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MANHATTAN, Kan. – The UNO baseball team opened its weekend series at Kansas State on Friday, falling 9-4 at Tointon Family Stadium. With the loss, the Mavericks are now 12-33 on the year, while the Wildcats improve to 20-27.

Sophomore Jeff McNichols led Nebraska Omaha at the plate, going 2-for-2 off the bench with one run driven in. Sophomore Caleb Palensky also went 1-for-4 with two RBI.

KSU was paced by RJ Santigate, who finished 3-for-4 with a run scored and two driven in. Jared King was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a career-best four RBI while belting his fifth home run of the year. Ross Kivett and Jon Davis each added a pair of hits for the night.

Kayvon Bahramzadeh (5-3) earned the win, limiting UNO to two runs on three hits over six innings and striking out four with no walks. Senior Andrew Reck (1-6) took the loss, allowing five runs – four earned – off five hits with three strikeouts. The save went to Matt Wivinis (2), who gave up two runs on a pair of hits in 1.2 inning, striking out two and walking one.,

Kansas State took a quick lead with a three-run first inning, then tacked on a run in both the second and third innings to go up 5-0.

The Mavericks finally got on the board in the top of the sixth, scoring two runs on two hits. Sophomore Cody Brown ignited the momentum with a double down the left field line, and senior Colby McCord reached after being hit by a pitch. Both runners came in on Palensky's RBI triple down the right field line, bringing the tally to 5-2.

KSU extended its lead with four runs on three hits in the eighth. Blair DeBord doubled to left center and scored on Kivett's RBI double to left center. Later, with two outs and two runners on, King sent a three-run shot over the left field wall, pushing it to 9-2.

In the final inning, UNO cut it to 9-4 with a pair of hits and one Wildcat error. Senior Scotty Donner reached on a fielder's choice and was plated on sophomore Dylan McGill's double down the left field line. McNichols then singled up the middle to score McGill for the Mavericks' second run. KSU, however, escaped with the 9-4 win on its home turf, also snapping its nine-game losing skid.

UNO returns to action on Saturday, May 5, facing Kansas State in the second game of the series. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Tointon Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan.