Box Score (PDF/HTML)

WICHITA, Kan. – The Omaha baseball team was unable to pick up a midweek win at Wichita State on Wednesday, dropping a 5-3 loss at Eck Stadium. The Mavericks are now 0-4 (0-0 Summit League) on the year, while the Shockers improved to 7-4 (0-0 MVC).

Zach Beringer (1-0) earned the win in his first start of the season, striking out eight. He allowed one run on three hits and walked one. Sophomore Cole Volkers (0-1) took the loss, surrendering three runs on four hits with a walk in one inning of work. Brandon Peterson snagged his third save of the year for WSU but gave up a run on four hits over the final two innings.

Senior Tyler Splichal finished 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Redshirt freshman Connor Messinger went 1-for-3 with a double and drove in another run, while freshman Cole Gruber was 1-for-4 with a run scored. Sophomore Brett Miller, pinch hitting in Messinger's spot in the ninth, also tallied an RBI single for the day.

Taylor Doggett led Wichita State with a 3-for-4 effort and two runs scored.

Wichita State jumped out early, plating three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Casey Gillaspie sent a one-out sacrifice fly to right to score leadoff Daniel Kihle, followed by an RBI single from Erik Harbutz two batters later to bring Doggett across. WSU added its third run when Johnny Coy scored on a wild pitch.

In the next frame, UNO came back with one run as Messinger keyed a two-out double down the right field line to plate Splichal from second, making it 3-1. Wichita State responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second on Gillaspie's bases-loaded walk that brought in Tanner Kirk and Doggett scoring as Coy grounded into a double play, pushing the score to 5-1.

The Mavericks loaded the bases in the sixth with Gruber's leadoff single through the right side and walks from Mortensen and Schultz. Splichal then drew the third straight walk of the inning to score Gruber, cutting it to 5-2. The Shockers quelled UNO's rally, however, picking off Splichal at first and tagging Mortensen at home as he tried to score during Splichal's rundown.

Omaha tacked on its last run in the ninth as redshirt freshman Clayton Taylor doubled down the right field line and later scored on Miller's RBI single to left, leaving the final tally at 5-3.
UNO returns to action on Friday, March 8, hosting North Dakota State in a doubleheader at Westside High School. First pitch is set for 10 a.m., followed by the second game at approximately 1 p.m. Links to live stats will be available on OMavs.com, and live audio will be available for game two only.