Leading Off
The Omaha baseball team makes its Summit League Baseball Championship debut this week, May 25-28, at J.L. Johnson Stadium in Tulsa, Okla. The second-seeded Mavericks open the tournament against third-seeded Fort Wayne on Wednesday, May 25 at Noon, and links to live stats and video will be available on OMavs.com.

Quick Hits
•Three Mavericks hit over .400 in last weekend's series vs. Oral Roberts: seniors Cole Gruber (.500) and Collin Leif (.467) and sophomore Ryan Cate (.438).
•Omaha is averaging its most home runs per game (.46), runs scored per game (5.87), walks per game (3.96), RBI per game (5.20) and stolen bases per game (1.43) of any season in the Mavericks' Division I era.
•Senior right-hander Tyler Fox claimed the outright school record for career wins last Thursday vs. ORU. The victory was the 30th of his career and passed former Maverick Kyle Funk's 29 from 2000-03.
•Senior Clayton Taylor's career-long 32-game reaching base streak came to an end April 30 at Fort Wayne. It was the longest of any Maverick since former Maverick Lyle Lafountain (34) in 2006.
•Taylor also moved up to third all-time in Summit League history for career RBI (174) last weekend.
•Taylor's 11 homers this season are the most of any Maverick since 2008.
•UNO has scored at least one run in the first inning 26 times this season. That includes 14 times in conference games, where the Mavericks have gone 10-4.
•Senior Alex Schultz keyed his 200th career hit on April 6 vs. Nebraska. He is one of just seven players in school history with 200 or more career hits, joining two fellow seniors who reached the milestone earlier this season -- Taylor (March 27 vs. North Dakota State) and Gruber (March 20 vs. Fort Wayne).
•Gruber became Omaha's all-time career stolen base leader on March 9 at Air Force, while Fox became UNO's all-time leader for innings pitched on March 18 vs. Fort Wayne and batters faced on March 25 vs. North Dakota State.
•On Feb. 20, head coach Bob Herold earned his 500th career victory in 17 seasons of directing the Omaha program.
•The 2016 season marks Omaha's first with full NCAA Division I postseason eligibility for the Summit League and NCAA Tournaments. The Mavericks completed a required four-year Division I reclassification period from 2012 to 2015.
•UNO returned 18 letterwinners this year, including five position starters: Gruber, Taylor, Schultz, Cate and Leif.
•Four All-Summit selections highlighted the Mavericks' returning corps with Taylor, Gruber, Schultz and Fox.
•UNO was picked fourth in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll.
•Omaha is 238-263 against all opponents on the schedule this year and 142-120 all-time against the five other teams in the Summit League. The Mavericks have compiled a 62-42 record in Summit League play since 2012-13.

2016 Summit League Baseball Championship Field Set
The field has been set for the 2016 Summit League Baseball Championship with four teams competing May 25-28 at J.L. Johnson Stadium in Tulsa, Okla. The tournament champion advances to the NCAA Tournament as the league's automatic bid.

Omaha (28-26, 18-12 Summit League) will make its Summit League Tournament debut when it faces No. 3 seed Fort Wayne (31-24, 14-16) on Wednesday at Noon. Oral Roberts earned the tournament's top seed for the second consecutive year and the 16th time in program history. The Golden Eagles, who are 34-18 (22-8), face No. 4 South Dakota State (21-33, 13-17) in Wednesday's second game at 6 p.m.

The double elimination tournament continues with two games Thursday, one game Friday and the championship game(s) Saturday.

Scouting the Fort Wayne Mastodons
No. 2-seeded Fort Wayne enters the tournament with a record of 31-24 14-16 Summit League) and a 10-game win streak after sweeping last weekend's series vs. Western Illinois, 4-3, 2-0 and 6-3. Brandon Soat leads the Mastodons with a .320 batting average this season, and IPFW also boasts the league's home run leader, Greg Kaiser, who has 15.

