FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Omaha softball team defeated Valparaiso, 11-2, before falling to Colorado State, 5-4, on day two of the Colorado State Classic on Saturday. The Mavericks are 8-8 this season with two games remaining at the tournament on Sunday. The Mavs face Drake at 10 a.m. (CT), then finish with Valparaiso at 2:30 p.m. (CT).
Omaha 11, Valparaiso 2 (5 innings)
Lizzie Noble (1-2) allowed one hit over the first four innings to earn her first win of the season while Omaha pounded out nine hits in the 11-2 victory. Noble allowed two earned runs on four hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
Omaha's offense came to life in the first inning against the Crusaders. Noble lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Lia Mancuso to give the Mavs a 1-0 lead.
Omaha pushed three runs across the plate with two outs in the bottom of the second to increase the lead to 4-0. Valpo pitcher Taylor Weissenhofer quickly retired the first to Omaha batters of the inning before hitting Tara Trede with a pitch. Allie Mathewson and Mancuso each walked to load the bases. Campbell Ditto worked a five pitch walk to score Trede. Tonya Peterson stepped up to the plate and ripped a two-run RBI single to score Mathewson and Mancuso and give the Mavericks a 4-0 lead.
After a scoreless third inning, Omaha plated seven more runs in the fourth. Mancuso singled to left, before Ditto worked her second walk of the game. With runners on first and second, and one out, Peterson lined a single to left field and plated Mancuso. Freshman Megan May reached on a fielder's choice which allowed Peterson to score. Sydney Hames homered to left field to score May and give the Mavs a 9-0 lead.
Kelly Pattison and Trede each singled to keep the pressure on the Valparaiso pitcher. Mathewson reached base on a throwing error which allowed Pattison and Trede to score, increasing the lead to 11-0.
Valparaiso scored two runs in the top of the fifth to make the final score 11-2.
Peterson went 2-for-2 at the plate with three RBI and a run scored. Mancuso had two hits and scored three runs. Hames launched a two-run homerun, while Noble had a single and two RBI.
Colorado State 5, Omaha 4
Colorado State scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 5-4 win over the Omaha softball team on Saturday afternoon.
Omaha jumped out to a quick lead in the top of the first inning. The Mavericks took advantage of two hits and two errors to push a pair of runs across the plate. Allie Mathewson opened the game with a single to left. Lia Mancuso singled and advanced to third following an error that allowed Mathewson to score. Campbell Ditto reached on an error by the CSU second baseman which allowed Mancuso to score and make the lead 2-0.
Colorado State rallied in the bottom of the inning, using three hits to score three runs and take a 3-2 advantage.
The Mavericks regained the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Megan May got things going with a single to right field. Kylie Schwarting pinch ran for May and promptly was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Nicole Warren. Schwarting moved to third after Kelly Pattison singled to right.
Tara Trede grounded out to third which allowed Schwarting to cross the plate. An error on a Mathewson's fly ball allowed Pattison to cross the plate and give the Mavs a 4-3 lead.
Colorado State evened the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the fourth with three singles and a stolen base.
The Rams snatched the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning with two hits and a wild pitch. This aided the winning run to come across the plate. CSU ace Holly Reinke retired the Mavs in order in the top of the seventh, to secure the win.
Carly Nielsen (0-2) allowed five earned runs on 11 hits with two walks and a strikeout. CSU's Reinke allowed four hits and two earned runs.
Mancuso, Mathewson, May, and Pattison each had singles for the Mavericks, while Ditto and Trede each drove in a run.
