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Honors & Awards
Diamond Notes
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Holds the school and Big 12 record for most career shutouts (6)
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Had his first two career hits against Western Illinois last season
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Carries a 3.16 grade-point average in physical education
2003 Outlook
One of the strengths of the 2003 Huskers will be a deep pitching staff, which is anchored by senior captain Jamie Rodrigue (pronounced Rod-REEG). Over the last three seasons, Rodrigue has etched his mark in the Husker record books. The St. Clair, Mo., product has a school-record six shutouts and ranks on NU?s top-10 lists in starts (46, third), wins (22, fourth) and innings pitched (259.2, sixth). The left-hander also holds the Big 12 record for shutouts in a season (four in 2000).
Rodrigue, who has been in the Huskers? weekend rotation throughout his collegiate career, has been in his share of big games over the last three years, making 46 starts in posting a 22-10 career record.
Over the summer, Rodrigue was the ace of the Nevada (Mo.) staff, going 3-0 with a 2.48 ERA in 40 innings in the Jayhawk League before leading the Griffins to a third-place finish at the NBC World Series. In Wichita, Rodrigue earned a spot on the All-America team by going 1-0 and not allowing an earned run in 14 innings over a pair of starts.
When the team began fall workouts, Pitching Coach Rob Childress said he saw a renewed vigor in the senior left-hander, whose extra weight room and conditioning work also added some velocity to his fastball during the fall.
"Jamie has really worked hard in the off-season to prepare himself for a big senior year," Childress said. "He had a great summer for Nevada (Mo.) in the Jayhawk League and at the NBC World Series and was healthy in the fall for the first time since his freshman year. He came into fall in the best shape of his career. "
"I am proud of the work he has put in to get ready for this year," Childress said. "His fellow teammates also took notice of Rodrigue?s hard work, selecting him one of three team captains for the upcoming season."
2002 - Junior
Rodrigue enjoyed a solid season as the Huskers? No. 2 starter, posting a 7-3 record and a 4.15 ERA in a team-high 16 starts. The St. Clair, Mo., native tied for the team lead in both shutouts (two) and complete games (three), while finishing second on the squad with 93.1 innings of work. Rodrigue, whose two shutouts also tied for the Big 12 lead, pitched into the sixth inning in nine of his 16 starts during the year.
During the NCAA Tournament, he made a pair of starts, but was not involved in the decision in either one, finishing with a 3.86 ERA. Against Richmond in the decisive game of the Super Regional, Rodrigue allowed two runs in 1.2 innings of work before NU came back for the 11-6 victory over the Spiders. He also toed the rubber for NU against Southwest Missouri State in the regional title game, allowing one run in three innings for another no-decision. He made one appearance against Kansas State in the Big 12 Tournament, allowing four runs on six hits in three innings of NU?s 8-7 win.
After making his first appearance out of the bullpen against Rice, Rodrigue moved to the starting rotation for a start against Louisiana-Monroe, where he allowed one run on four hits to earn his first win of the season. That began a stretch over the next month, where he went 3-0 with a 0.59 ERA in his next four starts. At Fresno State, he earned Big 12 and National Pitcher-of-the-Week honors, firing a complete-game one-hitter against Fresno State. He struck out five and only Chris Patrick?s infield single in the third inning prevented Rodrigue from the eighth no-hitter in school history and the first since 1981. He suffered a tough no-decision in his next start at Baylor, allowing one run on five hits in 6.1 innings, as NU dropped a 2-1 decision to the Bears. He picked up his second shutout of the year on March 16 against No. 13 Texas A&M, scattering six hits and striking out five Aggies in a 3-0 win.
After improving to 5-0 with wins over No. 22 Texas Tech and No. 17 Oklahoma, he ran into a three-week slump, losing three consecutive decisions. Against No. 15 Oklahoma State, Rodrigue allowed a career-high eight runs in 12 hits, as he suffered his first loss in 20 appearances dating back to March 24, 2001. After a loss to Kansas, he began his turnaround against fifth-ranked Texas on May 4. Rodrigue pitched well in defeat, giving up three runs on eight hits in a 3-2 Longhorn victory.
Against the Big 12, he finished 3-3 with a 5.13 ERA in a team-best nine starts, as he was second on the team in innings pitched (54.1) and complete games (two).
The effort against Texas helped Rodrigue finish on a solid note, winning his final two regular-season starts, including six innings of five-hit shutout ball against Louisiana Tech on May 18.
