LINCOLN, Neb. – Kourtney Pock hit a grand slam and eight Omaha players combined for nine hits Wednesday. Unfortunately, it was not quite enough to upset No. 23 Nebraska as the Mavericks fell 12-8.
The Mavericks are now 11-16 overall. The Cornhuskers improved 16-6 on the season.
Omaha found itself in an early hole when Nebraska jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a two-run home run by MJ Knighten.
The Mavericks responded immediately by loading the bases. Lizzie Noble led off with a double down the right field line. Kourtney Pock reached on an error by the Nebraska third baseman and Megan May walked to load the bases with no outs. Cornhusker starter Kaylan Jablonski struck out the next two batters to bring up Lia Mancuso. Mancuso worked a walk to bring home Noble to make the score 2-1.
Omaha ran into problems in the bottom of the second as Nebraska loaded the bases with no outs. Omaha start Laura Roecker retired the next batter. Leadoff hitter Kiki Stokes lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to make the score 3-1. Knighten walked to load the bases. Shortstop Alicia Armstrong cleared the bases with a grand slam home run to right field.
The Mavericks continued to battle with four runs in the top of the third. Sydney Hames opened the inning with a single up the middle. Campbell Ditto reached on a fielding error followed by a Noble walk to load the bases. Pock slammed a homer to right center cutting Nebraska's lead to 7-5.
However, the Cornhuskers got two runs back in the bottom of the inning to reestablish a four run lead.
Mancuso led off the fourth by getting hit by a pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch. Nicole Warren hit an infield single putting two Mavericks on base with no outs. After Hames hit a ground ball to shortstop, Mancuso raced home and was able to avoid the tag. Ditto doubled to right center bringing home Warren. Omaha was unable to add additional runs and the game moved to the bottom of the fifth inning 9-7.
The Cornhuskers added a single run in the bottom of the fifth and two more in the sixth for a five run lead, 12-7.
May hit a one out single to center. Alexis Parker pinch ran for May and moved to second on Kelly Pattison's infield hit. Pinch hitter Bailey Schulenberg loaded the bases with a single to left. Mancuso hit a sacrifice fly to center field allowing Parker to score. Nebraska closer Cassie McClure got the final out of the inning to give the Cornhuskers a 12-8 win.
Pattison went 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of singles. Pock was 1-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. Noble and Ditto each had doubles. Noble scored two runs, while Ditto scored one and drove in one. Hames had a single with an RBI.
Roecker started and pitched 1.2 innings in the loss. The freshman allowed seven runs on six hits. Abbie Clanton pitched the final 4.1 innings allowing five runs on seven hits.
The Mavericks travel to Missoula, Mont. this weekend for the Montana Grizzly Classic. Omaha opens the tournament against Nevada on Saturday, March 19 at noon (CT). Immediately afterwards, the Mavericks will take on the tournament host Grizzlies at 2:15 p.m. (CT). On Sunday, Omaha will square off against the Wolfpack at 11:30 a.m. (CT) and Montana at 4 p.m. (CT).
