1-on-1 with DP – 93.7 The Ticket KNTK - Huskers lose, but lets talk about why? - June 1st, 2026 - 11:00am

Episode Date: June 1, 2026

Huskers lose, but lets talk about why?Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It's time to go one-on-one with D.P. Coming at you live from the heart of Lincoln America, a 93-7-the-ticket and the Ticketfm.com. Sponsored by the Downtown Lincoln Foundation. Here is your host, Derek Pearson. Surprise. No DP instead. It's time number two for me, Jake Swornes with my man Rudy, Chris. Rudy, what up, man?

Nothing much. I mean, just finish up the drive. So that was, that's always fun with AD. obviously no Nick Sainter. This is coming back from Oklahoma City right now. Yes. No, it's been a good day so far.

How are you doing? I'm all right, man. We've got a lot to get to this hour. I've got a lot of things in my mind. We did not get to an early break that I will talk to you as a baseball guy about your thoughts on that. But pleasure to be here. D.P. out. He'll be back again tomorrow.

We've got, you know, we got guys out on vacation. Austin's gone. Nick's on those back from OKC as you mentioned there. So it's vacation time. We've got to try to make things work here. And, Bob, of course, dealing something today. He'll be back here shortly.

but gorgeous day. Going to be in the high 80s today in Lincoln. It was great to see Lincoln just packed this weekend with fans from Ole Miss and Arizona State and South Dakota State. Of course, Nebraska fans, we had the regional here. But quick shout before we get to that,

not Bach, Rudy. Maybe you just saying Bach over there. We had our friends a half hour ago stop in from Matt Talbot Kitchen and Outreach. Lori came by who, again, did an unbelievable job last Thursday for Give the Lincoln Day. And she brought us a gift. I'm like, I'm thanking you, Lori.

You guys were incredible to the ticket. We had late Nate Lenger that day. We had Jason Peter. We had a variety of Troy Danin off the bat at Matt Talbot. So we thank you, Lori and the team at Matt Talbot for your services also. And, you know, going back before that, Rudy, you and I had a battle at Cedars. We were there in the morning part of Gibs and Lincoln Day last Thursday. And you and I were on two on two.

and we took you down. Yeah. You tried to defend me. It just didn't work out, man. It was the height, the height difference. That's all it came down to. My defense was good, but I was just not good enough. I've been known to be a soaring giant at 6.1.

It was not. It was some towering. Yeah, it was not fun. But it's all right. It was close. What I was, I guess, upset about at myself was, I think that's the first day of my life I have felt 35 years old. Like 35, you think about a professional.

It's NBA or MBA. They're like, oh, your time's almost done. I'm obviously not that type of athlete. I'm not really an athlete at all. But like we played for, I don't know, 20 minutes in that game. And I was huffing and puffing the whole time. And I don't think I'm like that out of shape, but I guess I am that out of shape.

Yeah, it is. Basketball is a very tiring sport because really you're, even when you're not doing anything, you're still moving the entire time. It's even in pickup basketball. It's not, yeah, I'm not a fan. That's why I play baseball. To be fair.

I did notice that you and Peyton, who were both recent college athletes, were also huffing and puffing to a certain extent. So I wasn't like it was just me out of shape. Also, I had brand new shoes and I'm sliding over the floor. I'm like, why am I sliding here? I got great shoes. I don't know if it's just me or what was going on,

but it was a fun day. And you were happy to help out and certainly thankful for everybody involved that donated to that day. It was incredible. Almost $11 million. Rudy was brought in across the city for all the organizations. So Lincoln, the generosity is just getting better and better. And these nonprofits thrive because of you.

So thank you, listeners. Thank you, Matt. Talwood, thank you, Cedars. Thank you, Nebraska Children and Families Foundation also for working with us and Team Jack and Bright Lights for having some ads. And remarkable day, remarkable day. But I have to address something off the bat, Rudy, because you are a baseball player, an expert, a guru, a fan.

And there's something, we will praise everything from the weekend and a second. But before that, I am not a baseball purist. I do love the sport. I'm a golfer. I'm a tennis player. I love watching. You know, the Royals have been so bad this year. I just, you know, I just, I can't watch them.

But there is something that happened in the first game for Nebraska on Friday that I have seen before. And before I start this, this is not a criticism of at all of anybody. involved. It's not a Will Bolt criticism or Harvail, our children. I've seen this before, not just at Nebraska. And I don't understand it, Rudy. So let's go back. I believe it's the seventh inning. Things were getting dicey for Nebraska in the game against South Dakota State. Okay. Carson Yasa, who was excellent, gets into trouble in the second, in the seventh inning. And that any, by the way, there is two outs

that happened at home. Doesn't happen very often. You get two outs at home on tagouts. But Carson Yossu is starting to get up in his pitch count, Rudy, and he gets to 2-0 in a count and they pull him at 2-0. Now, I am again, not a baseball

Pierce. I have watched, I don't watch it as close as you or play it at your level. And again, this is not an attack at anybody involved in Nebraska because I've seen this before across baseball. I don't understand ever pulling a pitcher mid-count. Imagine

Jason Unger came in that count, by the way, and then through two strikes that count, you're coming behind the eight ball, 2-0. Am I crazy for driving me, that drive me crazy or not? I think from, if I'm a pitcher, I wouldn't enjoy it, because obviously as a hitter and a 2-0 count, you're more than

often not going to get a fastball in the zone because no pitch is running a ball. Yeah, no pitcher's falling down 3-0. That's the goal. But I also think if, if Carson wasn't really in the zone as much, and he gets two down, 2-0. Now you're kind of on the defense anyways. It's a fastball that they've been kind of seen the entire game at least up until that point. Maybe not seen it well, but they've been seen it.

And so maybe they wanted to just get that strike over with the new pitcher and Unger and kind of maybe go that route. But yeah, I know, I've never been a fan of that. I've never been a fan of mound visits mid-at-bat either mid-counts like that. So I agree. I think it's weird. I think maybe that that might have been the goal, just get a new guy in here so that 2-0 doesn't seem as easy or as free as it normally does. But yeah, if I'm coming into that situation, you also know, okay, I just got to throw a strike here, but the hitter knows that just as well. And then I've always been, there's been moments where I've been hitting and they bring in hitters mid at bat too.

And it's interesting because I'm like, okay, this guy's not going to throw an off speed. He's not going to try to go down 3-0. He's going to come with the fastball. And so, I mean, it's an interesting situation. I'm not too much of a fan of it either. I'm not going to lie. So I don't think about that, Rudy. You're like, I think about the batter now.

Hang on, I'm up 2-0 and they're changing pitchers. This is bizarre. Yeah. I seem warm up as I'm already up 2-0 in the count. Yeah. any of those two strikes, it's just, it's just, it's odd. And it does happen in college baseball at different levels. And it's not just at Nebraska, but I just know as someone that does not attend a lot of baseball games,

but does watch the sport. That has thrown me off a ton. And shout out to Unger for doing a great job getting out of the mess. The only allowed one run that inning. And, you know, Hustlers get two solo shots from Dylan, Kerry, and Jetbuck to win that game four. one, Unger was huge down the stretch to win that game. But I just had to address that. Oh, yeah.

Because it was driving me crazy that day. Yeah, I know. It is an interesting tactic, I would say. And obviously it worked to an extent. So, yeah, I mean, that could be the plan. But yeah, it's, we, at Westland, where there were, there are some times where they would do it to our pitchers, like, our coaches to go out there and get the guys met at bat. And, I mean, for one instance, there was a guy who threw one pitch out of the bullpen. It was a ball.

And then they yanked him. Yeah. And I was like, okay. One pitch and yanked? Yeah. off the bat. Yes. That's all we got. Yeah, I don't know what the game plan was there. I know we weren't winning that game. So maybe they were just very frustrated.

Way off the plate like you. Yeah, I went to the backstop. So maybe they, he didn't have it that day. Something was wrong. Yeah, I was, I'm not a fan of mid ad bads. But again, if they're struggling, they're struggling. I don't think you, I don't think Carson Yossel was struggling like that, though. So no, he wasn't. Yeah, he was, he had had a great day. And again, that ending got a little bit dicey. That's why there was two outs that happened at home. And clutch plays by, you know, a terrible bun attempt by South Dakota state that got him in trouble. And then, of course, a great throw from left field to get the runner out at home to prevent damage that

inning. But yeah, that was my takeaway from that game. And certainly the crowd was awesome and the crowd. And I go back to Rudy the crowd. So here's the deal. Friday night. So I was in media for this. I did media for all the games. And I was my buddy that was in town from Colorado convinced me to stick around for Ole Miss, Arizona State on Friday night, which I did. Which of course, was delayed until an 836 start time because of rain in between games. And I went to the games that I'll stick around for a couple of innings. Well, the game was so good as I can't leave this. Now I'm stuck for the whole game.

