The third baseman from Lincoln gave the Huskers, who improved to 4-0 and continued their best start since 1997 with the win, the lead for good with a two-run, two-run triple in the fifth, while his third homer of the season provided the Huskers� final run.

Gordon and shortstop Joe Simokaitis had two hits apiece for the Huskers, who also played errorless ball and turned a pair of double plays to thwart Demon rallies. Offensively, NU totaled only six hits, but converted eight walks and a hit by pitch by three Demon pitchers into six runs.

"We didn�t play our best today, but good teams find ways to win," Gordon said. "I think our discipline at the plate won this game today. We took a lot of pitches and got the starter out of the game."

"I think we were a little off today offensively, but we were still able to score eight runs," Nebraska Head Coach Mike Anderson said. "In a way, our discipline got us in trouble at the plate with some bad innings early on, but it also won the game for us with some very good at-bats late in the game."

The Huskers also received a solid pitching performance, as Zach Kroenke and Dustin Timm combined on a five-hitter. Kroenke, who improved to 2-0, allowed four runs on five hits over the first seven-plus innings, while Timm earned his first career save with a pair of shutout frames, helping NU escape a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the eighth.

"Zach did what you would expect from a Friday starter," Anderson said. "He pitched well enough to keep us in the ballgame and that is all you can ask for in that situation against a good team."

Nebraska used a bit of good fortune in the first to jump to a 1-0 lead. With two outs and Jesse Boyer on second after drawing a lead-off walk, Boyer stole third, but the throw by catcher Jeff Martin bounded off Curtis Ledbetter�s helmet as he stood in the batter�s box, allowing Boyer to score with NU�s first run.

Northwestern State took a lead in the fourth, as a walk and a single put runners on first and second for Hunter Thoms, who drove in both runners with a double, putting the Demons up 2-1. Thoms went 1-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, as no Demon player had more than one hit.

Nebraska answered right back in the top of the fifth, With one out, Colin Shockey was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a well-executed hit-and-hit run by Simokaitis, putting runners on the corners. Boyer, who drove in a pair of runs, lofted a sacrifice fly to tied the game at 2-all. Jake Mullinax then battled back from 0-2 count to draw a walk before Gordon roped Daniel Lonsberry�s next pitch down the first base line for a two-run triple, giving the Huskers the lead for good.

Lonsberry (1-2) took the loss, allowing four runs � three earned � on four hits in six innings of work.

After Northwestern State got to with 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth, the Huskers added a trio of insurance runs in the eighth off reliever Blake Jones. With two outs, NU loaded the bases by drawing three consecutive walks before Shockey ripped a full-count offering to left for a two-run double. Simokaitis walked to load the bases again before Boyer was hit by reliever Russell Dorton�s first pitch, plating NU�s third run of the frame.

Kroenke ran into trouble in the eighth, walking the first two hitters before Timm came in relief of the Husker starter. Timm promptly walked the next batter to load the bases, but deftly avoided trouble. Brandon Morgan�s sacrifice fly to left put the Demons within 7-4, but Northwestern State would not get closer, as Timm induced Thoms into an inning-ending double play.

Gordon then provided the final margin with a solo homer off the scoreboard in right before Timm retired the Demons in order in the ninth to complete his first career save.

The Huskers continue tournament play Saturday afternoon, as they take on the host Owls, ranked second in this week�s polls, at 1 p.m. The game will be available on HuskersNside.

Source: University of Nebraska Athletic Dept.