Omaha, Neb. ? Even Arizona State coach Pat Murphy got caught up in the excitement of Nebraska’s first College World Series victory.

The Cornhuskers enjoyed the home-field advantage that comes with playing 58 miles from their Lincoln campus, beating the Sun Devils, 5-3, Friday night for their first CWS victory in front of a partisan crowd of 24,904.

“You know, it’s kind of weird, but I’m kind of happy for the people of Nebraska,” Murphy said. “The fans were unbelievable. I heard them all. At least 24,878 had red on, and it was a pretty impressive environment and pretty tough on our guys.”

The Nebraska fans cheered nearly every pitch and chanted “Go Big Red!” as closer Brett Jensen induced Eric Sogard’s groundout to end the game.

“There was a lot of hype, a lot of expectations with the fans,” Nebraska coach Mike Anderson said. “The crowd isn’t going to win or lose a baseball game for us, so that’s why I was happy we got through the third and settled into it.”

The Huskers had come into the tournament a combined 0-4 in their only other CWS appearances, in 2001 and ’02.

They broke through thanks to Joba Chamberlain, who allowed just five hits in seven innings, and Ryan Wehrle, who hit a two-run single to give Nebraska the lead in the sixth.

Nebraska (57-13), which has won 11 straight, advances to a Sunday night game against Florida, a 6-4 winner over Tennessee in Friday’s first game. ASU (39-24), making its 19th CWS appearance but first since 1998, faces the Volunteers in an elimination game Sunday.

Nebraska's Joe Simokaitis, left, tags out Arizona State's Jeff Larish at second base on a steal attempt. NU played Friday in Omaha, Neb.

Chamberlain (10-2) allowed a run in the second inning and two in the sixth before giving way to Zach Kroenke in the eighth. Chamberlain walked three and struck out four. Jensen pitched the final 11â3 innings and earned his 16th save.

Florida 6, Tennessee 4

Matt LaPorta and Brian Jeroloman homered, and Florida held off SEC rival Tennessee to win the opening game.

LaPorta extended the Gators’ single-season record with his 25th homer in the third, a deep shot into the left-field bleachers off Vols ace Luke Hochevar that gave Florida a 2-0 lead.

Alan Horne (10-2) won his ninth straight decision for Florida (46-20).