Hirsch was the workhorse of the Cornhusker’s staff in 2012, evidenced by his team-high 13 starts and 58.1 innings pitched. He finished with a 4-5 record and an excellent 31/13 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The workload, along with his steady work as a reliever in 2011, put to rest any worries about his health after Tommy John surgery in 2010.

Prior to Nebraska: Hirsch played high school ball at St. Charles North in Illinois where he went 17-5 with a barely-there 0.99 ERA in three varsity seasons. He was also a member of the school honor roll and was an academic All-Conference selection in both basketball and baseball.