OMAHA -- Jeff Leise went 4-for-4 while Jamie Rodrigue pitched his second complete game of the season, as top-ranked Nebraska reached 40 wins for the third consecutive season, defeating Creighton, 8-4, in front of 13,862 who braved threatening skies and an thunderstorm that eventually stopped the contest.

The game had reached the bottom of the seventh, as Nebraska led 9-6, but Creighton, which had scored a pair of runs earlier in the inning, had two runners on and one out, but thunderstorms rolled through the Omaha area, forcing a stoppage of the game after a 17 minute delay. The score then reverted back to the start of the inning, when NU enjoyed an 8-4 advantage.

Rodrigue improved to 6-3 on the season, allowing four runs and scattering 10 hits, while striking out seven in the win, as Nebraska improved to 40-12 on the season and avenged an earlier 11-8 10-inning loss to the Bluejays last month.

Leise, who tied a career high with four hits, led a 14-hit attack, helping the Huskers score runs in each of the first five frames to build an 8-1 advantage and hold on for their fifth straight win.

The Huskers jumped on Bluejay starter Cory Slining, scoring three runs and knocking him out after just 1.1 innings. Leise led the game off with a bunt single and advanced to second on Scott Allen�s errant throw before Adam Stern�s bunt single put runners on the corners. Dan Johnson knocked in the first run with a single to left before Stern scored on Justin Seely�s double play ball.

Creighton trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the frame on Dan Lawler�s groundout that scored Tyler Davies, who singled and moved to third on Tim Gradoville�s base hit. Davies had three hits in the loss for Creighton, which falls to 21-27 on the season.

The Huskers extended the lead to 3-1 as Jeff Blevins, who went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI, doubled to open the frame, moved to third on Brandon Eymann�s sacrifice bunt and scored on Leise�s single, chasing the Creighton starter after 10 hitters. Slining, who picked up the win in the teams� last meeting, fell to 5-5 with the loss.

NU added a pair of runs in both the third and fourth innings, scoring two unearned runs in the third before Justin Seely added his fourth homer of the season, a two-out, two-run shot to left center off CU reliever Tom Oldham, gave the Huskers a 7-1 lead before Blevins� RBI single in the fifth scored Jed Morris, who went 3-for-3, for NU�s final run of the night.

The Bluejays finally got to Rodrigue in the fifth, as Lawler, who went 2-for-3 delivered an RBI single to trim the lead to 8-2 before Joe Mazzuca�s two-run homer put the �Jays within striking distance.

The Huskers will conclude the regular season on Friday, as NU begins a three-game series at Iowa State. NU needs to win one of its final three games to clinch its first conference title in 51 seasons.