OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha softball team opens Summit League play March 22-23 against South Dakota at Westside Field at Westbrook.
The Mavericks and Coyotes will play a doubleheader on Thursday, March 22 starting at 3 p.m. and a single game on Friday, March 23 at Noon.
Follow the Mavericks
Links to live stats and video are available on OMavs.com. Fans can also get in-game updated via Twitter by following @OmahaSB.
The Starting Lineup
- Omaha opened the 2018 season with 31-straight road games, including trips to Arkansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Texas and Virginia.
- The Mavericks are 12-19 overall (0-0 Summit League) after dropping five games at the Woo Pig Classic in Fayetteville, Ark.
- UNO had its first two home games (Nebraska and Wichita State) postponed due to weather.
- Omaha is 81-14 all-time against South Dakota, and hold a 12-6 advantage since the transition to Division I.
- Kelly Pattison enters the weekend on a four-game hitting streak and leads UNO with nine multi-hit games.
- Pattison also leads the team with six multi-RBI games.
- Jessica Nelson has seven multi-hit games, while Emily Klosterman and Natalie Mostek each have six.
- Earlier this season, Emma Dargy reached base in 16-straight games. Natalie Mostek also reached base in 10-straight games.
- Pattison (.438) and Nelson (.281) are the top two hitters for the Mavericks this season.
- Sydney Hampton leads Omaha with an 8-8 record in 19 appearances (nine starts) and a 3.21 ERA.
- Omaha leads The Summit League in stolen bases (37) and times hit by a pitch (25). The Mavericks are second in home runs (13) and third in ERA (4.35).
- Eighteen players have seen playing time so far this season, with seniors Jessica Nelson and Crystal Pablo; juniors Taylor Conkling, Demi Dobbs, Savannah Fisher, Sarrah Mains and Faith Romero; and freshmen Aubrey Hacke, Sydney Hampton and Halley Jones all making their first career starts.
- UNO's will have a balanced roster in 2018, featuring 10 upperclassmen along with nine underclassmen.
- In the 2018 Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Mavericks were picked to finish fifth by the league's head coaches.
- Omaha returns six letterwinners in 2018, including four position players with starting experience and one starting pitcher.
- UNO's roster features 13 newcomers, including two seniors, five juniors and six freshmen.
- Omaha plays 31-straight road games before its home-opener against Wichita State on March 20.
- UNO hosts eight home games at Westside Field at Westbrook this season.
- During the fall 2017 semester, Omaha reported a 3.30 team grade point average (GPA). Five Mavericks earned a spot on the Dean's List, including three student-athletes on the Chancellor's List.
- The Mavericks finished the 2017 season with a record of 15-30 (6-8 Summit League) and finished fifth in the league standings.
Scouting the South Dakota Coyotes
USD enters the weekend with a 10-20 record and has won two of its last three games. The Coyotes fell 10-2 in five innings to SEMO last weekend but defeated SIUE (4-1) and Eastern Michigan (6-0).
Jessica Rogers, Alyssa Fernandez, Jamie Holscher and Taylor Steinfeldt lead South Dakota in hitting. Rogers has a team-best .338 average with five home runs and 17 RBI. Fernandez is hitting .337 with five homers and 13 RBI. Holscher and Steinfeldt are hitting .333 and .329, respectively. Emily Winkler leads the team with seven homers and 32 RBI.
South Dakota has used six pitchers this season with Dustie Durham and Sarah Lisko each making 18 appearances. Durham is 6-7 with two saves and a 4.14 ERA and 46 strikeouts, while Lisko is 4-6 with a 5.78 ERA.
On Deck
Omaha continues its seven-game homestand next weekend with a three-game set against South Dakota State. The Mavericks and Jackrabbits will play a twin bill on Friday, March 30 starting at Noon, and a single game on Saturday, March 31 at 11 a.m. Following Saturday's game, UNO will recognize its four seniors.
