stroked his sixth homer of the year, a two run shot, to increase the UNK advantage.

     The lead only grew with a three run ninth that featured a two run double from Gretna junior Joe Nowaczyk.

      Seefus (Blair) moved to 2-0 by allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks in six full innings. Senior southpaw Cody Hovdestad (Swift Current, Sasak.) earned his second save by throwing three scoreless innings of relief.

      He capped the big win by strikeout out the side in the ninth.  

       Finally for the Lopers, Lincoln sophomore Brad Hull went 2 for 4 with two runs scored and Colorado senior Ryan Bucher was 2 for 4.  

Pictured below are Swearer and Hovdestad.