LINCOLN — The Nebraska baseball schedule for 2010 is out, and it's not one that appears well suited for a team in transition.

But after the recent conclusion of fall practice, that's just what the Huskers are — a team in transition.

NU opens Feb. 19 with a four-game series at 2008 national champion Fresno State, followed by trips to powerhouse Rice for a four-team tournament and UCLA for a three-game series. The Huskers begin Big 12 play at Texas March 19.

The schedule, released Wednesday, includes 31 of 54 games against teams that played in the NCAA postseason last spring.

“It's grueling,” coach Mike Anderson said. “It's going to be tough.”

Nebraska finished 25-28-1 last year and last in the Big 12, missing the NCAA regional round for the second time in 11 seasons. It returns the bulk of production from that club and received an infusion of talent this fall from 21 newcomers who make up more than half of the NU roster.

“I'm really pleased with our young guys,” the coach said. “I can't say enough about them. I love them. I love what I think our pitching staff has the potential to do, and I really like our new position players a lot.

“We have young talent. We have young guys who can do some things, but we can't expect them to win games for us early.”

Help has arrived for the pitching staff, which posted a 6.22 ERA last spring and struggled to account for heavy losses to the professional draft in 2007 and 2008.

Newcomers Kurt Giller, Ryan Hander, Tom Lemke — all freshmen — and transfer Chase Adams pitched well in the fall. Mike Nesseth, Casey Hauptman and Sean Yost return to help anchor the group.

The Huskers rested Yost in the fall. Nesseth, after shifting between the starting rotation and the bullpen last season as a sophomore, is set to serve as the Nebraska closer in the spring.

“We came into this fall with a chip on our shoulder, the returning guys, because last season wasn't very good for us,” said junior right-hander Michael Mariot, who started eight games last spring and finished 2-2 with a 7.06 ERA. “We came in with a lot of intensity. Everybody's been pushing hard.”

Anderson said he likes to hear that the Huskers are out to prove something, but the coach doesn't buy the talk until he sees more proof on the diamond.

“That's something that has to be developed,” Anderson said. “It's one thing to say you're going to play with a chip on your shoulder, but we've got until Feb. 19 to get there. I do hope they develop that, but it's something we have to create. And I don't think it's been created yet.”

Seniors DJ Belfonte and Adam Bailey in the outfield and infielders Kyle Bubak and Tyler Farst figure to play leadership roles. Bailey did not practice in the fall, in addition to sophomore pitcher Kash Kalkowski.

Kalkowski is recovering from a shoulder injury that could limit his availability in the spring. Senior pitcher Erik Anderson is likely out for the year, and recurring shoulder problems have indefinitely shelved redshirt freshman pitcher Nick Ludemann, an Omaha Creighton Prep graduate.

Still, the expanded roster has extra competition.

“For sure,” said catcher Patric Tolentino, a junior college transfer who collected five hits in 12 at-bats during the Red-White series. “It's been fun. We have fun with the competition. It all starts with the leaders and the older guys. They set the tone. The way I see it, we're going to have a stacked team.”

Contact the writer:

402-473-9587, mitch.sherman@owh.com

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