OMAHA, Neb. – Summit League-leading Omaha made the most of its scoring opportunities, sweeping a baseball doubleheader from South Dakota State by scores of 5-3 and 8-5 Friday afternoon at Seymour Smith Park.
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OMAHA, Neb. – Summit League-leading Omaha made the most of its scoring opportunities, sweeping a baseball doubleheader from South Dakota State by scores of 5-3 and 8-5 Friday afternoon at Seymour Smith Park.
The Mavericks improved to 11-14 overall and 7-1 in league play. SDSU dropped to 3-19 overall and 1-5 in The Summit League.
Game 1: Omaha 5, SDSU 3
Tyler Daugherty tripled to lead off the sixth inning and scored what proved to be the game-winning run on a groundout as the Mavericks prevailed, 5-3, in the opener.
The Omaha rally came after the Jackrabbits battled back to tie the game at 3-all in the top of the sixth. All of SDSU’s damage came with two outs, starting with a walk to Josh Kutzke and Derek Hackman being hit by a pitch. Kutzke scored on a single up the middle by Skyler Wenninger and Gus Steiger followed with a single to left-center that chased home pinch-runner Philip Jacobson.
The Jackrabbits had taken a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a two-out run-scoring single by Tony Kjolsing.
Omaha gained the lead at 3-1 with a three-run home half of the fifth as Thomas DeBonnville delivered a two-run single and later scored on a single by Keil Krumwiede.
Daugherty scored his second run of the game on the Jackrabbits’ lone error of the contest in the eighth to provide an insurance run.
Steiger went 3-for-4 and Wenninger tallied two hits for the Jackrabbits, who out-hit Omaha, 9-6.
SDSU starter Brady Moxham struck out six and walked three in five-plus innings. Derek Feige pitched 2 1/3 strong innings in relief, allowing only the unearned run in the eighth.
For Omaha, starter Joey Machado surrendered three runs in six innings. Cal Hehnke struck out two in three scoreless innings of relief to earn the save.
Game 2: Omaha 8, SDSU 5
Braden Rogers drove in three runs with a home run in the fourth inning and single in the sixth inning as the Mavericks completed the doubleheader sweep with a three-run victory.
Rogers’ home run was the second of the inning by Omaha and gave the Mavericks a 4-2 lead. Thomas DeBonville led off the fourth with a homer to left for the first hit off Jackrabbit starter Brady Stover, and Parker Smejkal added a run-scoring double to set up Rogers’ first home run of the season.
SDSU had taken a 2-0 lead with a home run of its own as Newt Johnson connected on a two-run shot to left field in the top of the third, scoring Tony Kjolsing ahead of him. It was Johnson’s team-leading fourth home run of the season.
The Jackrabbits came back to tie the game at 4-all in the top of the fth on a two-run double into the left-field corner by Josh Falk. However, SDSU could not capitalize further with runners at second and third with no outs as reliever Andrew Brighton retired the next three Jackrabbit hitters.
Omaha regained the lead in the fifth inning by scoring on a wild pitch. After Rogers’ run-scoring single in the sixth, the Mavericks tacked on two more runs in the seventh on a double by Keil Krumwiede.
SDSU put together a rally in the ninth, only to fall short. Landon Badger led off with a single, moved to third on a double by Anthony Schneider and scored on Kjolsing’s sacrifice fly. The next two Jackrabbit batters reached on an in field single and walk to load the bases, but Tommy Steier came on to record the nal two outs for the save.
Hits were even at eight per team, although seven of the Mavericks’ hits went for extra bases. Smejkal and Rogers each tallied two hits for Omaha, with both of Smejkal’s hits doubles.
Johnson was the lone Jackrabbit with more than one hit.
Brighton scattered five hits over 4 1/3 innings to earn the victory in relief. Maverick starter Spencer Koelewyn walked five and struck out two in allowing four runs in four-plus innings.
Jackrabbit starter Brady Stover suffered his first loss of the season despite striking out seven over 4 2/3 innings.
UP NEXT: The two teams are scheduled to play the series finale at 2 p.m. Saturday.
NOTES: Omaha leads the all-time series, 82-74-1. ... The Jackrabbits had their seven-game win streak against Omaha snapped in Game 1. ... All four of Johnson’s home runs this season have been hit off left-handed pitchers. ... Johnson’s home run was the 12th of his career - most among active Jackrabbit players. ... Johnson scored the 100th run of his collegiate career on his home run. ...Stover has struck out 25 batters in 17 2/3 innings so far this season. ... Moxham upped his team-leading strikeout total to 38. ... SDSU left 19 men on base in the doubleheader – nine in the opener and 10 in Game 2.
Photo from www.gojacks.com.
