UNO 4, SDSU 1
UNO 3, SDSU 0
OMAHA, Neb. - The UNO softball team earned a sweep of South Dakota State in its Summit League and home opener on Friday, 4-1 and 3-0, on a sunny day at Westside Field at Westbrook.
The Mavericks (24-4, 2-0 Summit) were playing at home for the first time after having six home games canceled and one moved to Lincoln. South Dakota State dropped to 9-17 overall and 1-4 in conference play.
The Mavs and Jackrabbits wrap up the series on Saturday at Noon.
Omaha 4, South Dakota State 1 (Game One)
Amber Lutmer went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and the Mavericks broke open a tie game with two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth for their first Summit League win.
The Mavs struck first in the bottom of the first when
Allie Mathewson doubled off the left field wall and
Campbell Ditto singled up the middle to score her for a 1-0 lead.
The Jackrabbits tied the game in the top of the fourth when Marlee Peterson singled up the middle to score pinch-runner Jessica Markanich. The Mavs loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth but couldn't bring anyone across to break the deadlock.
However, the Mavs did break the tie in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Tara Trede led off with a bunt single, and
Campbell Ditto doubled to the wall in center field to move Trede to third.
Amber Lutmer then knocked a two-run single to center field to make it 3-1. Despite loading the bases with no outs, the Mavs couldn't add more to their lead.
UNO added one more insurance run in the bottom of the sixth though. Trede singled up the middle, and Lutmer notched her third RBI of the game with a line drive to right field to make it 4-1.
Elsasser earned the win to improve to 14-4 on the season. She allowed just three hits and one earned run with three strikeouts and one walk. Kori Seidlitz took the loss to fall to 5-11. Seidlitz allowed 10 hits and four earned runs on three strikeouts and three walks.
The Mavs outhit SDSU 10-3 but left 10 runners on base. Ditto finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and RBI. Trede was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and
Lindsay Redding went 2-for-3.
Omaha 3, South Dakota State 0 (Game Two)
Ashton Hughes was dominant, throwing a complete game one-hit shutout, and
Campbell Ditto had a two-run homer and all three RBIs to spark the Mavs to the doubleheader sweep.
UNO scored first in the bottom of the third inning on Ditto's RBI single that scored
Allie Mathewson. In the bottom of the fifth, Ditto laced a pitch over the wall in left center with Trede on base to make it 3-0. It was Ditto's fourth homer of the season. The freshman catcher finished the day 5-for-6 with two runs scored and four RBIs.
The three runs was all Hughes needed. She walked just one in addition to the lone hit by Kelly Kleppin in the top of the first inning. Hughes retired 15 consecutive batters to end the game and improve to 6-0 on the season. She struck out seven batters.
Trede went 3-for-3 in game two and finished 5-for-7 on the day. The Mavs had nine hits in game two.