And it gets to be 6.6 late in the game. And there's a bunch of scoreless innings and the pitching is just really good. And, you know, some clutch plays to prevent runs. And then, of course, Ole Miss does win 7, 6 and the 14th. That ended at 1.14 a.m., which I was there for Rudy. But as I was watching that game, and this is again, again, not critical of Nebraska. I asked myself, is Nebraska as good as either of these teams? Now, I would answer my question with this, Rudy.

That was not knowing how Nebraska would look pitching against Ole Miss. Ty Horn, big game tie was fantastic. Oh, yeah. He got in trouble in the sixth inning and maybe you should have pulled them early. That's a different conversation to get out to a hundred. 120 pitches a lot for a pitcher. But let's not forget, Rudy, he went five innings scoreless

against SEC's Ole Miss with nine strikeouts. Nine. And that game, of course, was undone by the unfortunate play in foul territory where Dylan, Kerry and Josh Overbeak had some confusion. It led to a dropped

pop-up and then that two more run score that need to make it 5-1 and tough to overcome that, even with the reset on Sunday, morning or Sunday afternoon with, you know, top of the ninth. But the end, I mean, Nebraska was as good as they were, they were as good as Ole Miss, 100%. And they probably were as good as Arizona State, but things unfolded with that bullpen. And the bats got going way too late in that ball game.

Yeah, I agree. I think to you easier said than done and obviously impossible hindsight's 20, 20, but you take away a couple of innings, a couple of plays there and there, at least yesterday, that that big run, that big inning that, I mean, at least the 11 runs through six innings for Arizona State yesterday was just insane to think about. And you maybe limit one of those, maybe limit some of those runs. And now you're in a way better situation. And still props for at least making it as close as they did because down 111, I did not have much hope. But yeah, like they showed that they have the fight.

They have the offense. It's just when you're down 11, that hill to climb no matter how many runs you're going to score, it just seems impossible, especially going down into the ninth inning with it all in the line. So, I mean, like, they had the offense to do it. They had the times to do it. But again, like it was very uncharacteristic of some of these errors, some of these blunders, I'll say. And it's just when you're shooting yourself in the foot, it's going to be hard to beat anybody,

especially SEC or a top team like Arizona State, a ranked team like Arizona State. Yeah, I mean, this was a, you know, a team that the Sun Devils can hit the ball. We question their pitching. And they started a bullpen guy. And Nebraska's bands could not get going. They were expecting probably a high scoring game. And Nebraska did not do their part.

I mean, you get helped out by the fact that, their superstar Landon Harrison gets ejected for a probably rightfully so ejection. If you didn't watch the game, Landon Harrison is their best player. He was batting like 420 coming into the tournament. Actually had a very bad regional. He was not good in any of the games for Arizona State.

But he gets, it's a full count and he gets called on a strike that was iffy, but it's called the strike, does a bat flip and disgust. And after minutes of conversation, the Yumps decided to eject him, which he also gets ejected then for the following game against Ole Miss, which they lost in 10 innings last night.

Ole Miss is on to the Super Regional. But if you can just, and also in that game, Rudy, you know as a baseball guy, in these situations in regional play, everybody's good. Everybody's there for a reason. Arizona State, you know, in the fourth inning, Nebraska is about to escape with a double play to make the game still at, 1. So we mentioned the confusion in the old miss game of Dylan

