SAN ANTONIO - The Omaha softball team rallied in the sixth inning twice on Friday to go 2-0 on the first day of the UTSA Mid-Major Classic. In the morning game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, the Mavericks blew a 10-2 lead by allowing 12 runs in the third inning but scored the game's final five runs to edge the Islanders 15-14. In the evening, the Mavs finally broke free of a 1-0 deficit with a two-run single by Sydney Hames in the sixth inning to spark a 3-1 win over host UTSA.
The Mavericks improved to 8-3 on the season. UNO will play A&M-Corpus Christi again at 9 a.m. on Saturday, then Bryant at 11:30 a.m.
Omaha 15, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 14
The Mavericks blew a 10-2 lead by surrendering 12 runs to the Islanders in the bottom of the third, but responded with the game's last five runs to win the slugfest.
Mara Eeman had a career day, going 3-for-4 with four RBI, three runs, a home run and a double. Campbell Ditto went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, including the game-winning double to score Allie Mathewson in the top of the sixth to make it 15-14. Mathewson was 1-for-2 with a home run, three RBI and three runs. Amber Lutmer was 1-for-4 with a grand slam, her second of the season and team-leading fourth home run.
Omaha used all four pitchers in the contest, but it wasn't until Dana Elsasser entered in the fourth inning when the Mavs finally shut down A&M-Corpus Christi (2-8). Kat Barrow started the game but was chased in the third after allowing six earned runs on seven hits with two walks. Freshman Cheyenne Baxter replaced her but gave up three hits and three earned runs before recording an out in the third. Freshman Lizzie Noble then came in to pitch for the first time in her career in the midst of the Islanders' 12-run third inning and got three outs, but not before the Islanders plated four more runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk.
Elsasser (5-1) came in to start the fourth and pitched 4.0 no-hit, shutout innings and tallied three strikeouts to settle the Mavericks.
Omaha had jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the second inning. Eeman doubled home Noble for the game's first run, then Lia Mancuso and Ditto each walked home a run to make it 3-0. Lutmer cleared the bases with a grand slam to right field to make it 7-0.
The Islanders scored twice in the bottom of the second, but Eeman had an RBI single and Mathewson homered to left field with Eeman on base to extend the lead to 10-2. However, A&M-Corpus Christi made the third inning a nightmare for the Mavs, scoring 12 runs on 12 hits with one UNO error.
Trailing 14-10 after the disastrous inning, the Mavericks showed their heart with an immediate comeback. Ditto led off the top of the fourth with a single, Lutmer walked, and after Noble struck out, Sydney Hames reached on a fielder's choice that loaded the bases thanks to a throwing error. Tonya Peterson singled through the right side to score Ditto, then Eeman hit a sac fly to bring home Lutmer. With the bases loaded, Mathewson walked to score Hames to cut it to 14-13.
With Elsasser in control in the circle, it was up to the Maverick bats to retake the lead, and they did just that in the top of the sixth. Eeman hit her first homer of the season with one out away to tie the game 14-14. With two outs, Mathewson walked again and stole second. Mancuso walked as well, and Ditto came up big with a double to center field to score Mathewson for the go-ahead run.
Omaha 3, UTSA 1
Sydney Hames hit a two-run single in the top of the sixth inning to give the Mavs a 2-1 lead and boost them to their second comeback win of the day.
Dana Elsasser (6-1) was solid again in the circle, going the distance and allowing just three hits and one unearned run in the bottom of the third inning.
However, the Mavericks were unable to crack UTSA ace Nicole Merill until the sixth inning. Campbell Ditto reached on an error by Merill to begin the inning, and Amber Lutmer was hit by a pitch. Megan Stegman came in to pinch run for Lutmer, and Lizzie Noble advanced Lutmer and Ditto to second and third, respectively, with a sacrifice bunt. Hames then came up with the one-out single to score both Ditto and Stegman for the 2-1 lead.
The Roadrunners (5-7) loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth with two outs, but Elsasser got Vivian Tijerina to foul out to Lutmer at first base to escape the jam unscathed.
Allie Mathewson led off the top of the seventh with a solo home run to left center, her third straight game with a home run and her fourth of the season. Mathewson finished 2-for-3 in the game.
With the 3-1 lead, Elsasser retired the Roadrunners 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh to finish out the win, her second of the day.
