GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Omaha baseball team opened the 2018 campaign Saturday with a doubleheader against Northwestern, scoring a combined 24 runs on 28 hits for the day. The Mavericks topped the Wildcats 14-8 in game one and 10-5 in game two, registering double-digit hits in both contests at Camelback Ranch. Omaha is now 2-0 (0-0 Summit League) on the season, while Northwestern is 0-2 (0-0 Big Ten).
GAME 1 -- OMAHA 14, NORTHWESTERN 8
Omaha's offense took center stage in the day's opening game, tallying 14 runs on 18 hits as every Maverick hitter had at least one.
Cole Thibodeau was a blistering 4-for-4 with three runs scored, three more driven in, a pair of walks and a stolen base.
Keil Krumwiede finished 3-for-6 with a triple, two runs and three RBI, and
Parker Smejkal had another trio of hits on a 3-for-5 day with a pair of runs.
Ben Palensky (2-for-6, two runs) and
Tyler Daugherty (2-for-4, two runs) also had multi-hit afternoons.
Right-hander
Grant Suponchick (1-0) picked up his first career win on the mound. The junior went 5.1 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk with two strikeouts. The loss went to Hank Christie (0-1), who surrendered six runs on seven hits with two strikeouts.
Malik Moore also made his Maverick debut on the hill, throwing 2.2 innings of relief with six strikeouts.
NU struck first in the game, taking a 1-0 lead on a pair of hits in the bottom of the first.
Omaha hit back in the third, plating four runs on five hits to take the lead. Daugherty led off with a single up the middle and later scored on Thibodeau's RBI single to the same spot.
Hunter Hughes followed with a single through the right side, and both runners came in via Krumwiede's two-run triple to right center. Palensky added a two-run double to center, pushing it to 4-1.
After NU got a run back in the third, Omaha posted another four in the fourth. The Mavericks put runners on the corners for Thibodeau, whose RBI single to left scored Smejkal. Hughes then reached on an error, and Thibodeau tallied another run on the play.
Braden Rogers kept the rally going by lacing a two-out triple down the right field line to score Hughes, extending the lead to 8-2. The Wildcats reduced it to 8-4 with a pair of runs in the sixth.
A six-run, six-hit outburst in the seventh put Omaha firmly in control.
Adam Caniglia walked, Smejkal singled to right and Daugherty got on with a bunt single, loading the bases with no outs.
Max Gamm then singled through the left side to score Caniglia, and Thibodeau added an RBI single to center to cross Smejkal. After a pitching change, Hughes drew a bases-loaded walk that scored Daugherty, and Krumwiede reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Gamm to come in.
With the bases loaded again with one out, Palensky singled in Thibodeau and Caniglia singled in Krumwiede, making it 14-4. NU responded with four runs on four hits in the eighth, bringing the final tally to 14-8.
GAME 2 -- OMAHA 10, NORTHWESTERN 5
Right-hander
Jake Pennington earned the win in the twinbill's second game, throwing 5.0 shutout innings in relief and limiting NU to one hit and a walk with four strikeouts. The loss went to Ryan Bader, who gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits and a pair of walks over 2.2 innings.
Smejkal led Omaha at the plate with a 2-for-4 effort, doubling twice and driving in a run. Suponchick came off the bench to finish 2-for-2 with three RBI, and Rogers was 2-for-5 with two runs scored.
NU scored in each of the first four frames, leading 2-0 after the second. Omaha locked it at 2-2 in the third, with Daugherty scoring on a Thibodeau sacrifice fly and Gamm coming in on a wild pitch.
The Wildcats added a run in the third and two in the fourth to go up 5-2. But Omaha methodically chipped away, scoring eight unanswered runs between the fifth and ninth innings.
In the fifth, Smejkal led off with a double to right and later scored when Hughes reached on a throwing error. Another run crossed in the sixth when Rogers, who led off the inning with a single, scored when Smejkal grounded into a double play, which cut it to 5-4. Omaha tied it in the seventh when Suponchick entered the game and sent an RBI single up the middle to lock the game at 5-5.
In the eighth, the Mavericks put up three runs with the help of three hits. With two outs, Smejkal doubled down the right field line, then scored on an RBI single to right by Daugherty. Consecutive walks by Gamm and Thibodeau loaded the bases, and Suponchick again came up big with a two-run single to right for an 8-5 advantage.
Omaha finished it off in the ninth, adding two more runs on two more hits. Rogers opened the inning with a single, and Palensky was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. A Caniglia sacrifice bunt put both in scoring position, and Rogers scored on an RBI single from Smejkal. Daugherty added a sacrifice fly to plate Palensky, bringing the final score to 10-5.
Up Next
Omaha and Northwestern conclude their weekend series on Sunday, Feb. 18, with first pitch set for 1 p.m. CT at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz. Links to live stats and audio will be available on OMavs.com.
