CNT Sports // Baseball & Softball // NRG CN
KEARNEY BASEBALL HOSTS LINCOLN NORTHEAST:
The Kearney Baseball team returns back to Memorial Field after nearly a two-week road trip hosting Lincoln Northeast today.
The Bearcats (4-6) aim to snap their four-game losing skid as they battle the Rockets (1-10). First pitch is scheduled for 4 PM.
KGFW’s pregame coverage begins at 3:45 PM on 1340 KGFW, 96.1 FM, on the free KGFW mobile app, and online at KGFW.com. Join Austin Jacobsen for the action.
HUSKER BASEBALL WIN STREAK SNAPPED AT CREIGHTON:
Nebraska suffered a 5-3 setback at Creighton on Tuesday, ending the nation’s second-longest active win streak at 10 games.
Nebraska (20-6) scored three runs on seven hits and two errors, while Creighton (21-4) totaled five runs on 11 hits and two errors.
Cayden Brumbaugh and Riley Silva led the Big Red at the plate with two hits each, combining to score all three runs.
Nebraska returns home for a three-game conference series this weekend with Ohio State on Friday-Sunday, April 5-7 at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park. First pitch of Friday’s series opener between the Huskers and Buckeyes is set for 6:05 p.m.
NEBRASKA SOFTBALL TAKES DOWN KANSAS:
Emmerson Cope and Kaylin Kinney combined on a six-hit shutout to lead the Nebraska softball team to a 4-0 victory over Kansas on Tuesday at Bowlin Stadium.
Cope (2-0) started and scattered five hits over a career-long 4.1 innings. Kinney then came in and picked up her third save with 2.2 shutout innings of relief.
Nebraska remains home this weekend when the Huskers host Penn State for a three-game series on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
LOPER FRESHMAN OURADA NAMED ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:
Redshirt freshman Zach Ourada has been named the NCAA Division II Rookie of the Year by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA).
A vote of D2 coaches selects this award along with the National Wrestler of the Year. That went to Ty McGeary of West Liberty (W.V.).
Ourada (Omaha Skutt), also tabbed as the Top Rookie in Super Region VI, finished fifth at 125-pounds at the NCAA Division II Championships last month in Wichita. He went 25-7 on the season, winning a regional title and earning first-team All-MIAA honors.
LOPER SOFTBALL MOVES UP MIAA HOME WEEKEND:
The start of a 12-game home stand will begin earlier for Nebraska-Kearney as games against Washburn and Emporia State have been moved up a full day due to impending poor weather this weekend.
UNK will now face #24 Washburn (30-10, 11-5) on Thursday (April 4) at 12 and 2 p.m. with the double header against the Hornets (24-15, 8-8) starting at 1 p.m. on Friday (April 5). The games were originally set for Friday and Saturday at the same times.
FERGUSON TAKES MIAA CO-ATHLETE OF THE WEEK HONOR:
The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced its second men’s track and field athletes of the week for 2024 outdoor season.
UNK Track & Field’s Wes Ferguson took the co-athlete of the week for his performance at the Central Nebraska Challenge this past weekend.
In his first action since winning the 800-meter title at the 2024 NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships, Wes Ferguson placed first in the 800-meter with the top Division II time so far this season (1:47.78). The effort was nearly six seconds faster than the runner-up.
This is Ferguson’s second weekly honor of the season, earning the week three indoor season honor.
Rylan Basart was also named to the honorable mention list.
TOMINAGA TABBED FOR ALL-STAR GAME:
Nebraska senior guard Keisei Tominaga will continue a busy week on Friday, as he was selected to play in the Reese’s NABC All-Star Game.
The game takes place this Friday, April 5, at 5:30 p.m. (central) at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., as part of Final Four Friday. The game will be televised on the CBS Sports Network.
The game is a showcase for college seniors, and Tominaga is the eighth Husker player or coach to participate in the NABC All-Star game. He is the second Husker in as many years to earn the honor, as Derrick Walker played in the 2023 event.
Tominaga enjoyed his best season in 2023-24, averaging 15.1 points per game while posting career highs in nearly every offensive category en route to second-team All-Big Ten honors.
LOPER GOLF TAKES NEWMAN INVITE:
Senior Allison Comer earned medalist honors to help Nebraska-Kearney win the Newman Spring Invitational Tuesday afternoon in Newton, Kan.
UNK had rounds of 297 and 316 (613 total) to hold off Augustana (619) and Missouri Western (621). The 613 is tied for 10th best 36-hole tally in school history. In the most recent NCAA Scoreboard rankings, Augie is 38th, UNK 60th and Mo West 61st.
The Lopers finish up the regular season April 15-16 at the Wayne Invite.
