May 27, 2006

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Nebraska Cornhuskers defeated the Texas Longhorns, 6-5, on Saturday to advance to Sunday's Big 12 Championship game at the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City.

Nebraska (42-14) finishes pool play undefeated, 3-0, while Texas (40-19) ends the Big 12 Championships with a 2-1 mark.

The Longhorns struck first with a run in the top of the first when Nick Peoples scored on a Chance Wheeless single to right field.

Texas added another run in the second inning on a Chais Fuller sac bunt that scored Carson Kainer.

Nebraska took the lead with a five run second inning. Nick Sullivan started the scoring with a three-run shot to center field that also scored Jake Opitz and Jeff Christy. The Huskers used three more hits in the inning to put two more runs on the board.

The Longhorns responded quickly with a three-run third to tie the score at five apiece.

The Huskers regained the lead in the seventh inning when Andrew Brown singled to score Brandon Buckman. It looked like it was going to be a a much bigger inning for NU, as Texas used three pitchers in the inning. Nebraska loaded the bases with no outs but Texas pitcher Randy Boone got a strike out and a double play to get the Longhorns out of a jam.

Tony Watson(10-1) picked up the victory for the Huskers after coming in the third inning and pitching 5.1 scoreless innings. Austin Wood (4-3) picks up the loss for the Longhorns.

Nebraska will play the winner of today's Missouri and Kansas match up on Sunday at 1 p.m., for the 2006 Big 12 Championship.