Head coach Bobby Pierce is in his eighth season at Fort Wayne with a record of 163-268 and a career mark of 218-322 over 10 years of coaching.

Omaha leads the all-time series with Fort Wayne, 14-13. Omaha swept the first weekend series this season -- 14-7, 7-0 and 9-5 -- at the Ballpark at Boys Town, March 18-20. UNO then took two of three in Fort Wayne, 3-1 and 3-2, while dropping a 2-0 loss over April 29-30.

Last Time Out: Mavericks Hammer Oral Roberts on Senior Day, 11-5
Omaha capped the regular season last Saturday, trouncing Oral Roberts 11-5 at the Ballpark at Boys Town. Sophomore right-hander Corey Binger (8-3) earned the win, allowing three runs on eight hits with no walks and six strikeouts over his 6.0-inning start. The loss was tagged to ORU starter Cale Tims (6-2), who surrendered three runs on five hits and three walks with a strikeout in 3.0 innings of work.

Senior Collin Leif, one of six Maverick seniors honored with Senior Day festivities, led the way at the plate. The Bemidji, Minn., native finished 3-for-4 with a run scored and drove in four more. Sophomore Adam Caniglia (3-for-5, two runs, one RBI) and freshman Jack Kalina (3-for-5, two runs) also had three hits apiece, and Caniglia belted his second home run of the season, which was Omaha's only extra-base hit.

Sophomore Ryan Cate (2-for-5, two RBI) and junior Sam Palensky (2-for-5, two runs, one RBI) also had multi-hit performances. As a team, the Mavericks finished with 17 hits and scored in every frame but the fourth and the eighth.

It's Tourney Time
Omaha last played in a conference tournament in its final year of the Division II era at the 2011 MIAA Tournament in Kansas City, Mo. The Mavericks earned a spot in the tournament's championship game, falling 7-1 to Central Missouri, which was the nation's fifth-ranked team in Division II.

What Does the Fox Say?
Senior right-handed pitcher Tyler Fox has been Omaha's most celebrated hurler over the last three seasons. The Thornton, Colo., native was the 2014 Summit League Pitcher of the Year and an All-Summit selection as a sophomore, and he has led UNO in both strikeouts and innings pitched in 2014, 2015 and 2016. His 93.2 innings thrown as a junior were the third-highest single-season total in school history, behind only Ben Percival (100.1) in 2009 and Troy Cloyd (96.0) in 2005.

Fox has compiled a career record of 30-9 with a 3.02 ERA. On May 6 at North Dakota State, he tied the school record for career wins, then claimed the record outright on May 19 vs. Oral Roberts by eclipsing former Maverick Kyle Funk's 29 victories from 2000-03. On March 18, he became Omaha's all-time leader for career innings pitched, passing former Maverick Mike Metz (1975-78), who had 255.2. In addition to his 322.1 innings pitched, Fox also ranks first in school history for batters faced (1,351) and games started (53). Additionally, he is third for strikeouts (237) and sixth for appearances (54).

Clayton's the Catalyst
Omaha is 15-1 this season when senior Clayton Taylor registers a multi-RBI game. The Mount Michael product is a catalyst for the Mavericks' offensive production, hitting .425 with runners on base, and he has success advancing runners 60 percent of the time.

Taylor's offensive success rubs off on his teammates; in games when he has at least two RBI, UNO as a team averages 12.1 hits, 8.6 runs and 7.8 RBI per game, up from 9.1 hits, 4.7 runs and 4.1 RBI per game when he does not.

Climbing the Career Charts
Seniors Cole Gruber, Clayton Taylor and Alex Schultz have been four-year starters at Omaha and have steadily climbed their way up the UNO career charts. Gruber is first in school history for stolen bases (105) and sacrifice hits (34), third for runs scored (163) and hits (249), fourth for walks (104), sixth for games started (190) and at-bats (706) and seventh for games played (196) and total bases (307).

