Coming into the 2009 season, both Creighton and Nebraska fans had high hopes for their baseball programs. Nebraska was coming off yet another 40-win season and a regional appearance, while Creighton won 38 games.
Then the season began, and almost immediately, it became apparent one group of fans was going to be sadly disappointed. I don’t think anyone knew just how divergent the two teams’ paths would become.
Nebraska has posted its worst season in over a decade under head coach Mike Anderson, and currently resides in the cellar of the Big 12, after spending the 2000’s as a perennial contender for the conference crown.
Anderson’s seat is officially getting hotter after losing two of three over the weekend to first-year program Cal State Bakersfield, which came into the weekend 9-32. The Huskers’ pitching has been abysmal, ranking dead last in the conference, with a 6.46 ERA overall, and an 8.10 ERA in conference.
That’s hardly their only problem, though. Nebraska also ranks ninth in the 10-team league in team batting average at .277. It’s been a season Anderson and his team -- and surely the Nebraska fans -- would love to pretend didn’t happen as the two losses to CSB guaranteed a losing season for the first time in Anderson’s tenure.
Creighton on the other hand was, until this past weekend, atop the Missouri Valley conference standings and looking like a shoo-in to make their first NCAA tournament appearance since the 2005 season.
The Bluejays are ranked second in team batting, posting a .301 average, and are third in Missouri Valley games, with a .287 mark. Likewise, in the pitching department, head coach Ed Servais has his team first overall, and second in conference games in team ERA.
Despite getting swept by Missouri State and falling out of first place, the Bluejays still have an outside shot at winning their conference’s regular season title. Even if they don’t, Creighton knows that its team will be formidable once the conference tournament rolls around, and that a regional appearance is not out of the realm of possibility.
Nebraska knows that when it finishes it’s regular season with one game against Creighton and three against Baylor that it’s season will truly be over. Nebraska has already been eliminated from even attending the Big 12 Tournament, and has no hopes for an invite to the regionals.
Comments
I'm going to have to disagree. While this certaintly isn't the season Husker fans had hoped for, Nebraska will be much better than Creighton in the near future. The Huskers are extremely young and have good talent coming in. They won't be a national power again yet next season, but will definitely be greatly improved. The teams freshman will get playing time over the last week, which will only benefit the team going into next year. It's a down year for the Valley.
Baseball fan, I don't doubt that at some point Nebraska will be better than Creighton again, better facilities, and more exposure will see to that, but right now, Creighton is trending upwards, while NU is trending down
The Valley is not a good conference this season and Nebraska is FULL of freshman. Cooper will be a stud in the years to come, along with many of the other young players. , If you remember correctly, Nebraska was very down a few years ago, the very next season they were top 3 in the Big 12 and the year after that top 5 in the nation. One bad year in which the team lost their entire staff doesn't mean they are "trending down" it means they had to rebuild from a stacked team.. huge difference
I'm assuming the year Nebraska was very down you're talking about is the 2003 season, when they still won 36 games. They haven't seen a season like this, since 1996. I hope the team bounces back next season, but I'm not sure I see that happening until Anderson is gone
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