AMES, Iowa – The Omaha softball team snapped a three-game losing streak in big fashion Wednesday evening in Ames, Iowa. The Mavericks scored multiple runs in four different innings to defeat Big 12 opponent Iowa State, 9-4.
Omaha improves to 21-23 on the season, while the Cyclones fall to 22-21.
Offensively, senior outfielder Allie Mathewson was the star from the leadoff spot. She finished the game 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI.
Freshman pitcher Jaylee Hinrichs earned her 12th win of the season by pitching a complete game allowing four runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts.
The Omaha offense got things going in the second inning as it pushed three runs across the plate. Sydney Hames and Nicole Warren reached base with singles. Iowa State's Stacy Rottentien struck out the next batter to bring up Allie Mathewson. Mathewson cleared the bases with a home run to left field to give Omaha the lead, 3-0.
The Mavericks added to the lead in the top of the third inning. Senior Tonya Peterson led off the inning with a solo home run to left field. Singles from Campbell Ditto and Megan May and a Hames walk loaded the bases. Pinch hitter Carly Nielsen worked a bases loaded walk to force in another run to give UNO a 5-0 advantage.
Omaha loaded the bases again in the top of the fourth. Peterson drew a lead-off walk before Lizzie Noble reached base on an infield hit. Ditto earned a walk to load the bases. May singled to center field to drive in Noble. Pinch runner Kylie Schwarting came around to score on an error committed by the Cyclone first baseman.
After being frustrated offensively through the first three innings, Iowa State took advantage of a hit batsman and a wild pitch to cut the Omaha lead to 7-1.
In the top of the sixth, Peterson led off with a double to center field. Noble moved the runner to third with a single to left field. A single through the left side by May brought home Peterson. Hames laced a single to left field to score Noble and made the score 9-1 in the Mavericks' favor.
The Cyclones answered with two runs on two hits, a hit batter, and a walk off of Hinrichs in the bottom of the sixth. Omaha's defense twice threw out Iowa State runners at the plate to limit the damage in the inning.
Iowa State added a run in the bottom of the seventh to make the final score, 9-4.
Five different Maverick batters had multiple hits against the Cyclones. May led Omaha hitters with three hits and three RBI. Mathewson went 2-for-5 with a three run home run. Peterson had two extra base hits on the day with a double and a home run with an RBI. Hames and Noble each had two singles. Ditto and Warren each had a single to round out the UNO hit parade.
Omaha wraps up the road portion of its Summit League schedule this weekend with a three-game set at IUPUI. The Mavericks and Jaguars will open the series with a doubleheader on Friday starting at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., before wrapping up the series on Saturday with a single game set to start at 10:00 a.m.