Taylor is second for RBI (174), third for total bases (379), fourth for home runs (29) and sacrifice flies (14), fifth for hits (236), walks (99), doubles (45), games started (192), games played (198) and at-bats (711) and sixth for runs scored (143).

Schultz is third for walks (107), fourth for runs scored (161), at-bats (750), games started (198) and games played (199), seventh for hits (215) and eighth for doubles (42).

Stealing the Spotlight
Senior Cole Gruber has made a name for himself in the Summit League with his sneaky work on the basepaths, as he paces the league with 43 stolen bases in 2016. He previously led the conference with 34 in 2014 and was second with 22 in 2015. Gruber has steadily worked his way up Omaha's career stolen bases chart, and on March 9 at Air Force became the Mavericks' all-time career stolen base leader. He registered two swiped bags in the game, passing previous record holder Bryan Frew, who had 72 from 2005-08.

On April 30 at Fort Wayne, Gruber passed the single-season school record of 35 set by Frew in 2008. Gruber's career mark is now up to 105, which is second in Summit League history behind only Akron's Jeff Rolyson (1990-92), who had 113.

Walk It Out
Seniors Alex Schultz (107) and Cole Gruber (104) recently became the third and fourth Mavericks in school history to reach 100 walks in their career. The duo joined Bryan Frew (2005-08), who had 149, and Greg Geary (1994-97), who had 145 -- in reaching the century milestone. Senior Clayton Taylor is on the brink of joining the list, as he enters the week with 99 free passes.

In his senior campaign, Schultz has a 15 percent walk rate and is averaging a career-best .74 walks per game, the most since Dustin Koca's 1.07 walks per game in 2008.

New Leif
After being sidelined with an injury on April 1, senior catcher Collin Leif returned to the lineup for the first time in three weeks on April 22. The Bemidji, Minn., native has helped the Mavericks go 11-7 since then and has hit .367 (22-for-60) with 13 runs scored, 15 RBI, four walks, five hit-by-pitches and eight multi-hit games.

Thou Shalt Steal
As a team, Omaha is 44th nationally with 77 stolen bases this year and 48th with 1.43 stolen bases per game. Gruber owns 43 of those stolen bases, while the rest of the squad has a combined 34.

Stacking Up Nationally
In the latest NCAA statistical release, senior Cole Gruber is second in the nation for stolen bases (43), third for stolen bases per game (0.80) and 38th for hits (80). Senior Clayton Taylor is fifth for RBI (66), sixth for RBI per game (1.22) and 33rd for sacrifice flies (six), and senior Tyler Fox is 10th for wins (10) and 22nd for games started (14). Senior Collin Leif is also 30th for hit-by-pitch per game (0.32), and senior Alex Schultz is 48th for walks (40).

League Leaders
Senior outfielder Cole Gruber paces the Summit League for hits (80), runs scored (55) and stolen bases (43), while senior infielder Clayton Taylor leads the league in RBI (66). Junior infielder Sam Palensky is also credited with the league high for assists (176) and senior Alex Schultz has the lead for walks (40). On the mound, senior Tyler Fox has the league lead for wins (10), games started (14), innings pitched (93.2), complete games (two) and shutouts (one). Sophomore Corey Binger matches him for complete games (two) and shutouts (one).

As a team, Omaha leads the league in stolen bases (77).

Making Their Mark in the Summit
In just four years as members of the Summit League, the Mavericks have already put their stamp on the conference's record book. Senior Cole Gruber is tied for the league's record for career sacrifice bunts (34), matching Cooper Stewart (2006-09) of Western Illinois. Gruber is also second in league history for career stolen bases (105), while senior Clayton Taylor is third for career RBI (174) and fifth for career sacrifice flies (14). Senior Tyler Fox is second for career games started (53), third for career wins (30) and career innings pitched (322.1) and fifth for career shutouts (four).

