Mason McConnaughey lost for the season? Terrible. Weekend series at the Frisco Baseball Classic? Not so good. Two midweek games leading up to the Big Ten-opening series against Washington? Victims of weather — one postponed, the other cancelled.
Such has been the case for the Nebraska baseball team.
There has been a positive for the Huskers, however. Devin Nunez was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for his play in Frisco, Texas. In three games, Nunez was 7-for-14 with an inside-the-park home run, three runs batted in and four runs scored.
His on-base percentage was .533, his slugging percentage .714.
Nunez, from Navasota, Texas, started the three games as the designated hitter, after starting the last game in Louisiana, also as the DH. He was 2-for-3 with a home run in that series.
He’s hitting .500 for the season.
Coach Will Bolt talked about Nunez before the Texas trip. “You’re thankful for your opportunity and you just want to go out there and help the team, that good things can happen for anybody,” Bolt said. “And that’s kind of the frame of mind he’s in.”
Nunez, an infielder, was 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter the opening weekend. But he was prepared and took advantage of the opportunity when it came.
“He had an awesome preseason for us,” said Bolt. “I mean, he was probably one of our top guys consistently, which is why you’ve seen him have an early chance at this deal, even being a freshman on a veteran team. I think just him stepping right up his first at-bat (at Louisiana).
“He was just ready to go. He was consistently ready to hit and that was impressive to see for a guy that … just getting in there for the first time, getting his first start, not timid.”
Nunez is the Huskers’ only freshman listed as a position player.
“Again, it’s not like guys around him were doing a lot to give him confidence in the box,” said Bolt. “He just did it. He got up there and was ready to hit.”
Nebraska is hitting .240 as a team, with 135 strikeouts and 33 walks. The Huskers have been hit-by-pitch 15 times. Nunez has struck out four times and walked twice, with one HBP.
“He’s very, very twitchy, (a) quick-twitch athlete,” Bolt said. “He could drive the ball, obviously, out of the ballpark.”
Nunez is listed at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds.
He’s a “great runner down the (first-base) line, which means he’s going to run 4.1 (seconds) or better, just about every time. He can steal bases, (and is) just kind of sneaky strong,” said Bolt. “He brings that real element to where he can make a late decision on a swing and still get the barrel to it.
“And that’s what good hitters do.”
That’s what a Big Ten Freshman of the Week does.
Other notes:
- Despite the 4-6 start, Nebraska was among others receiving votes in this week’s National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll.
- Will Jesske, who, like Nunez, has four starts in seven appearances, is the only other Husker hitting over .300. He’s hitting .316 with 19 official at-bats, two doubles and a triple.
- Washington comes to Lincoln this weekend with a 5-8 record. With cold temperatures projected, Friday’s opener has been pushed back to make a double-header on Saturday, with first pitch set for 1 p.m. CT. Game three of the series will start at noon Sunday.
