OKLAHOMA CITY -- Dan Johnson pounded two home runs and Brian Rodaway faced the minimum number of Oklahoma State hitters through five innings as Nebraska built a 10-0 lead after 5 1/2 innings to cruise into their third straight Big 12 Championship game with a 10-5 win over the Cowboys at the Southwestern Bell Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City on Saturday.

With the win, the top-seeded Huskers improved to 44-14 on the season and completed a five-game season series sweep of the fifth-seeded Cowboys, who fell to 40-20 on the year. The Huskers will face sixth-seeded Texas A&M (33-26) in the Big 12 Championship Game on Sunday, at 1 p.m. in a game televised live by Fox Sports Net (Channel 57 in Lincoln).

The Aggies also improved to 3-0 in the tournament with a 10-1 win over seventh-seeded Oklahoma in Saturday’s first semifinal game. The Huskers are 1-2 against the Aggies this season after dropping the regular-season series in College Station, Texas.

Rodaway (4-2), a 6-3, 185-pound senior from Lincoln, Neb., baffled Cowboy hitters through five innings, allowing just one ball to reach the outfield. Jimbo McAuliffe’s sharp single to center on Rodaway’s first pitch of the game was the only hit surrendered by the left-hander through the first five innings. Rodaway’s 7.2 innings pitched was the longest outing of his career, bettering a seven-inning complete game that came against the Cowboys earlier this season in a 20-2 win over OSU in Lincoln on May 6.

The Cowboys finally got to Rodaway in the sixth inning, when he allowed two runs on three hits. Rodaway left with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth, when right-hander Steve Hale faced three batters without getting an out, as OSU closed to within 10-5. Hale left the bases loaded for left-hander Brandon Penas, who got pinch hitter Zach Cates to fly out to shallow left to end the Cowboy rally. Nebraska closer Thom Ott pitched a scoreless ninth inning to seal the win.

For the game, Rodaway allowed five runs, scattered eight hits, struck out five and did not issue a walk. OSU starter Shane Hawk (2-3) took the loss for the Cowboys, allowing two runs in 3.2 innings. Reliever Joe Weaver, who entered the game with a 7-0 record and a 1.46 ERA, surrendered Nebraska’s other eight runs in 2.1 innings.

Nebraska carried a 3-0 lead into the sixth after scoring single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings, highlighted by Johnson’s solo homer to right-center field in the fifth. Johnson capped Nebraska’s rally in the sixth with a two-run homer to right that went deep onto the paved concourse behind the wall and bounced completely out of the stadium.

Johnson’s second blast, his third in the tournament and 22nd of the season, tied a tournament game record and surpassed his 21 home runs last season. He also moved ahead of Darin Erstad (41, 1993-95) and Steve Stanicek (43, 1980-82) into second on Nebraska’s career charts with 43 in his career. It was Johnson’s fifth multi-homer game of the season and ninth of his career. Johnson also upped his season total to 77 RBIs, matching Matt Hopper’s 77 RBIs on the year. Johnson (9) and Hopper (5) have combined to drive in 14 of Nebraska’s 22 runs in the tournament and all four of the Huskers’ home runs.

As a team, Nebraska pounded three Cowboy pitchers for 16 hits, including three hits from John Cole, Matt Hopper and Jeff Leise, and two hits apiece from Adam Stern, Tito Rivera and Johnson. The Huskers also benefitted from four OSU errors, including two miscues in Nebraska’s seven-run sixth.

Cole’s 3-for-5 performance on the day included a double, an RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base. Heading into the championship game, Cole is 7-for-12 with two doubles, six runs scored, two RBIs and five stolen bases and four walks. With five steals, Cole has already tied the tournament record held Anthony Hensley of Baylor in four games in the 1999 tournament.

Nebraska’s win extended the Huskers’ Big 12 Tournament winning streak to eight games, which is a continuing tournament record. The Huskers improved to 12-1 all-time in the Big 12 Tournament, including a perfect 4-0 mark on Saturdays. Nebraska is 2-0 in Big 12 title games.

Nebraska vs. Oklahoma State Post Game Notes
• Nebraska's win extended the Huskers' Big 12 Tournament winning streak to eight games and is now 12-1 all-time in the tournament.
• Heading into the championship game, John Cole is 7-for-12 with two doubles, six runs scored, two RBIs and five stolen bases.
• With five steals, Cole has already tied the tournament record held by Anthony Hensley of Baylor in four games in the 1999 tournament.
• Dan Johnson's two homer game is the fifth of the season and ninth of his career.
• Matt Hopper extended his Big 12 Tournament hitting streak to six games, tied for second all-time.
• NU extended its win steak to six games over Oklahoma State and is 4-0 against OSU in Big 12 Tournament games.
• Nebraska has scored four or more runs in an inning 53 times this season and have scored 10 or more runs in a game 26 times this season.

Quotes
• Head coach Dave Van Horn:
"Basically what we ask of our pitchers is to throw the ball over the plate, get strikes and make them hit ground balls. Brian Rodaway did that today. He did everything we asked him to do. We're real proud of Brian."

• First baseman Dan Johnson:
"I feel good. It's a great park to hit in. The hitting allies are great."