Despite a very poor Sunday, this weekend was a success for the No. 12 baseball team against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln, Neb.

The Sooners (20-3, 3-1) took two of three games from Nebraska. They won the first two games of the series 10-2 and 4-1 behind back-to-back solid performances from their starting pitchers, juniors Zach Neal and Bobby Shore.

The two pitchers combined to give up two runs – one apiece – in 12 innings of work. Neal and Shore, both coming off unimpressive starts a week ago, showed why they were named the Friday-Saturday starters coming into conference play.

Neal lasted a season-best seven innings, allowed four hits and struck out 11 batters. The start was Neal’s best of the season, and his teammates responded with 11 hits, including three home runs.

Shore did not match Neal’s stats, but he was just as effective. He pitched five innings and struck out four batters on 109 pitches.

Because Shore did not get a lot of run support, head coach Sunny Golloway had to turn to his one-two punch out of the bullpen. Senior pitcher Jeremy Erben pitched three shutout innings and turned the ball over to junior pitcher Ryan Duke to throw the final inning.

Erben’s three shutout innings is his ninth straight outing where he did not allow a run and extends his scoreless streak to 22 innings. In his only outing of the weekend, Erben lowered his ERA to 0.35.

Duke pitched a perfect inning to record his eighth save of the season and the 24th of his career, which is four saves shy of tying the OU career saves record.

But OU’s momentum gained during the first two games could not carry over into the finale. None of the five pitchers the Sooners sent to the mound could stop the beating Nebraska’s bats were inflicting en route to a 10-0 run-rule victory in seven innings over the visiting Sooners.

Freshman pitcher Ryan Gibson last just one inning and gave up three runs, and four relief pitchers were unable to keep the Cornhuskers off the scoreboard until the sixth inning. Nebraska scored one run in the second and two runs in each of the next three innings while OU struggled to get runners on base.

The Sooners collected three hits, all of which were singles in the fifth inning.

The loss ended OU’s five game winning streak and put the Sooners in the loss column for the first time during Big 12 play.

Even though the final game of the series was OU’s worst game at the plate this season, the Sooners got a lot of production from their lineup.

Freshman right fielder Max White led the way for OU. He went 4-11 with five RBIs, a double and a home run during the series.

Sophomore third baseman Garrett Buechele added a home run in the series opener to give him six on the season, which is good enough for second in the Big 12.

The Sooners have a busy schedule at home this week. They will play five games in as many days at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

OU starts the five-game stretch with two games against Arkansas-Pine Bluff starting 7 p.m. Tuesday, and will take on a Texas Longhorns team that is 4-2 in conference play.

The first game of the Red River Rivalry is slated for 6:30 p.m. Thursday and will continue through Saturday afternoon. All five games of the home stand will be televised.