Box Score OMAHA, Neb. -- The Omaha baseball team captured a walkoff win over South Dakota State on Saturday, defeating the Jackrabbits 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth at the Ballpark at Boys Town. With the victory, the Mavericks improved to 9-8 (2-0 Summit league), while SDSU dropped to 7-8 (0-2 Summit League).

With the game stuck in a 6-6 tie, junior Alex Schultz's two-out, bases-loaded grounder to third resulted in an SDSU fielding error that allowed Omaha to score for the 7-6 win. Schultz finished the day 2-for-5 at the plate with a run scored.

Redshirt freshman Ryan Cate also had a pair of hits, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored. Senior Justin Threlkeld was 2-for-4 and scored once, while juniors Clayton Taylor and Alex Mortensen also scored two runs apiece.

Junior right-hander Gregg Gausden (2-2) earned the win in relief, throwing 1.0 innings while allowing two runs on four hits. The loss went to Talon Jumper (0-1), who surrendered one run on one hit and a walk over 2.2 innings.

Senior right-hander Zach Williamsen had an outstanding start, tossing 6.0 shutout innings while keeping SDSU to six singles with two walks and three strikeouts.

South Dakota State was led by Paul Jacobson, who went 3-for-5 with a run scored, and Luke Ringhofer, who was 3-for-4.

As it did on Friday, Omaha started its offensive attack early, scoring two runs on three hits in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, Taylor singled to center, and Mortensen followed with an RBI double to left. Cate posted the Mavericks' third straight hit with an RBI single to center that scored Mortensen for a 2-0 lead.

UNO broke it open in the sixth with four runs off a trio of hits and an error. With one out, Threlkeld and Schultz both singled to put two runners on. A sacrifice fly to right from junior Cole Gruber drove in Threlkeld, making it 3-0. Taylor and Mortensen then drew back-to-back two-out walks to load the bases, and Omaha cleared the bags with Cate's two-RBI double to center coupled with an SDSU fielding error for a swift 6-0 advantage.

The Jackrabbits responded immediately in the top of the seventh, posting four runs on four hits. With one out, SDSU loaded the bases with a single up the middle from Eric Danforth, Jacobson being hit by a pitch and a Zach Coppola walk. Tony Kjolsing double to left center to drive in two runs, followed by a Matt Johnson single to center for another run scored. Reid Clary's sacrifice fly to right pushed across South Dakota State's fourth and final run, cutting Omaha's lead to 6-4.

SDSU tied the game in the top of the ninth with a pair of runs on four hits. The Jacks led off with three straight singles from Johnson, Clary and Ringhofer, followed by Al Robbins being hit by a pitch to push Johnson across. Pinch hitter Jesse Munsterman then singled through the left side, driving in Clary and knotting the game at 6-6. South Dakota State still had the bases loaded with no outs, but Omaha got out of the jam with a flyout to left and Jewett gunning down Ringhofer with a throw home, followed by another flyout to right that quieted the Jacks' threat.

Omaha started off the ninth with Cate being hit by a pitch and moving to second on groundout by pinch-hitting freshman Jack Wilson. Junior Collin Leif then drew a walk, and two batters later, Threlkeld did the same to load the bases with two outs. Schultz came up and worked a full count, delivering a grounder to third that was booted by SDSU and allowed Cate to score unearned for the 7-6 walkoff win.

Omaha closes the South Dakota State series on Sunday, March 15. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at the Ballpark at Boys Town, and links to live stats and audio will be available on OMavs.com.