LINCOLN, Neb. -- Wednesday afternoon was a slugfest with a combined 35 hits between Omaha and Nebraska, as UNO fell 15-11 at Bowlin Stadium in a midweek matchup.
Freshman Hailey Bartz finished 2-for-5 on the day, hitting a home run and driving in four. Senior Lizzie Noble went 2-for-4 with a solo homer, two runs scored and two RBI.
Senior Lia Mancuso and junior Kelly Pattison each finished with three hits. Mancuso scored twice and had an RBI, while Pattison drove in two and scored once.
Senior Nicole Warren (2-for-5, one run, one RBI) and freshman Vicky Kinney (2-for-4) also had multi-hit performances. Freshman Kaitlynn Hunt was 1-for-4 with two runs scored, and freshman Emma Dargy finished the afternoon 1-for-3 driving in one and scoring once. Omaha totaled 17 hits for the day in its fifth double-digit hit effort as a team.
Nebraska's Haley Donaldson ended the day 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and four RBI. MJ McKnighten (3-for-5) and Cassie McClure (2-for-4) each hit home runs and drove in three RBI.
Starter Cassie McClure (5-5) picked up the win, going 5.2 innings with 10 runs – eight earned – on 13 hits and five walks with one strikeout. Reliever Syndey McLeod earned her first save of the season, pitching 1.1 innings with one run on four hits. UNO starter Abbie Clanton (4-10) faced five batters, allowing five runs – four earned – on four hits. Laura Roecker finished the game, throwing 6.0 innings with 10 runs on 14 hits and three walks with two strikeouts.
Omaha got the first score of the afternoon in the top of the first when Noble led off the game with a solo home run. Mancuso followed with a bunt single, advanced to second on a throwing error, and came in to score on Warren's single to left for a 2-0 lead.
Nebraska came back with five runs on five hits and an error in the bottom of the first. Alyvia Simmons reached on an error to start the inning and moved to third on consecutive singles by Knighten and Tristen Edwards. Austen Urness drove in two with a single before McClure cleared the bases with a three-run homer to left center for a 5-2 lead.
The Cornhuskers continued to build their lead in the bottom of the second, scoring four more runs. Donaldson sent a 2-2 offering down the left field line for a two-out grand slam to put UNL up 9-2.
Omaha fought back with two runs on three hits and an error in the top of the fourth inning. Mancuso hit a two-out single and moved Noble to second. Warren reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases after an infield error. Pattison then lined a single to center field scoring two and cutting the lead to 9-4.
Nebraska, however, put together another big offensive push in the fourth, plating three runs on four hits to go up 12-4. Omaha managed a run in the fifth with Noble's RBI fielder's choice, bringing the score to 12-5.
The Mavericks then stormed back in the sixth, when Bartz blasted a grand slam to left that cut the lead to 12-9. Sophomore Natalie Mostek and Noble walked to force a Cornhusker pitching change. Mancuso greeted the new pitcher with a single through the left side to score Mostek to make the score 12-10.
Nebraska responded with three runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth. The Huskers' first two batters reached base before Knighten homered to center field and increased the lead to 15-10.
Omaha made one last push in the top of the seventh inning plating one run on three hits. Pattison and Kinney hit back-to-back one-out singles to bring up Dargy who hit an RBI double cutting the lead to 15-11. The Mavericks had runners on first and third, but McLeod got the final two outs for the Cornhusker victory.
The Mavericks are now 9-20 (0-0 Summit League) on the season, while the Cornhuskers improve to 8-17 (0-0 Big 10).
The Mavericks open Summit League play this weekend, welcoming Fort Wayne for a doubleheader on Saturday, March 25. First pitch is set for Noon at Westside Field at Westbrook and links to live stats are available on OMavs.com.
