Following a 2-1 series victory over the Loyola Marymount Lions in Los Angeles, the Nebraska baseball team (6-4, 0-0 Big Ten) heads back on the road for the fourth straight weekend with a trip to Houston, Texas, for the Houston College Classic. One of the premier tournaments of the college baseball season, the event is held at Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros.

Nebraska will be joined in Houston this weekend by Texas A&M, Baylor, LSU, Houston and Hawaii, but will not play Houston or Baylor.

The Huskers have a tough slate this weekend, starting on Friday afternoon at 3:35 p.m. when they take on undefeated and No. 14 nationally-ranked Texas A&M (13-0, 0-0 SEC). It will be the first meeting between the two teams since 2011, when they were both members of the Big 12 Conference.

Senior Chance Sinclair is scheduled to start the opener and will look to snap a two-game losing streak after posting a 10-1 record last season.

Nebraska and Hawaii then open the second day of the tournament on Saturday at 12:05 p.m. The Rainbow Warriors hold a 15-7 advantage over the Huskers all-time, but this will be the first time the two teams have ever met in the Continental United States.

Senior Kyle Kubat is scheduled to get the ball on Saturday. The lefty is 1-0 on a year and has gone at least 7.0 innings in each of his last two starts.

The Huskers wrap up the tournament on Sunday at 11:05 a.m. against the No. 7 nationally-ranked LSU Tigers (11-1, 0-0 SEC), the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Sophomore Derek Burkamper is scheduled to start on Sunday for the second straight weekend and is coming off his best outing as a Husker. Last Sunday against Loyola Marymount, Burkamper allowed only two hits and one walk over 7.0 innings of work, while striking out five.

Fans interested in attending the Houston College Classic can buy tickets in advance through the Houston Astros. Single-day and tournament passes are available.

Texas A&M | Friday, March 6 – 3:35 p.m. (CT)
Probable Starters: RHP Sinclair (1-2) vs. LHP Minter (2-0)
TV: ROOT Sports Southwest
Stream: Free Radio (Huskers.com) | Video Stream: None
Radio: Husker Sports Network

Hawaii | Saturday, March 7 – 12:05 p.m. (CT)
Probable Starters: LHP Kubat (1-0) vs. RHP Brashears (2-1)
TV: ROOT Sports Southwest
Stream: Free Radio (Huskers.com) | Video Stream: None
Radio: Husker Sports Network

LSU | Sunday, March 8 – 11:05 a.m. (CT)
Probable Starters: RHP Burkamper (1-0)  vs. TBA
TV: ROOT Sports Southwest & Cox Sports
Stream: Free Radio (Huskers.com) | Video Stream: ESPN3
Radio: Husker Sports Network

Los Angeles, Calif. – After dropping the series opener on Friday night, 4-1, the Nebraska baseball team (6-4, 0-0 Big Ten) bounced back with an 8-1 win on Saturday and a 5-1 win in Sunday’s finale to take a road series from the Loyola Marymount Lions (7-4, 0-0 WCC).

Sophomore Derek Burkamper was dominant on the hill, going a career-high 7.0 innings in the win, the first of his Husker career. The Muscatine, Iowa, native was nearly untouchable in his third career start, allowing two hits and one walk, while striking out five. Burkamper retired the Lions in order five times on the afternoon, and after a giving up a leadoff double in the second he retired 18 of the final 20 Lion batters he faced.

After handing Trevor Megill a loss on Saturday, the Huskers dealt his younger brother, Tylor, a loss on Sunday. The younger Megill got off to a rocky start, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits in the first three innings, but then settled in and retired the final 14 Huskers he faced.

The early runs were key for the Huskers, as Megill and reliever Michael Silva combined to not allow just one base runner over the final six innings. Nebraska’s pitching staff was just as good, with Burkamper along with relievers Jeff Chesnut and Colton Howell combining to allow only three hits and one walk, while striking out seven.

The Husker offense got their young starter a 2-0 cushion in the first on a pair of hits and an LMU error. Jake Schleppenbach opened the game with a single and was quickly on third base after Megill committed a throwing error on a bunt by Scott Schreiber. With runners on the corners and Ryan Boldt up, Megill uncorked a wild pitch that scored Schleppenbach. Schreiber also came in to score in the inning on an RBI single by Blake Headley.

Burkamper retired the Lions in order in the first, but was touched for a run in the second after Tanner Donnels started the frame with a double. Burkamper nearly stranded Donnels at second, but a wild pitch allowed Donnels to score on a sacrifice fly.

The Huskers got the run back and then some in the third inning with three runs on three hits, including two doubles. Steven Reveles led off with a double and the bases were quickly loaded following a four-pitch walk to Schleppenbach and a bunt base hit by Schreiber. NU’s No. 3 and 4 hitters then did their jobs, as Boldt delivered a sacrifice fly and Headley drove in a pair of runs with his third double of the series.

Working with a 5-1 lead, Burkamper retired the Lions in order in the third and fourth. After giving up the leadoff double in the second, Burkamper retired 10-straight Lions before David Edwards snapped the streak with a one-out walk in the fifth. Chris Barnett then doubled to put runners on second and third for the Lions. Burkamper’s defense got him out of the jam though when Ted Boeke flew out to right field and Austin Darby threw a strike to Lubach at home that cut down Edwards for an inning-ending double play.

The game then turned into a pitching duel, with the two teams combining for just two hits over the final six innings.

The Huskers will be back on the road next weekend when they travel to Houston, Texas, for one of the premier tournaments in college baseball, the Houston College Classic. Hosted at Minute Maid Park, the home of the Houston Astros, the Huskers will play Texas A&M on Friday, Hawaii on Saturday and LSU on Sunday. Every game of the tournament will be carried on ROOT Sports Southwest.

