ST. PAUL, Minn. – For the first time this season, the Mavericks took the series opener from an opponent as they out-slugged St. Thomas today 6-5.
Omaha is now .500 in the Summit League at 5-5, while also improving to 7-19 overall. As for the Tommies, after playing their first game in nearly two weeks, they are now 4-2 in the conference and 9-12 on the season.
Innings 1-3
Matt Goetzmann provided Omaha with all the offense it needed early on as he got off to a blistering start. Leading off the day he worked a 2-2 count and crushed a home run to immediately put the Mavericks in front 1-0. Then, in the second, after Cardel Dick, Trent Burkhalter, and Henry Zipay all got on with two outs, Goetzmann ripped a double down the left field line to clear the bases and make it 4-0.
Meanwhile on the mound, Charlie Bell was sharp through his first 2.1 innings, striking out three batters and allowing one hit. With two outs in the third, though, the next five Tommies all reached base and three wound up scoring to cut Omaha’s lead to one.
Innings 4-6
St. Thomas plated two more in the bottom of the fourth to take its first lead of the day. The Mavericks would get at least one man on in each of the next three innings, but were unable to bring any of them home. Nick Scanlon was brought in to relieve Bell, holding the Tommies scoreless in the fifth and sixth.
Innings 7-9
Omaha strung together another two-out rally in the top of the seventh as Drew Lechnir and Tyler Bishop reached on back-to-back walks, paving the way for Grant Sommers to punch one through the right side and tie the game at 5-5.
The next inning, the Mavericks had some more two-out magic as Burkhalter knocked a two bagger to right and was pinch ran for by Tyler Palmer. Zipay then came up and found the hole between the first and second basemen to bring home Palmer and put Omaha back on top 6-5.
Pitching with the lead for the first time after coming in to finish of the seventh, Joe Hackmann worked around a leadoff single in the eighth by setting down the next three Tommies, before stranding two in the bottom of the ninth to close things out.
Inside the Box Score
Goetzmann is the third Maverick to drive in at least four runs in a game this year, joining Bishop and Dick.
Dick also threw out his fourth runner of the season in the seventh, tying him with Burkhalter.
Up Next
After the rescheduling of Sunday’s game, the Mavericks will now play a doubleheader tomorrow. Game one is set to begin at 12:00 p.m. and game two at around 3 p.m.
UNO Baseball delivers win over St. Thomas
