Erik Mauro
Contributor
The Omaha baseball team traveled to Werner Park this week to host their in-state rivals, the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
The Mavericks were able to take advantage of nine Husker free passes through three innings, eight walks and another hit batter. The Mavs jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, highlighted by a two-run single from Parker Smejkal. Smejkal’s batting average is now up to .387 and he has driven in 23 runs. Smejkal also leads the Mavericks with five home runs.
The Huskers fought back to take a lead of their own and Omaha answered with another to keep it a tie game through seven innings, 4-4.
Nebraska took the lead for good in the eighth inning. Alex Henwood walked, Spencer Schwellenbach was hit by a pitch and then Aaron Palensky, the younger brother of Omaha player Ben Palensky, hit a go ahead single followed by a two-run double by Joe Acker. Another run would score on a Maverick error, making the score 8-4.
Thomas Debonville cracked his fourth home run in the bottom of the inning to cap off the scoring, making the final score 8-5.
Jackson Gordon made just his second start of the year and lasted just 2 1/3 innings, giving up four earned runs and striking out four. Grant Suponchick, Andrew Brighton, Tyler Daugherty, Jacob Mohler and Cal Hehnke also saw action on the mound.
This is the only meeting between the two teams this year, as the first game in Lincoln was postponed and will most likely not be made up.
At the time of publication, the Mavericks’ next series will be on April 26 through 28 as they take on South Dakota State at home in Omaha.
