By Brian Brashaw
Kyle Funk earned his second win of the season for the Maverick baseball team Wednesday, an 8-4 victory over Wayne State College. Funk pitched five innings, giving up two earned runs on four hits.
James Peters came on in relief and finished the game, pitching four innings and also giving up two runs.
UNO opened the scoring in the first inning when Justin Cook hit his first home run of the season over the centerfield wall. The Mavericks took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth when Cook scored on a fielder’s choice double play.
Ty Fleck crossed the plate for UNO in the fifth inning to open a 3-0 lead, but Wayne State threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the inning. UNO committed two errors that inning that led to Joe Hartman and Scott Hayduk scoring for the Wildcats.
UNO answered with two runs in the top of the sixth inning, ultimately sealing the win. Eric Gordon scored on a Wayne State error and Wil Guidebeck scored on a bunt single by Zach Ries. In the top of the seventh, the Mavericks scored in their fourth straight inning. Dan Persons hit a one-out double and later scored on a Cook single.
UNO capped the game with two runs in the top of the ninth. Persons again doubled and advanced to third on a passed ball. Cook walked and David Kros hit a two-RBI single to score both Persons and Cook.
Wayne State scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth in a comeback attempt, but the damage had been done and UNO held on for the 8-4 win.
The game was a bit sloppy as the two teams combined for nine errors. Wayne State left nine men on base, while UNO left eight stranded.
Cook finished the game 2 for 3 at the plate, with three runs scored and two RBIs. UNO will return to Omaha to play Rockhurst April 1 at 1 p.m. and start play in the North Central Conference April 6 and 7 at Northern Colorado.
