Bruce, who replaced an injured Jeff Leise at the top of the Husker lineup, tied a career high with three hits, breaking open a one-run contest with an RBI double in the seventh and a two-run triple in the eighth. Bruce�s three-hit day, his first of the season and fourth of his career, lifted his season average from .148 to .226.

"Daniel Bruce did a great job today filling in for (Jeff) Leise," head coach Mike Anderson said of the sophomore�s performance against the Mustangs. "He got on base a couple of times today, got a couple of RBIs and had a great game for us."

Bruce�s three hits paced a 13-hit Husker attack, as the Nebraska improved to 15-6 on the year. Matt Hopper (Golden, Colo.) added two hits — including his ninth homer of the year — and drove in three runs, while Drew Anderson (Kearney, Neb.) and Joe Simokaitis (St. Louis, Mo.) also chipped in two hits apiece, lifting Nebraska won its fourth straight game.

The combination of right-handers Phil Shirek (Minot, N.D.) and Steve Hale (Yukon, Okla.) held Cal Poly to a season-low five hits. Shirek (1-0) went the first six innings, allowing three runs on five hits for his first win of the season, while Hale struck out five in three innings of no-hit ball for his first save of the season.

Cal Poly jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on Pat Breen�s two-run homer off the Husker starter whose outing matched his career long, but NU would respond with a four-spot of their own in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Simokaitis singled up the middle before Hopper struck a 1-1 offering by Cal Poly starter Tyler Fitch over the fence in left center, tying the score. The Huskers continued to threaten, putting runners at first and second before Curtis Ledbetter�s (Lawrence, Kan.) RBI double down the third base line scored both runners to give the Huskers a 4-2 advantage.

The Mustangs, who dropped to 14-12-1 with the loss, closed to within 4-3 in the third on Scott Anderson�s RBI single that scored Sam Herbert, but neither team would score again until the Huskers scored twice in the seventh and two more in the eighth.

"I'm really pleased with the way that we came out and played today," Anderson said. "You have to give some credit to our pitching for getting us out of some jams in the middle innings when they got some runners on base. We were able to get some more runs at the end of the game to put it away."

After Anderson opened the seventh with a double of Fitch, who allowed five runs on eight hits in falling to 3-3 on the season, Bruce greeted Mustang reliever Matt Powers with a triple to the gap in right center, giving NU a 5-3 lead. Hopper then put the Huskers ahead 6-3 with a RBI single to left. The Huskers loaded the bases in the eighth before Bruce�s two-run single provided the hosts with the final margin.

The series concludes Wednesday afternoon at 4:05, as freshman southpaw Zach Kroenke (0-1, 3.38 ERA) takes the hill for the Big Red against Cal Poly left-hander Josh Kougl (0-4, 4.66 ERA).

Source: University of Nebraska Athletic Dept.