Husker Corner
Fansided

Nebraska Baseball: Despite the end result, 2019 season was a wild ride

By Danny Jaillet

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 31: Nebraska pitcher (18) Nate Fisher throws a pitch during the NCAA Division I Championship Oklahoma Regionals game between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the UCONN Huskies on May 31,2019, at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, OK. (Photo by Torrey Purvey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 31: Nebraska pitcher (18) Nate Fisher throws a pitch during the NCAA Division I Championship Oklahoma Regionals game between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the UCONN Huskies on May 31,2019, at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, OK. (Photo by Torrey Purvey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Thank  you for the fun, Nebraska Baseball.

It’s hard to deny the success that Nebraska Baseball has had this season. Even with the loss to the University of Connecticut Sunday afternoon, there is still a lot to be proud of. Although some fans may want Darin Erstad fired, there is no doubt that the program is farther than they were a year ago.

After going 24-28 last year, they went 32-24 this year. When you compare last year’s 8-14 in-conference record to their 15-9 in-conference record this year, there is certainly a world of difference between those two. There were many successful moments this season, most notably getting to the Big Ten Championship Game. This was a year of runs. One big run in the middle of the season in particular helped Nebraska get to this point.

More from Husker Corner

There are many things to feel good about for next year. For one, sophomore slugging outfielder Aaron Palensky will be back next year. He had a great year, batting. 322 with six home runs and 32 runs batted in. His 30 walks also made him a viable threat to get on-base. He should be able to lead the charge next year.

The situation with the Nebraska Baseball pitching staff is a bit more tricky. Matt Waldron, Nate Fisher, and Reece Eddins will all be gone from the team. They accounted for 15 of the Nebraska baseball wins in 2019. Those will not be easy to replace. Junior Robbie Palkert could help fill the void left by the trio. He had six wins on the year, and really showed his effectiveness in the key situations. Erstad and his staff are going to have to do a good job of recruiting, as they look to replace those holes on the roster.

Although the end result is not what we wanted, there was certainly a lot to be excited about this season. Nebraska Baseball showed that they could put together a winning season. Although Erstad made some head-scratching decisions at the end of Sunday’s game, there is no reason why he should be fired. I truly believe that this program is on the upswing. Although next year may have some bumps, they still should be able to field a solid program.

Thank you for the ride, Nebraska Baseball. It was fun while it lasted, and it gave us something to be excited about in the doldrums of the summer. I cannot wait for the start of next season and it will be interesting to see how focused and determined the players are for 2020.

Home/Nebraska Baseball