OMAHA, Neb. – The Mavericks got even with 2023 CWS participant Oral Roberts tonight when Cardel Dick drew a bases-loaded walk to walk it off for Omaha in a 6-5 win to tie the series at a game apiece.
Omaha is now 3-5 in the Summit League and 5-19 overall, while the Golden Eagles slide back behind the Mavericks in the standings at 2-6 in the conference and 10-17 on the year.
Innings 1-5
After a two-out triple from Sam Thompson quickly made it 2-0 ORU in the top of the first, the Mavericks exploded with a five spot in the bottom of the inning. Matt Goetzmann led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch, followed by back-to-back Golden Eagle errors to load the bases for Grant Sommers, who laced a double into right center to tie it at 2-2. Then, Noah Greise and Cardel Dick drove in two more on a couple of base hits, before Trent Burkhalter capped off the inning with a sac fly.
Oral Roberts would pick up a run in each of the next two innings to cut the Mavericks lead to 5-4. In the top of the fourth, two on and two out, Nick Scanlon came in and struck out his first batter to keep ORU off the board. He would follow this up with a 1-2-3 fifth inning on just 10 pitches.
Innings 6-9
Scanlon continued his sharp outing on the mound with a scoreless sixth and seventh innings, allowing only one baserunner and striking out two more. With a one run lead, Omaha turned to its closer Luke Gainer for the six-out save in the eighth. Unfortunately, two Maverick errors proved costly as an unearned run came around to score and tie it up 5-5. Gainer immediately rebounded by retiring the side in order in the ninth.
In the bottom of the ninth, the first three Mavericks all reached base safely as Drew Lechnir singled up the middle, followed by a hit by pitch for Tyler Bishop and a bunt single for Grant Sommers. A quick groundout would temporarily keep Omaha from scoring, until Dick came up to the plate, worked a full count, and only needed to watch as Caleb Isaacs sailed one out of the zone to draw the walk off walk.
Inside the Box Score
Ethan Louthan made his first career start today after seven relief appearances, lasting 2.2 innings.
This is the first walk off victory of the season for Omaha.
Up Next
Omaha goes for the series win against the reigning conference champs tomorrow at 1 p.m. with Caleb Riedel (2-1) set to face off with Brooks Fowler (1-2).
UNO Baseball walks off Oral Roberts