LOPER MEN’S BASKETBALL NAMES ALUM LEVINSON AS NEXT HEAD COACH:
Marty Levinson has been hired as head men’s basketball coach at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Director of Athletics Marc Bauer announced today.
UNK will formally introduce Levinson on April 5 (Friday) at 9 a.m. in the Health & Sports Center. He begins his duties immediately.
Levinson, 42, is no stranger to Nebraska or UNK men’s basketball. The Grand Island native is a Bellevue West High School and UNK graduate, played high school, college, and professional basketball in the state, and held coaching positions at Grand Island Central Catholic, UNK, Central C.C.-Columbus, and assisted with Everything to Gain (ETG), one of the top AAU programs in Nebraska.
Having worked at the collegiate level for the past 17 years, Levinson has been a successful head coach at Central C.C. (2012-14), Southern Arkansas University Tech (2018-23) and Trinity Valley, Texas (2023-24). He was the first-ever coach in SAU Tech history, building the program up from the ground floor.
Levinson has amassed a career record of 191-94 (.670 winning pct.), been named District Coach of the Year five times and Region C.O.Y on four occasions.
NEBRASKA FOOTBALL TUESDAY PRESS CONFERENCE COMMENTS – TONY WHITE:
WHITE – GOOD MIXTURE SETTING EARLY STANDARDS:
Defensive Coordinator for Nebraska Football Tony White spoke at Tuesday’s spring practice, saying he’s happy with the standard being set by returning starters and rising stars on his defense…
Nebraska had key returnees Ty Robinson, Nash Hutmacher, and Isaac Gifford announce returns for the Big Red this offseason.
WHITE – DEFENSE HAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED MUCH YET:
Tony White, Nebraska Football defensive coordinator, addressed the media after Tuesday’s spring practice and stated he has reiterated the same message to his team; there is more work to do…
Nebraska’s defense made a significant leap in improvement from 2022 to last season, but the Huskers failed to reach a bowl game for the seventh consecutive season.
WHITE – DEFENSIVE BACKS STANDING OUT:
Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White was asked after Tuesday’s spring practice what defensive backs were standing out so far…
White’s 3-3-5 defense gave Big Ten offenses fits last season, as Nebraska does return key starters Tommi Hill and Isaac Gifford after losing Quentin Newsome and Omar Brown.
WHITE – VERSATILE DEFENSIVE LINE:
Tony White spoke to the media on Tuesday and was happy with the early signs of Nebraska’s defensive line showing versatility in the first few practices of spring ball…
The Huskers return Ty Robinson, Nash Hutmacher, Cameron Lenhardt, and others who garnered experience after last year’s 5-7 finish.
WHITE – GAMEDAY ATMOSPHERE AT PRACTICES:
The Nebraska defense has been flying around early according to defensive coordinator Tony White, as the second-year Husker coach said the energy has been high from the opening practices…
The Huskers continue their march to their April 27 Red-White Spring Game.
Buffalo County Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN BUFFALO COUNTY SPORTS:
TUESDAY:
High School Sports:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Girls Tennis: v. North Platte Dual @ Harmon Park – Kearney 9-0 North Platte
- Girls Soccer: @ Norfolk @ Veterans Park/Memorial Field – Kearney 1-0 Norfolk
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Girls Soccer: @ Aurora – Kearney Catholic 3-0 Aurora
- Boys Soccer: @ Aurora – Aurora 3-2 Kearney Catholic
- AMHERST:
- Girls Soccer: @ Aurora – Kearney Catholic 3-0 Aurora
- Boys Soccer: @ Aurora – Aurora 3-2 Kearney Catholic
- GIBBON:
- Girls Soccer: @ Aurora – Kearney Catholic 3-0 Aurora
- Boys Soccer: @ Aurora – Aurora 3-2 Kearney Catholic
- NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS:
- Softball: v. Kansas @ Bowlin Stadium – Nebraska 4-0 Kansas
- Baseball: @ Creighton – Creighton 5-3 Nebraska
WEDNESDAY:
High School Sports:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Baseball: v. Lincoln Northeast @ Memorial Field – 4 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 3:45 PM
- Baseball: v. Lincoln Northeast @ Memorial Field – 4 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Baseball: v. Lincoln Northeast @ Memorial Field – 4 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 3:45 PM
- Baseball: v. Lincoln Northeast @ Memorial Field – 4 PM
College Athletics:
- HASTINGS COLLEGE BRONCOS:
- Women’s Golf: @ Bulldog Spring Invite @ Lincoln, NE
- Men’s Tennis: v. Midland – 12 PM
- Softball: v. Concordia – 4 PM
- Women’s Tennis: v. Midland – 4 PM
- Softball: v. Concordia – 6 PM
KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney Baseball v. Lincoln Northeast (3:45 PM – 6:45 PM)
- Sports Nightly (6:45 PM – 8 PM)
