Box Score BROOKINGS, S.D. -- The Omaha baseball team opened its weekend series at South Dakota State Friday afternoon, dropping a 5-1 decision at Erv Huether Field. The Mavericks are now 16-18 (9-7 Summit League), while the Jackrabbits are 23-13 (10-6 Summit League).
Adam Bray (5-3) earned the win in his start for SDSU, throwing 8.0 innings and allowing one unearned run on six hits and a walk with six strikeouts. Junior right-hander
Tyler Fox (4-3) took the loss, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks over 6.0 innings pitched. Fox struck out six for the day.
Three Mavericks had multiple hits for the afternoon, with two hits apiece from freshman
Isaac Holt (2-for-4, one run) and juniors
Alex Mortensen (2-for-4) and
Collin Leif (2-for-3, one RBI).
South Dakota State was the first to score, as Luke Ringhofer's two-run homer to right gave the Jacks a quick 2-0 lead.
Omaha countered in the top of the second, as an RBI single up the middle by Leif scored Holt to make it 2-1.
In the fifth, SDSU tallied a run with one hit and capitalized on two Maverick errors. Cody Sharrow led off by reaching on a fielding error. Eric Danforth got on with a bunt single, and both runners moved into scoring position with another UNO miscue. Zach Coppola then grounded out to second to drive in Sharrow, and the Jacks held a 3-1 advantage.
South Dakota State made its final offensive tally in the seventh with two runs on one hit. Coppola and Paul Jacobson drew consecutive walks and advanced into scoring position with a double steal, followed by an RBI single to left by Ringhofer. Reid Clary then drove in Coppola with a sacrifice fly to right, extending SDSU's lead to 5-1.
In the eighth, the Jacks shut down three UNO batters in order. The Mavericks mustered two hits in a final push in the ninth, as Holt and Mortensen had back-to-back one-out singles to put two runners on. Closer Talon Jumper finished it off, however, with a pair of strikeouts stranding both runners and sealing SDSU's 5-1 win.
Omaha and South Dakota State resume the series on Saturday, April 18, with first pitch at 1 p.m. at Erv Huether Field in Brookings, S.D. Links to live stats and audio will be available on OMavs.com.
