Huskers topple No. 11 Cowboys 12-4 Saturday afternoon

LINCOLN -- Nebraska jumped out to a 6-0 lead and never looked back, defeating No. 11 Oklahoma State, 12-4, Saturday afternoon at Hawks Field.

Cody Neer homered and matched his career high with four RBIs for the second straight day, while Adam Bailey, Tyler Farst and Jeff Tezak drove in two runs apiece, as Nebraska (14-6-1, 3-2 Big 12) picked up their third straight win against a ranked opponent.

Neer went 2-for-4 with four RBIs while Bailey and Kyle Bubak combined to score seven of the Huskers' 12 runs, the eighth time the Huskers have reached double figures in runs this season.

"It's good for this team to win the series," said Nebraska baseball coach Mike Anderson after the Huskers took the first two games of the series. "This team hasn't won one (a Big 12 series) yet. We've had some OK weekends, but to win a Big 12 series is important. Anything you can do in the Big 12 to win another game, especially again at home, it's an important day tomorrow."

The Huskers wasted little time getting to Oklahoma State left-hander Tyler Lyons, scoring three runs in each of the first two frames to chase the All-Big 12 performer after the shortest start of his career.

In the first, Nebraska used RBI singles from Farst and Tezak and a run-scoring double from Neer to take a 3-0 lead. A Bubak double and a hit batter the first two runners on base. After a fielder's choice, Farst lined a single up the middle to score Bubak before Tezak's single to center scored Bailey and made it a two-run lead.

Neer then sent Lyons' next offering into the gap in left center, plating Farst with NU's third run.

One inning later, it was the top of the Husker lineup stirring up trouble, as Bubak reached on a throwing error before Jake Mort's single put runners at first and second. Bailey then cleared the bases with a two-run double to left center before coming home on Tezak's second RBI single two batters later.

Lyons (3-1) allowed six runs on eight hits over two-plus innings of work to suffer his first loss.

Oklahoma State (14-7, 0-2 Big 12) climbed back into the game against NU starter Jordan Roualdes, scoring three times in the third on an RBI single by Tom Belza and a two-run double from Neel Medchill and getting a sacrifice fly from Michael Dabbs in the fourth to pull within 6-4.

Roualdes then settled down, holding the Cowboys scoreless over his last three innings to earn his third consecutive win. The left-hander scattered seven hits over seven innings, while relying on a defense that did not commit an error and turned a season-high three double plays.

"Jordan was great and he pitched with a lead, which I thought was very good," Anderson said. "His best innings were the fifth and sixth, where he got a little tight situations, and he pitched out of them. I loved the fact that our defense played strong behind him. We needed Roualdes to go deeper into the game and he did. That was a big, big plus for us."

The Huskers took advantage of some wildness by the Oklahoma State bullpen in the fourth, loading the bases on an error and two walks before a balk on Brad Propst pushed across Bailey to make it 8-4.

The game remained close until the eighth when the Huskers broke it open with five runs, highlighted by Neer's second homer of the season -- a three-run shot of Propst.

With one out and runners on the corners, Farst came through with an RBI single before Tezak reached on an error that plated another run. Neer then finished off the Huskers' scoring with a three-run shot to left to extend the margin to eight runs.

The Huskers will go for the sweep Sunday afternoon, as Michael Mariot looks for his second win of the season. The game will be carried on the IMG Husker Sports Network and on Huskers.com.

For more information on University of Nebraska athletics, visit Huskers.com

Notes: Nebraska improved to 8-0 at home this season...NU is now 43-21 vs. ranked teams at Hawks Field since it opened in 2002...NU has now scored at least five runs in an inning nine times this season, including four times in eighth innings...Adam Bailey, who has a 13-game hit streak, scored a career-high four runs (topping his previous high of two set five previous times)...Neer is hitting .400 (4-for-10) with three doubles and eight RBIs in two games against OSU, prior to the series, he had nine RBIs in his first 12 contests...NU is now 10-1 all-time against Oklahoma State in Hawks Field and won 15 of 16 in Lincoln since 1999...Bailey now has a team-high nine multi-RBI games..DJ Belfonte was hit by a pitch in the eighth inning, upping his team-leading total to seven and matching Alex Gordon for second place on NU's career hit-by-pitch list with 37..Jake Mort was also hit on Saturday, upping his career total to 30 as he is the sixth Husker to be hit 30 times in a career..NU hitters have been hit 36 times through the first 21 games...Eric Rose has appeared in a Big 12 leading 12 games and has allowed only three of 15 inherited runners to score...Boomer Collins picked up his first hit since Feb. 20 with his third-inning single.

FRIDAY NIGHT

Nebraska 11, Oklahoma State 4

Cody Asche and Cody Neer drove in a combined six runs to give Nebraska an 11-4 win over Oklahoma State on Friday.

Neer matched his career-high four RBIs, as Asche drove in two more, keying a five-run third inning against Oklahoma State's All-Big 12 pitcher Andrew Oliver.

Nebraska (13-6-1, 2-2 Big 12) trailed 3-0 going into the third, but loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a walk. Jeff Tezak drew a walk to put the Cornhuskers on the board, and Neer followed with a two-run double. Asche hit a triple for a 5-3 lead.

Jake Mort and Adam Bailey each knocked out RBI singles in the fourth before Oliver -- who allowed seven runs in 3.2 innings -- was pulled from the mound.

Nebraska, meanwhile, held Oklahoma State (14-6, 0-1 Big 12) to just one run over the last seven innings.

In the eighth, Michael Dabbs hit an RBI single to pull within three runs. But Nebraska answered back with four runs of its own.