Hopper�s 15th homer of the season off reliever Jason Merle gave the Huskers, who improved to 29-9 overall and 13-4 in the Big 12, sole possession of first place in the league heading into Sunday�s series finale at Omaha�s Rosenblatt Stadium.

"It's been a really good weekend so far," Nebraska Coach Mike Anderson said. "I'm really happy for our kids. We didn't get down when the momentum wasn't going our way, and Quinton (Robertson) hung in there and got us to the seventh inning. Good things can happen with you stick with it, and that happened today."

Hopper, who went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBIs, now has 57 career homers, matching Casey Bookout�s Big 12 record, as the senior first baseman now hold or shares Big 12 records for hits (300), home runs (57) and RBIs (246).

Hopper and freshman Alex Gordon accounted for all six of Nebraska�s runs, as Gordon hit his fifth homer of the year, a three-run blast in the fifth off UT starter J.P. Howell, who suffered his first loss in seven decisions, allowing four runs on five hits with eight strikeouts.

Junior right-hander Jason Burch (earned the win to improve to 3-1, while freshman Tim Schoeninger picked up his fifth save, firing 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. Clinging to a 6-4 lead with one on and one out in the ninth, the Huskers had a scare, as Dustin Majewski took a Schoeninger offering over the fence in right, but the ball was foul by a few feet. The NU closer would need only one more pitch, inducing the Longhorn right fielder into a game-ending double play.

Texas (30-13, 12-5) got off to a quick start, as Tim Moss opened the game with an opposite field homer off Robertson. The visitors extended the lead to 2-0 three batters later as Majewski, who went 2-for-5, hit his ninth homer of the year.

After the rocky first inning, Robertson settled down and held the Longhorns off the board until the seventh. The junior right-hander allowed three runs on seven hits, striking out three, but did not get the decision.

Trailing 2-0, the Huskers finally mustered some offense off Howell, who was 6-0 with a 2.22 ERA entering today�s game. Jeff Leise was hit by a pitch before Hopper�s two-out single put runners on the corners for Gordon, who belted a 1-0 pitch off the scoreboard in right to give NU a 3-2 lead.

The Longhorns tied the score at 3-3 in the top of the seventh on Omar Quintanilla sacrifice fly, but the Huskers would come back for three runs in the bottom of the frame. Walks to Jake Mullinax and Joe Simokaitis put runners on first and second for Hopper, who sent Merle�s 1-0 offering for his Big 12-leading 15th round tripper of the year.

In the eighth, UT closed to within 6-4 on an RBI double by Tyler Teagarden, but the Husker bullpen would shut the door, as Jeremy Becker and Schoeninger, who pitched the final 1.2 innings, ended the Longhorn threat.

The series concludes Sunday afternoon at Rosenblatt Stadium. Freshman left-hander Zach Kroenke (3-1, 1.78 ERA) takes on UT�s Justin Simmons (3-4, 4.84 ERA), as NU looks for its first series sweep over the Longhorns since 1999.

Source: University of Nebraska Athletic Dept.