2001 - Sophomore
Rodrigue served as Nebraska?s No. 2 starter for most of the season, going 6-3 with a 6.03 ERA in 17 appearances. He was second on the squad with 15 starts, while the left-hander ranked third in wins (six), strikeouts (66) and innings pitched (77.2). He also had a 3.3-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (66-to-20) and allowed just five homers in 77.2 innings, helping the Huskers go 10-5 in his starts.
In the Super Regional against Rice, Rodrigue entered the game in relief and kept the Huskers in the contest. He struck out seven Owls and allowed one earned run on five hits in 6.2 innings, as NU overcame a 5-2 deficit to win 9-6 in 10 innings. He did not pitch in the CWS and was touched for three runs on four hits in just 0.1 innings against Rutgers on May 26. He started the Huskers? Big 12 Tournament opener and went four innings, allowing two runs on six hits before getting hit with a line drive in the ribs.
Rodrigue started slowly, allowing seven runs on 12 hits, as he went a total of six innings in his first two appearances. The outings sent him to the bullpen, where he responded with seven solid innings of relief against Wichita State, allowing four runs and striking out a career-best nine Shockers in NU?s 8-7 victory. He moved to 2-1 on the year with a complete-game win against Louisiana Tech, striking out seven and scattering six hits in a 14-2 win. The left-hander dropped his next two appearances, but closed the year by winning his final four decisions. At Oklahoma, he allowed a season-high 10 hits, but struck out seven and pitched his way in and out of jams in a 10-5 win. Rodrigue turned in his longest outing of 2001 against No. 9 Baylor, going 7.2 innings and allowing four runs on nine hits in a 6-4 victory. He picked up his second straight win one week later, as he allowed two runs on six hits in a 5-2 triumph over Kansas. In his final regular-season start, Rodrigue hurled a complete-game against Creighton in front of more than 13,000 fans at Rosenblatt Stadium. He struck out seven and scattered 10 hits in an 8-4 win that was called after six innings because of rain.
2000 - Freshman
Rodrigue emerged as one of the Big 12?s finest newcomers during an impressive rookie year, finishing with a 9-4 record and a 2.64 ERA in 88.2 innings of work. His nine victories tied for the sixth-best total in school history, while his four shutouts set a single-season school record and tied Ryan Kurosaki?s career record.
A first-team Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball, Rodrigue also displayed masterful control, striking out 55 and walking just 22 for an impressive 2.5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Although he allowed 83 hits, just 16 went for extra bases, while opponents hit .255 against the left-hander who earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors.
Although he struggled in the Super Regional finale against Stanford, allowing three runs in 3.1 innings against the Cardinal, Rodrigue pitched well in many of the Huskers? big games down the stretch. In the regional title game against Wichita State, Rodrigue was superb, allowing just one unearned run in 8.1 innings against the Shockers, as he came within two outs of handing WSU its first shutout in more than 300 games. In the Big 12 Tournament, Rodrigue allowed four runs (three earned) over five innings for a no-decision in a 7-5 win over Oklahoma State.
He turned in one of his strongest outings at sixth-ranked Texas, scattering 10 hits and striking out five in 7.1 innings to lead NU to a 2-0 victory. In his final four regular-season starts, he produced a sparkling 0.64 ERA in 28 innings with 16 strikeouts and just three walks. Rodrigue threw a pair of complete-game shutouts over UW-Milwaukee on April 24 and Iowa State on April 27 as part of a 27.1 scoreless innings streak, before allowing a run in the fourth inning in NU?s 6-1 loss to Fresno State.
Rodrigue, who was 5-1 against conference opposition, downed Oklahoma State by firing a no-hitter through 5.2 innings and allowing a pair of runs in six innings of work in a 13-10 NU victory. He improved to 3-0 against conference foes, throwing back-to-back shutouts vs. Kansas State (3/11) and Oklahoma (3/19). Following his gem against the Sooners, Rodrigue was named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week. He also became the first NU freshman to throw consecutive shutouts against conference schools.
Before Nebraska
Rodrigue had a superb senior season for St. Clair High School, compiling a 10-3 record and leading the team to a third-place finish at the state tournament. He carried a 1.25 ERA, striking out 138 batters and walking just 20 in 80 innings of work to hold opponents to a .150 average. At the plate, he was equally dangerous, hitting .523, with 12 home runs and 50 RBIs. He was named first-team all-state as a DH/utility player and first-team all-metro and all-conference as a pitcher. Rodrigue chose NU over Florida, Missouri, Kansas and Kansas State.
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Courtesy: UNL Photographic Services