Counting on Cate
Sophomore right-hander Ryan Cate earned his fifth save of the season April 26 against Air Force, which moved him into the top 10 in school history for career saves. His mark matches former Mavericks Mike Jones (1985-86) and Anthony Falcone (2011-14) for eighth in that category.

Maverick Mound Notes
•Three pitchers on Omaha's staff have earned Summit League Pitcher of the Week awards, with senior righty Tyler Fox on Feb. 29, April 25 and May 9, sophomore righty Corey Binger on March 14 and May 16 and junior southpaw Sam Murphy on April 4.
•The trio is in the top 10 in the Summit League for ERA, with Fox second (3.17), Murphy fourth (3.56) and Binger sixth (3.94). Fox (69) and Murphy (64) also rank in the top 10 for strikeouts, coming in second and fifth, respectively.
•Binger tossed his second complete game of the year May 15 at Western Illinois, shutting out the Leathernecks 14-0.
•Fox threw the third complete game of his career on May 6, going the distance for the win at North Dakota State.
•Omaha's pitching staff has been better on the bump in Summit League play, lowering its ERA to 4.17 in league contests from 5.98 in non-conference games.
•Summit League opponents are also batting .279, compared to .312 in non-league games.

All in the Family
 “Like father, like son” holds true for three current Mavericks who have followed in their fathers' footsteps by playing baseball at UNO. Senior infielder Clayton Taylor's father, John Taylor, lettered from 1981-82 and was an All-NCC selection. Freshman infielder Riley Herold is now playing for his father, head coach Bob Herold, who was an NAIA All-American at UNO in 1971. And junior infielder Sam Palensky's father, Jim Palensky, played from 1984-85 and also previously served as an assistant coach with the Mavericks.

On the sibling side, Sam Palensky's brother, Caleb, was an All-Summit infielder and lettered from 2011-14. Freshman infielder Jack Kalina's grandfather, Phil Gradoville, played at UNO, and freshman right-handed pitcher/infielder Grant Suponchick's brother, Beau Suponchick, lettered two seasons for Omaha (2011-12).

Mission: Complete
Omaha's pitching staff has thrown four complete games this season, the most of any Maverick staff since 2011. Senior right-hander Tyler Fox has two to his credit -- April 22 vs. South Dakota State and May 6 at North Dakota State. Sophomore right-hander Corey Binger owns the other two -- March 12 vs. Bowling Green and May 15 at Western Illinois.

Herold at the Helm
Head Coach Bob Herold is in his 17th year as the skipper of the Omaha baseball program in 2016, having compiled a career record of 527-379-2. Herold earned his 500th career win on Feb. 20, 2016 against Eastern Michigan, becoming the first coach in school history to reach the milestone. He previously became the winningest coach in UNO history with Omaha's 7-0 shutout at Bradley on April 22, 2014, which gave him his 465th victory.

Over his Maverick career, Herold has guided Omaha to seven NCAA Division II postseason appearances and four conference championships. In 2013 and 2014, he was honored as Summit League Coach of the Year.

Herold's most recent draft pick was right-handed pitcher Joe Holtmeyer, who was taken in the 22nd round (No. 682 overall) of the 2011 Major League Baseball amateur draft by the Boston Red Sox. Holtmeyer was the fifth Maverick drafted under Herold and the second-highest pick of any player during the Herold era.

Herold is assisted by assistant coaches Chris Gadsden, in his 17th year, and Evan Porter, in his fourth year, as well as volunteer assistant coach Dan McGinn, who is in his 15th year.

2016 Slate Takes Mavericks Around the Nation
Omaha's 2016 schedule includes 54 games, and the team will play in 12 states against schools from 12 other Division I conferences. Three opponents – Iowa, Morehead State and defending Summit League champion Oral Roberts – played in the 2015 NCAA Tournament.

Entering the season, the Mavericks had never faced five of their opponents: NJIT, Morehead State, Presbyterian, Bowling Green and Seton Hall. Omaha holds a combined all-time record of 240-264 over all teams on the regular-season slate.