TUCSON, Ariz. – The Omaha softball team hit four homeruns as they defeated Southern Utah 9-6 in the final game of the Hillenbrand Invitational. The Mavericks are 3-2 overall, while the Thunderbirds are 0-6.
Southern Utah took a 1-0 lead in the first inning off of two hits and an Omaha error. The Mavericks did not trail for long as Nicole Warren reached on a Thunderbird error in the bottom half of the first. Warren was caught stealing before Lizzie Noble singled to left field. Sydney Hames homered to bring in Noble and give Omaha a 2-1 lead.
Southern Utah regained the lead with a hit and another UNO error in the top of the third. The Thunderbirds loaded the bases with one out. A Megan Reed double to left center cleared the bases for a 4-2 SUU lead. Omaha responded with three runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning. Kelly Pattison doubled to left center to chase starter Haley Wall. Pattison advanced to third on a wild pitch before being brought home on Lizzie Noble's home run. Hames made it back-to-back homers to give Omaha a 5-4 lead.
The Thunderbirds did not trail for long as they put up two runs on three hits in the top of the fourth. Kylee Wolf led off with a single to center. Omaha replaced starter Laura Roecker with Abbie Clanton. SUU welcomed Clanton with a single and a double to plate two runs and take a 6-5 lead. Once again the UNO bats responded. Bailey Schulenberg led off with a single to right, but two quick fly outs gave Southern Utah a chance to get out of the inning unscathed. Pattison turned on a 1-1 pitch and hit her second home run of the season to give the lead back to Omaha, 7-6.
UNO added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth. Campbell Ditto hit a two-out infield single. Megan May followed with a single to center which moved Ditto to third. Ditto came around to score as Schulenberg reached on a fielding error. May crossed home plate as Tara Trede reached base on the second Thunderbird error of the inning to make the final score, 9-6.
Three Omaha batters had two hits on the afternoon. Hames had two homeruns and three RBI, while Pattison had a double and a homer with two RBI. Noble had two RBI on a homerun and a single. Warren had a double for the Mavericks, while Ditto, May and Schulenberg each had singles.
Laura Roecker started for Omaha and pitched three innings allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits. Roecker struck out two and walked four. Abbie Clanton picked up her second win of the season in relief for the Mavericks. Clanton pitched four innings allowing one run on four hits, while striking out three and walking two.
Omaha will head to Orlando, Fla. next weekend for the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic. The Mavericks will play two games on Friday, Feb. 19 starting with No. 12 Georgia at 10 a.m. The game will be aired on ESPN3. UNO will also play Jacksonville State on Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. Omaha will also square off against No. 1 Florida, College of Charleston, and Elon in the tournament.
