Howell comes through as Huskers win season opener

With its most experienced starter, Derek Burkamper, suspended for a violation of team rules, Nebraska asked Colton Howell, a converted reliever with no starting experience, to start the team's season opener at College of Charleston, a club that went 45-15 and made a regional in 2015.

It was a tall task, but one that Howell proved more than capable of handling.

The senior gave Nebraska five shutout innings, the Huskers broke through some early struggles at the plate and NU won its third straight opener with a 4-0 victory.

"We talked to our guys about finding out just how good this group of guys can be," coach Darin Erstad said during his postgame appearance on the Husker Sports Network. "They showed promise tonight, but we've got so far to go. We could have scored a lot more runs tonight, but I did like that they didn't get frustrated by a couple of calls and they didn't get frustrated when we didn't score early in the game.

Howell was on point from the get-go, keeping the Cougars off the base paths until the third inning. Overall, Howell allowed just one hit and struck out four.

A career reliever, he appeared to tire near the end of his outing, walking two batters with one out in the fifth. But Howell recovered with a fly out to left and a strikeout looking to keep College of Charleston off the board. With 82 pitches, Howell allowed just three base runners in his debut.

"I liked how he held his stuff," Erstad said. "He got a little sideways in the fifth - he was getting a little leaky with his mechanics. But he found a way to keep throwing and he just has to build on that."

Jeff Chesnut and Chad Luensmann, a true freshman making his first appearance, took care of rest after Howell exited, allowing a combined four base runners over the final four innings to preserve the win.

The Cougars were able to manage just two hits against NU's hurlers and the Nebraska defense didn't commit any errors.

The Huskers' offense wasn't quite as dominant, but it came through when it needed to. Though Nebraska knocked out 10 hits, it was just 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight men on base.

But the Huskers finally broke through in the seventh. Luis Alvarado and Elijah Dilday led off the frame with singles, then the Cougar pitcher threw away a Taylor Fish bunt attempt that allowed Alvarado to score. After Steven Reveles struck out, Jake Meyers knocked Dilday in with a single.

Then in the eighth Fish brought Scott Schreiber home with a double and Alvarado, standing on third, alerting noticed the second baseman bobble the relay throw and scored to provide the final margin.

The Huskers and Cougars will meet again Saturday at 1:30 p.m. before Sunday's series finale at 10 a.m.

"We've got to reset and we've got to earn it tomorrow because we know that's a pretty good team," Erstad said.

***Third baseman Luis Alvarado: The sophomore has arguably as much potential as anyone on the team (maybe outside of Ryan Boldt) and he looks like he could be in for a big season. Alvarado had three hits in four at-bats, scored twice and seemed comfortable at third base, his new position.

***Catcher Taylor Fish: After Tanner Lubach graduated, it appeared the job would be handed off to exciting freshman Jesse Wilkening. But Fish, as he's done his whole career, just keeps surprising. The senior went 2-for-3 with a double and, though he was only credited with one RBI, three of NU's four runs came in when he was at the plate.

***Second baseman Jake Schleppenbach came out of the game late after he appeared to hurt his hand on a bunt attempt. Jake Placzek replaced him in the field. Erstad didn't comment on Schleppenbach's status after the game.

***Alvarado extended his hitting streak to 10 games dating back to last season with a single in the fourth.

***Meyers' double in the third inning was the first extra-base hit of his career.

***Boldt and Ben Miller, Nebraska's No. 2 and 3 hitters, combined to 0-for-9 and left five runners on base.