OMAHA, Neb. – Omaha softball swept a double header against Northern Colorado on Tuesday at Westside Field at Westbrook. Omaha won the opener in eight innings, 4-2, and took the night cap 8-0 in six innings.
Omaha moved to 12-13 overall, while Northern Colorado dropped to 5-13-1 on the season.
Omaha opens conference play this weekend with a three game series against Fort Wayne. The Mavericks welcome the Mastodons to Westside Field at Westbrook for a double header on Saturday, March 21 starting at noon. Sunday will feature one game set to start at 11:00 a.m.
Omaha 4, Northern Colorado 2 (8 innings)
Omaha's Kat Barrow and Northern Colorado's Jayme Reddacliff engaged in a pitcher's duel in the opener. Barrow allowed only one hit over the first four innings, while Reddacliff allowed one hit in each of the first four frames.
Melissa Marcovecchio led off the top of the sixth inning with a solo homerun to right centerfield to give the Bears the lead, 1-0.
Omaha responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead, 2-1. Lia Mancuso led off the inning with a triple to left field. Tonya Peterson reached on a fielder's choice. On the play, Mancuso slid under the UNC tag to tie the game, 1-1. Kylie Schwarting pinch ran for Peterson and moved to second after Campbell Ditto was hit by a pitch. The duo moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt. Schwarting scored on a Lizzie Noble sacrifice to give the Mavs the lead.
In the top of the seventh, Northern Colorado used three hits to tie the game at 2-2.
In the bottom of the eighth, Allie Mathewson was placed on second base. Reddacliff retired the next two UNO batters which brought Ditto to the plate. Ditto blasted a two-run shot deep to center field to give Omaha the win.
Barrow (5-4) pitched 8.0 innings allowing two earned runs on six hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.
Ditto was 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run and two RBIs, while Mancuso went 1-for-3 with a triple.
Omaha 8, Northern Colorado 0 (6 innings)
Omaha's bats came alive in the second game of the double header as the Mavericks used 10 hits to put eight runs on the board. The top three hitters in the Omaha order each recorded at least one hit and scored at least one run.
Pitcher Jaylee Hinrichs (5-4) spun a one hitter with five strikeouts to earn her first collegiate shut-out.
The Mavericks wasted no time in getting the offense going. Mathewson led off the game with an infield hit and promptly stole second. Mancuso laid down a textbook sacrifice bunt to advance Mathewson to third. A Ditto infield single allowed Mathewson to cross the plate and give the Mavericks the early lead, 1-0.
The first four Omaha batters reached base to start the third inning. Tara Trede got the inning going with a single down the left field line. Mathewson was hit by a pitch and that was followed up with a Mancuso bunt single. Peterson singled down the right field line to score Trede. UNC pitcher Kelli Kleis retired the next two Omaha batters before Noble came to the plate. Noble cleared the bases with a double to right field. Sydney Hames singled up the middle allowing Noble to score and gave the Mavericks a 6-0 lead.
Molly Ryan broke up Hinrichs' no-hit bid with a one out single in the top of the fifth inning. Hinrichs closed out the inning with a called third strike on Kaley Garcia.
Peterson opened the fifth inning with a double down the right field line. Ditto was hit by a pitch to give Omaha two base runners with no outs. The pair moved up one base after a passed ball. Kelly Pattison hit into a fielder's choice allowing Peterson to give the Mavericks a 7-0 lead.
Omaha tacked on a run in the bottom of the sixth to end the game by run rule after six innings. Nicole Warren opened the inning with a bunt single and promptly stole second. Kylie Schwarting singled to right field allowing Warren to score and end the game.
Peterson went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Noble had a 1-for-3 day at the plate with a double and three RBIs.
