ST. GEORGE, Utah - The Omaha softball team closed its stay at the Red Desert Classic with its second split in as many days. The Mavericks busted out a season-high 11 hits in a 6-3 win over Idaho State, but fell in the final game of the tournament, mustering just two hits in a 6-0 loss to Utah State.
The Mavericks finished 3-2 at the tournament. Idaho State fell to 5-1 with its only loss of the tournament coming at the hands of the Mavs. Utah State went 4-2 on the weekend.
The Mavs visit Auburn, Ala., next weekend for the Tiger Invitational.
Omaha 6, Idaho State 3Campbell Ditto homered for the third time in four games to begin the season and led the Mavericks to a season-high 11 hits in the 6-3 win over the previously unbeaten Bengals.
Ditto was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.
Sydney Hames was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and
Tonya Peterson was 2-for-3 with an RBI double.
Dana Elsasser improved to 3-0 with her third straight complete game. Elsasser struck out four and walked two with six hits and three earned runs allowed. All three of the Bengals' runs came in the bottom of the sixth inning, ending Elsasser's streak of 19.1 scoreless innings to begin the season.
UNO struck for two runs with two outs in the top of the first. Ditto singled to the shortstop, then Lutmer brought her home with a double to left center and advanced to third on the throw home. Hames then singled Lutmer home for a 2-0 lead.
The Mavs plated two more runs in the fifth.
Lia Mancuso led off with a double and then scored on Ditto's two-run homer to center field, her third home run of the season. Idaho State pulled within one, 4-3, by striking for three runs in the bottom of the sixth off of Elsasser. However, the Mavs had her back, posting two insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Lutmer reached on an error and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Megan Stegman pinch ran for Lutmer, and after two flyouts,
Nicole Warren singled home Stegman and advanced to second, allowing her to score on the ensuing double by Peterson for a 6-3 Maverick lead.
Elsasser allowed one single in the bottom of the seventh, but fielded a groundout and got a groundout and lineout to Hames at third base to finish the win.
Allie Mathewson singled in the second inning to give her hits in 15 straight games dating back to last season.
Utah State 6, Omaha 0Utah State pitcher Nicole Johnson fanned 16 Mavericks in a two-hit shutout, and Hailey Froton hit two home runs to pace the Aggies.
Lia Mancuso and
Tara Trede had singles for the only Maverick hits.
Amber Lutmer drew a walk to extend her streak to 38 straight games reaching base dating back to last season.
Kat Barrow (0-2) took the loss, throwing 4.0 innings with three hits and three earned runs, three walks and three strikeouts.
Cheyenne Baxter pitched 3.0 innings in relief and also allowed three earned runs on five hits, three walks with one strikeout.
The Aggies took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a solo home run by Froton. They added two more in the fifth on Froton's two-run homer. Utah State busted it open with three runs in the top of the seventh.
For the tournament, Mathewson hit a team-best .429 and drew five walks, while the freshman Mancuso hit .417. Hames hit .400 with three RBI, while Ditto hit .333 with three homers, a double, five runs and five RBI.
Elsasser was 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA and struck out 21 batters to just five walks.
