Colleges

Cornhuskers earn first Series win

By wire services
Published June 18, 2005

OMAHA, Neb. - A year ago, Joba Chamberlain was pitching for an American Legion team in Lincoln, Neb., after posting a losing record for Division II Nebraska-Kearney.

Friday, he allowed five hits in seven innings and Ryan Wehrle hit a two-run single, rallying Nebraska to its first College World Series win 5-3 over Arizona State.

The Cornhuskers (57-13) enjoyed the homefield advantage that comes with playing 58 miles from their Lincoln campus. They were a combined 0-4 in their only other Series appearances, in 2001 and 2002.

Chamberlain, 19, whose first name is pronounced "Jaw-buh," grew up in Lincoln in the shadows of the university and dreamed of pitching for the Cornhuskers.

However, he weighed 275 pounds coming out of high school and wasn't pursued by any major colleges. He went 3-6 with a 5.23 ERA for Nebraska-Kearney.

Chamberlain, at the urging of his father, Harlan, called Nebraska coach Mike Anderson last summer and asked for a chance. Chamberlain vowed to lose weight, and that's all Anderson needed to hear.

Kearney allowed Chamberlain to leave, and he went to work to develop a fastball clocked in the low 90s and a wicked slider that helped him go 9-2 with a 2.74 ERA and earn newcomer of the year in the Big 12.

In the NCAA Tournament, he got a no-decision in an 8-6 region win over Illinois-Chicago, then shut down Miami 3-1 in Game 1 of the super region.

Friday, Chamberlain allowed a run in the second and two in the sixth before giving way to Zach Kroenke in the eighth. Chamberlain walked three and struck out four. Brett Jensen pitched the final 12/3 innings for his 16th save.

Zechry Zinicola (3-4) took over for Sun Devils starter Jason Urquidez at the start of the third and held Nebraska hitless until Andy Gerch singled to lead off the sixth. Zinicola then walked Ryan Bohanan and hit Daniel Bruce, loading the bases with no outs.

Brett Bordes came on, and Wehrle sent his first pitch up the middle for a two-run single that put Nebraska in front 4-3. Wehrle scored on Jeff Christy's single down the rightfield line.

The Huskers scored twice in the first inning, adding to the buzz of the charged-up "Sea of Red" crowd of 24,904.

Joe Simokaitis singled and scored on Curtis Ledbetter's hit up the middle.

Ledbetter scored when rightfielder Travis Buck, the A's first-round supplemental draft pick, lost Bohanan's fly ball in the sun and the ball glanced off his glove for an error.

The Sun Devils got a run back with two outs in the second on Joey Hooft's double.

Chamberlain retired 10 in a row before walking Andrew Romine leading off the Sun Devils' two-run sixth. Jeff Larish followed with a bloop single, and the runners advanced on Buck's sacrifice.

Chamberlain issued an intentional walk to Colin Curtis, loading the bases. Tuffy Gosewisch followed with a two-run double into the gap in right-center. Curtis was thrown out at the plate.

[Last modified June 18, 2005, 00:45:19]