OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha softball team found its offensive swagger on a cold and rainy Wednesday afternoon, totaling five home runs and 15 runs in two wins over North Dakota. The Mavericks broke out for an 8-0 win (5 innings) in game one, before rallying to take game two by a 7-6 score. Omaha improved to 20-20 overall, while North Dakota fell to 8-29.
The Mavericks return to action on Wednesday, April 15 against the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m. at Westside Field at Westbrook.
Omaha 8, North Dakota 0 (5 innings)
In the opener, Allie Mathewson hit two homeruns and Lizzie Noble added another as Omaha dispatched North Dakota in five innings, 8-0.
Mathewson got the Maverick offense going with a leadoff homerun in the bottom of the first inning. Two batters later, Lizzie Noble smashed her sixth homerun of the season to bring home Tonya Peterson and give Omaha a 3-0 lead after one inning.
North Dakota put pressure on UNO pitcher Jaylee Hinrichs in the top of the second inning. UND loaded the bases with one out, but Hinrichs got out of the inning with a strikeout and a pop out.
Omaha added three more runs in the bottom of the second. Tara Trede opened the inning with a leadoff single center. Mathewson hit her second homerun of the game to right center to score Trede. Kelly Pattison doubled to right field to chase UND starter Hannah Bergh. Noble hit into a fielder's choice, which allowed Pattison to score and put Omaha up 6-0 after two innings.
The Mavericks tacked on a pair of unearned runs in the fourth and fifth inning to give Omaha the 8-0 win via the run rule.
Hinrichs (10-8) pitched a complete game allowing no runs on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.
Omaha posted 11 hits in the opener, including three home runs. Mathewson and Noble each went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBIs. Pattison and Trede also had two hits and each scored one run.
Omaha 7, North Dakota 6
The Mavericks rallied with four runs in the bottom of the third to complete the sweep of North Dakota in game two.
In the bottom of the first, UND starter Taylor Hansen got the first out of the inning before walking Kelly Pattison and Tonya Peterson to bring up Lizzie Noble. Noble belted a homerun to left center field to give Omaha an early lead, 3-0.
The Mavericks held the lead until the top of the third inning where UND took their first lead of the afternoon. North Dakota's Taylor Donnelly opened the inning with a double and Shelby Hard walked. The Mavericks looked to have gotten a double play, but a throwing error allowed Donnelly to score and put a runner on second base.
Following a walk, Taylor Hansen singled to right field. Omaha's Lia Mancuso made a perfect throw home to get the North Dakota runner trying to score from second base. UND's Megan Keegan laced a two-out, three-run homer to right center to put North Dakota on top, 4-3.
The lead did not last for long as the Mavericks plated four runs in the bottom of the third. Peterson worked a one-out walk to get things going for Omaha. Kylie Schwarting pinch ran for Peterson and promptly stole second base. Noble walked to give Omaha two runners on base with one out.
Schwarting advanced to third on a wild pitch and came around to score on a Campbell Ditto single to left. Megan May cleared the bases with a three run shot over the scoreboard in left field to put Omaha back on top, 7-4.
Jaylee Hinrichs replaced Omaha starter Carly Nielsen in the circle in the top of the fourth inning. Hinrichs did not allow a run until Catherine Dorsher hit a pinch hit, two-run home run in the top of the sixth to cut into the Omaha lead.
Hinrichs struck out two of the final three batters she faced in the top of the seventh inning to secure the win for Omaha, 7-6.
Noble and May each drove in three runs in the nightcap to lead Omaha. Ditto went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and a stolen base.
Carly Nielsen started the game for Omaha and pitched three innings allowing three earned runs on five hits with three walks and a strikeout. Hinrichs (11-8) picked up the win by pitching 4.0 innings and allowed two earned runs on three hits with seven strikeouts.
