Jackson Taylor
SPORTS EDITOR
Game 1: W 5-1
RHP Tyler Fox took the mound for the Friday afternoon match against SDSU. The senior earned his league-leading seventh win of the season on a complete game, giving up one run on eight hits and striking out 10. Fox’s pitch count reached 119 by the end of the game, 83 of which were strikes.
Omaha’s offense proved to be just enough as the team only mustered three hits on the day. Freshman Grant Suponchick kept a hot bat, finishing 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI.
The LaVista native hit his first collegiate home run in the fourth inning to lead the Mavericks.
The Mavericks got on the board in the bottom of the second as they loaded the bases with two outs. Collin Leif worked a full count walk to bring in the first run and Alex Schultz brought in the second run after getting hit by a pitch. Omaha’s third run came in the fourth off Suponchick’s solo home run and their final run in the eighth when Schultz stole home to make it 4-0.
Game 2: L 15-3
LHP Sam Murphy (2-3) made the start for UNO in game 2. The junior took the loss, allowing
five runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work.
Junior Sam Palensky led the Omaha offense with a 2-for-3 day at the plate including a double and two RBI. Taylor also contributed with a 2-for-5 performance.
The Mavericks struggled to keep up with SDSU’s hot bats, getting outhit 19 to 8. Omaha left nine runners on base and struck out nine times. Luke Ringhofer and Matt Johnson led the JackRabbits with 4-for-6 and 3-for-5 efforts, respectively.
Omaha’s only big inning came in the fourth inning. The Mavericks scored three runs on four hits to make the score 5-3. SDSU would respond with ten runs over the next five innings, including a grand slam in the top of the ninth.
Game 3:
RHP Shane Meltz (1-2) made the start for UNO, giving up six runs on nine hits, striking out six and walking three in 5.2 innings of work. Corey Binger came in for the ninth inning to earn his first career save. The Omaha offense was led by five players with more than one hit: Gruber (2-for-5, 2 RBI), Taylor (2-for-3, 2 RBI), Caniglia (2-for-4, RBI), Herold (2-for-4, RBI) and Cate (2-for-4).
As a team, Omaha’s 10 runs came off 11 hits while leaving four runners on base.
Omaha’s runs all came in the second through fifth innings, with two in the second, two in the third, four in the fourth and two in the fifth. Following the series win, Omaha is now 19-20 (10-8 Summit League). The Mavericks look to pick up their 20th win of of the season against Air Force on Tuesday, April 26. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