Kerry and overbeak with a drop ball and foul play led to two more runs. Well, Red Stokes, the throw is a little wide, but Dylan and Kerry probably has to make that catch at second base. And if you don't turn two, at least you have one. Instead, it goes off his glove into left field. A run scores. Runners go to second and third. So you got, instead of being out of the inning, a run scores, and there's two guys in the scoring position in which they both did score eventually. And it's 5-1 Arizona State just like that on a defensive misapp for a team. It was very good defensively all year long. Yeah. And I think it's going back to that,

just shooting yourself in the foot. Like when you're able to make the routine plays routine, that's kind of what every coach I've had has ever harped on. That's, that's great. And again, double plays. They come at a premium. It's not, you're not going to get one every time. And if you are, you're one pitch away right there. And to be able to capitalize on those and make the moment, again, not bigger than it is. But now you, now again, those four. runs did come across in totality of that entire inning. And it's, again, you had a chance to get out of it. And I'm sure that's going to be in your head for a while if you're a player, at least during

that game. And maybe, I'm not saying it dragged along or came with them more as the game went on. But just going back on it, now, you, again, you were one pitch away and getting out of the inning and a whole different situation. Again, momentum is a real thing in these tournaments. And whether that's from an error, another team or just a hidden clinic, I mean, if your Arizona state, you're going to take it all the same. And that's exactly what they did.

And one thing, too, I mean, you know anything, you know, but these guys are all, momentum based. And if you're Gavin Blackowitz, if that double play is, is, you know, completed, he's at 48 pitches, I believe through four innings. Instead, he goes 20 more than and he gives up four runs and you see a bullpen guy the next inning. The confidence was gone. The outing was over. And so just like that, it can all blow up. And

you know, the grand slam by small dino to make it level. was just devastating. You thought maybe at 7.1, he could still come back. And Nebraska, we were right, because Nebraska gets to 11-8. And again, shout-out, when you are entering the seventh inning down by 10, and you have a situation in the ninth where the tying run is at bat, that's a hell of a job, not giving up.

And great job by Manel, the closer, or started the pitcher for allowing no runs in a couple of innings to keep Nebraska, at least from getting it to be 20 to 1. The bats did something. They got some mojo, but it just wasn't enough. But once again, incredible season for Nebraska baseball. They have nothing to be ashamed of. It was a tough regional. You know, they didn't get embarrassed in these games.

Six-three is not embarrassing to Ole Miss. It was embarrassing for a while to Arizona State, but they made it interesting in the ninth inning. And, you know, Will Bolton, those guys should be very proud of this effort. And hopefully now there's a different expectation. Like, you know that you are. able to host a regional. You were good enough. The Big Ten didn't have a great regional so far. I know USC is still alive and

Oregon is on to the super, but UCLA's out, of course. Number one overall seat is done with two loss to St. Mary's the same regional. Same. That's. And I, when I was again at the Big Ten tournament last week where I saw them play and they, all three of their wins were walkoff wins and it wasn't anything mad or anything bad about it at all. But for being the number one team in the country, you would hope that you'd be able to beat some of these teams a little not easier, but at least not have to rely on your last out of every single game like they did for three straight games down there in Omaha. And I think that not carried over, but if you're not

able to play a complete game, I know game one that they lost, they were Will Gasparino, their center fielder was ejected from the previous game in Omaha, so he wasn't able to play that first opening game. But still, you have the number one player in college baseball on your, on your team in Rock Chilowski. Yeah. You're still not. They're done. They're gone. They're gone. It's not matter. Yeah. We thought it could be, you know, 12 titles for the Big 10 because they had 11 championships so far this year in baseball and softball, you both had chances. Nebraska, UCLA both and softball. They're both gone, right? UCLA's done. Nebraska is done. Baseball, of course, UCLA is gone. Oregon has a chance to, I guess, to be a champion. It's because they're moving on. And USC is not dead yet in their

regional, but Nebraska, UCLA, the number one and two teams in the conference are gone. But still, you know, you know, the postseason's on. Milwaukee is under 500. They have a chance today to upset Auburn and move on to a super regional as the four seed in that regional. Auburn has not looked good so far in some of these games. No, they don't. They've been very sluggish show. It'll be fun. They give up 13 runs in a loss to,

13 runs to Milwaukee, believe in the win they had, and step 13 in a win against NC State. So the pitching's been really bad for Auburn. You never know what to expect. Exactly. Yeah, I was going to say in the postseason, all it takes is a couple bad games and like that.

Like UCLA and Irish season is over, you were the number one team in the country. It doesn't matter anymore. But again, momentum is going to be huge because all these other teams, whether you're, your UCLA going into this regional. and I would assume, I assumed that they were going to take care of business pretty, not easily, but at least you're the number one team of the country.

