OMAHA, Neb. -- One week after knocking the defending national champion out of the NCAA tournament, Tulane did the same to the crowd favorite at the College World Series.

The Green Wave stayed alive in its first CWS by holding off Nebraska 6-5 on Sunday, ending the Huskers' first trip to one of the state's most popular sporting events.

"We get a chance stay alive and hopefully build on this thing," coach Rick Jones said.

Jake Gautreau's leadoff homer sparked a four-run sixth inning, and Tulane (56-12) held off the Cornhuskers the rest of the way.

Michael Aubrey, the Green Wave's designated hitter for the first seven innings, pitched the final two for his first save as Tulane sent the home-state Cornhuskers back to Lincoln without a CWS win.

"I went out there and knew I had a job to do," Aubrey said. "In the ninth inning, hitting was cleared from my mind. I took a breath, stepped on the mound and did my job."

Beau Richardson (8-1) scattered the five runs and seven hits over seven innings in his second straight big win. Richardson pitched a complete game a week before as the Green Wave (56-12) beat defending national champion Louisiana State and clinched Tulane's first CWS berth.

"I didn't my have my best stuff out there, but I was able to battle through that," Richardson said.

The Green Wave will play top-seeded Cal State Fullerton in an elimination game Tuesday.

Dan Johnson and Jed Morris homered for the Huskers (50-16), who put together ninth-inning rallies to clinch in the regionals and super regionals. But they couldn't come through in Omaha after getting out of a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam in the ninth.

"They did a good job with us. We just didn't get it going," said Adam Stern, who hit a two-run triple that put Nebraska up 3-1 in the second.

The Huskers added two more on the solo homers by Morris and Johnson, but Aubrey sent the Huskers down 1-2-3 in the ninth, ending the game on a harmless grounder to second by Johnson.

"It would have been really easy for our guys to get down, especially with the crowd energizing Nebraska," Jones said. "But Michael Aubrey really negated that."

The game was a disappointing end to Nebraska's best baseball season ever. The Huskers won their first regular-season conference title since 1950 and their third straight Big 12 tournament.

No other Nebraska team had come close to the CWS.

"I think we're a very competitive team. We've always found a way to hang around games and usually we've won," said coach Dave Van Horn. "I think Tulane's the same type of team."

Justin Pekarek (0-1), out since February with an elbow injury, didn't get an out after replacing starter R.D. Spiehs in the sixth. Pekarek allowed two hits and a walk, and all three batters he faced scored.

Gautreau's 21st homer of the season sparked the decisive inning. After Gautreau, Pekarek walked James Jurries, who advanced on a balk and scored on Aubrey's single to center.

Matt Groff followed that with a bunt to third baseman Jeff Blevins, whose throw sailed well above Johnson's head and rolled all the way to the bullpen in right, allowing Aubrey to score easily and putting Tulane up 5-3.

Anthony Giarratano hit a grounder that skipped through shortstop Will Bolt's legs, and Groff trotted home from third to put the Wave up 6-3. Giarratano was credited with a hit on the play.

"We knew we could scratch and claw and get back in this thing," Gautreau said.

Morris revived the crowd's "Go Big Red" chant that had been silenced after the Green Wave's rally with a one-out homer to right in the bottom of the sixth.

Nebraska cut it to 6-5 in the seventh on Johnson's disputed homer to right. A fan in the front row caught the towering shot over center fielder Jon Kaplan, who immediately complained about fan interference. Second base umpire Paul Guillie's signal was unclear and the Tulane players headed for the dugout, only to come back out as Guillie signaled it was a homer.

Television replays showed that the ball appeared to be out of Kaplan's reach. It was Johnson's 25th homer of the season and first since May 20.