OMAHA, Neb. – The Mavericks nearly pulled off another miraculous late-game comeback today as they got two men on in the bottom of the ninth, only to come up just short in a 6-5 loss to St. Thomas in the 2024 home finale.
Heading into the final week, Omaha will remain in third place in the Summit League at 16-28-1 overall and 14-12-1 in conference play, while the Tommies will hang on to first place at 20-23 with a 14-9 league record.
Today was also Senior Day in Omaha, with graduating seniors Joe Hackmann, Matt Goetzmann, Haiden Hunt, Zach Lechnir, Drew Lechnir, Tyler Mattingley, Sid deMayo, Cooper Prososki, Charlie Bell, Caleb Riedel, and Harrison Kreiling all being honored before the game.
Innings 1-3
Things were relatively quiet through the first three innings, with St. Thomas scoring with two-outs in the top of the first, but not doing much else offensively. Bell did not allow a hit over the next two innings, retiring six in a row after a lead-off walk in the second.
Hunt, getting the start on Senior Day, got Omaha on the board in the second with a triple to right center to bring home Henry Zipay.
Innings 4-6
After Brigs Richartz hit a solo home run to open the fourth for the Tommies, Omaha responded an inning later when Cardel Dick crushed one over the wall in left for the go-ahead two-run homer to make it 3-2 Mavericks. UST, though, would immediately tie it up the next inning on another solo home run from Richartz.
Innings 7-9
The Tommies would tack on another three runs in the seventh to go up 6-3. Dick cut the deficit to two with his third RBI of the day in the bottom of the inning, before Tyler Bishop crushed a first-pitch lead-off home run in the bottom of the eighth to get Omaha within one.
Following two scoreless innings from Luke Gainer, the Mavericks had a chance to at least tie the game in the bottom of the ninth, as Dick and Goetzmann made it first and second with one out. Unfortunately, the final two Maverick batters were set down in order to end the game.
Inside the Box Score
This was Bell’s fourth game this season going at least six innings and allowing three runs or less.
Omaha set a new all-time program record for single series attendance this weekend with 2461 total fans in attendance across all three games.
On Deck
Only one week remains in the season. On Tuesday, the Mavericks will play Creighton for the third and final time in an 11 am game at Charles Schwab Field. Then, starting Thursday at 3 p.m., the Mavericks will play their final series of the regular season at South Dakota State as they look to end the season as the No. 1 seed in the conference.