Los Angeles, Calif. – Behind the arm of senior Kyle Kubat and a season-high 15-hit effort from the Husker offense, the Nebraska baseball team (5-4, 0-0 Big Ten) evened its three-game series with the Loyola Marymount Lions (7-3, 0-0 WCC) with an 8-1 win on Saturday afternoon at Page Stadium.

Following a pair of no decisions to start the season, senior Kyle Kubat picked up his first win of the year and the 16^th of his career on Saturday. The 6-1 lefty went 7.0 innings and allowed just five base runners on the afternoon, including three hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Kubat retired the Lions in order four times on the day, and from the first through the sixth innings he sat down 16 straight Lions.

After producing only seven hits in last night’s series opener the Husker offense found its rhythm early on Saturday, with eight hits through the first four innings. Six Huskers produced multiple hits on the afternoon, including three hits from Blake Headley. Headley notched two doubles for the third time in his career, while he and Tanner Lubach each recorded two RBIs.

Nebraska started an inning with a hit six times on the day, including a solo home run by Lubach in the seventh that cleared a 37-foot tall wall in left field.

LMU starter Trevor Megill lasted just 3.1 innings for the Lions, as the junior was touched for three runs on eight hits. It was a Megill’s shortest start since April 6, 2013 when he went 3.0 innings against San Diego.

LMU may have not scored in the game if it hadn’t been for a miscue by Kubat in the bottom of the first. After retiring the leadoff hitter, Kubat plunked Billy Wilson a 3-2 pitch and the Lions made it hurt, as David Fletcher followed with a RBI double. Kubat then went on to retire 16 straight Lions.

Jake Schleppenbach and Ryan Boldt each picked up their second hits of game in the third and unlike the first inning when both were stranded, the Huskers were able to cash in on the opportunity. Headley came up with one out and battled Megill in an extended at-bat, and on the 10^th pitch Headley delivered a two-RBI double off the right-center field wall that put the Huskers ahead 2-1. It was Headley’s third double of the year, as well as his ninth and 10^th RBIs of the season.

With Kubat cruising, the Huskers tacked on a run in both the fourth and fifth innings to give their senior starter a 4-1 lead. Steven Reveles drove in Austin Darby in the fourth with a double and Headley scored in the fifth on a sac fly from Lubach after Headley opened the inning with his second double of the game.

Nebraska pushed its lead to six runs in the sixth, with two runs coming on a LMU error. Luis Alvarado and Reveles opened the inning with back-to-back singles, and Schleppenbach executed a sacrifice bunt, but on the play reliever Tyler Cohen made an errant throw to first base that allowed two runs to score and Schleppenbach to coast into third base. Freshman Scott Schreiber followed with an infield RBI single, the first of his NU career, to put the Huskers on top 7-1.

The Huskers notched at least a run for the fifth straight inning in the seventh with Lubach’s home run. The solo shot was a no doubter, as it not only cleared the 362-foot sign in left-center field, but also the 37-foot tall blue monster.

Freshman Jake Meyers finished off the game for the Huskers, tossing a pair of shutout innings to cap the 8-1 win.

Tomorrow’s rubber match is scheduled for 1 p.m. (CT). Lane Grindle and Ben McLaughlin will have the call on the Husker Sports Network, while LMULions.com will have a free video stream.

Los Angeles – The Nebraska baseball team (4-4, 0-0 Big Ten) took a 1-0 lead in its series opener against the Loyola Marymount Lions (6-2, 0-0 WCC) on Friday night, but the Lions scored the final four runs of the game to take the opener, 4-1 on Friday night at Page Stadium.

The Husker were unable to get their offense going on the night, as they notched seven hits, while striking out 11 times. Nebraska’s pitching staff limited the Lions to eight hits, but seven of the eight came with two outs. Two-out hitting was key for the Lions, as all four of their runs scored cross the plate with two outs.

Nebraska started Chance Sinclair dropped his second straight start to fall to 1-2 on the year after posting a 10-1 record last season. LMU starter Colin Welmon went 7.2 innings in the win and struck out nine Huskers.

After Sinclair got out of a jam in the third, the Huskers broke the scoreless game with a run in the top of fourth. Reigning Big Ten Player of the Week Ryan Boldt led off with a double off the blue monster in left field and was quickly 90 feet from home after Blake Headley executed a sacrifice bunt. Sophomore Ben Miller then stepped in picked up his eight RBI of the season with a sacrifice fly to left field.

Sinclair was cruising in the fifth and had just retired his sixth straight Lion when No. 9 hitter Joe Murray started a two-out rally with a base hit. Murray moved to second on a wild pitch and then scored on a single by Austin Miller that tied the game, 1-1. Sinclair was unable to end the bleeding, as he walked Billy Wilson and then David Fletcher delivered a two-RBI double that put the Lions ahead 3-1.

With momentum on the Lions side, the Huskers had a chance to respond in the sixth with the heart of their order up, but Welmon retired NU in order. LMU chased Sinclair from the game in the sixth and added another two-out run on a double that pushed its lead to 4-1.

The Huskers had life in the seventh when Tanner Lubach led off the with a single, his second of the game, but Welmon quickly ended the threat with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout. The Huskers then started a two-out rally in the eighth on back-to-back singles by Boldt and Headley, but Michael Silva came in from the bullpen and struck out Ben Miller to keep the Lions on top, 3-1.

Austin Christensen picked up a one-out single in the ninth, but the Husker couldn’t put anything else together on closer J.D. Busfield.

The Huskers and Lions continue their series tomorrow at 4 p.m. (CT). The game was originally scheduled for 8 p.m. (CT), but was moved due to rain forecasts.