You've been winning all year. I expected more. But for these teams that are going in there, the two through four teams in every regional, their thought process is the same, that now all you got to do is make the regional and from there, anything can happen. And now we're seeing that. It's awesome as a college baseball fan, obviously not for some teams that I'm following. But, yeah, I mean, anything can happen, and they're proving that, just game by game

in almost every region, it seems right now. Let's go the text line, 402, 464. 5, 6, 8, 5. A couple texts to address. Earthquake, Lou, says, I saw you in section 112 row 7 yesterday, Jake. I did move there in the seventh inning when people had left. I did not sit there the whole game.

I did move there when people moved out. I was a roaming reporter yesterday, but I did sit down the last three innings in the seats. Did anybody else see me there? 464, 5, 685. I talked to a lot of people. I talked to DOC, Doc, my other brother

Darrell saw Jeff Bonsall from Bonsal Pool and Spa I saw Jabba Chamberl on Friday. Talked to him for a while. Good guy. I mean, I saw a lot of people. Eric says, but why is Jake here? I'm helping out Eric. It's summertime. Austin's on vacation. Nick is

on the way back from Oklahoma City. Bach is dealing with something right now. DP is out at the moment. You know, I'm like, I'm the seventh option, but here I am because I'm able to do it. And Rudy's with me as well. So it's bullpen just like Nebraska at a bullpen game yesterday.

Exactly. And a loss. So thank you, Eric, for chiming to anybody else. You meet at the ballpark 402, 464, 5685.

I try to behave, Rudy. I tried to put my reporter hat back on after the sales had, and the morning show had. And I feel like it did okay out there. I've given updates, right? Yeah, it was awesome. We had the post game show.

I called in. Yeah. I know, it was awesome. I mean, I thought it was a great job. Everything. The updates in between are nice.

I appreciate that. I was a fan of it all. So yeah. Eric says, but all you help? Yeah, I am helping. Eric,

I'm helping doing. Rudy doesn't want to be here by himself. He's got needs some help here. Yes. Need some help here. 4-6-4-5. Feel free to call it or text in the whole day. Thomas says,

Jake, would you rather want to lose to Iowa instead of Texas? It goes back to softball. I mean, that's a lose-lose question, Thomas. They both are evil. Yeah.

Sorry, Rudy. No, I've heard it all weekend. It's all right now. I did have the pleasure of watching Rudy lose, watch Texas lose to Tennessee in the softball game on Thursday. I was not here to watch him revel in the victory over Nebraska last night when the three-bred home run was hit.

Yeah, I did my best to keep it unbiased yesterday. So I was to see that. I was not listening to Post. I was at the Huster, the baseball game. I didn't get a chance to see what mood you were displaying here for those. I was more of a Hustler fan yesterday. So that was my adjustment. So I was very not monoton.

a tone, but I was very on the side of Husker thoughts. So I just kept it very casual on the Longhorn part. I was, I was live during my show when the three run home run was hit. And so I- And what you do in that moment, Rudy? I went silent because I was like, okay, I know there's nothing but Husker people in here.

So I was like, let me, let me just give a quick score update on what just happened, but did not want to go crazy. I'm going to go back and assess that and see if the tape would prove that. It'll be a good one because I think you could see on my face. And I'm watching it in a million thoughts probably hit my head of what to say. You didn't you?

Maybe under the table. I was thinking about it, but no, I'm sure you did. You're the only horn huster that exists in the world. Yes. Especially when it's doing sports talk radio in Nebraska. It's an interesting work. And I'm enjoying it all. Because either way, I would have been happy at some extent yesterday.

Nebraska would have won. So it was a win-win situation for me. Maybe not for everybody else, though. But we're here. Let's see. Doug with mesothelioma on the text side says, Jake is that bullpen guy that you can have him do anything. Start, long relief, short relief, close.

He might have an ERA of 953. Mine is 937, by the way. That's my ERA, 9.37. The fans may wince when they seem out of the pen, but by golly, he can do it all. There you go, yeah. Keep Winston, Doug. Keep Winston, fans.

I'm here to help you out today. We're talking ball. We're talking softball. And we'll have more next on one-on-one with Jake Sorensen, Rudy. Next here on the ticket.