OMAHA, Neb. - The Omaha softball team visits Creighton this Wednesday, April 18, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. Links to live stats and video will be available on OMavs.com.
The Mavericks then resume Summit League play this weekend, visiting Western Illinois for a three-game series, April 21-22, in Macomb, Ill. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader is at Noon, followed by 1 p.m. start on Sunday. Links to live stats will be available on OMavs.com.
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 14-26 overall (2-6 Summit League) after dropping a midweek game last week at Missouri.
• Creighton leads the all-time series, 25-12, with the last meeting coming in 1995. The two teams have not met since Omaha transitioned to Division I.
• Omaha leads the all-time series against Western Illinois, 9-4. The Fighting Leathernecks swept a three-game series last year from the Mavericks.
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Kelly Pattison enters the week with a hit in 12 of Omaha's previous 13 games. She also leads the team with eight multi-RBI games.
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Natalie Mostek has eight multi-hit games while
Jessica Nelson has seven.
• Earlier this season,
Emma Dargy reached base in 16-straight games.
• Pattison (.441) and
Aubrey Hacke (.314) are the top two hitters for the Mavericks this season.
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Sydney Hampton leads Omaha with a 9-11 record in 24 appearances (13 starts) and a 3.60 ERA.
• Omaha leads The Summit League in stolen bases (41) and home attendance (945). The Mavericks are second in times hit by a pitch (26). They also are third in extra-base hits (74) and home runs (22).
• 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.
• 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 Creighton Bluejays
Creighton enters the week with a 17-12 mark (4-2 Big East) before playing a doubleheader against UMKC on Tuesday afternoon.
Sam Crowley leads the Bluejays with a .383 average with five home runs and 18 RBI. Hope Moreno leads the Jays with 20 RBI.
Creighton has used five pitchers this season with Kiele Miller leading the team with a 7-5 mark with two saves and 89 strikeouts. Bryana Clark and Logan Black each have five wins.
Scouting the Western Illinois Fighting Leathernecks
The Fighting Leathernecks enter the week with a 13-22 overall record and lead the Summit League with a 6-0 mark. WIU visits Iowa on Tuesday before hosting Omaha over the weekend.
Hailey Duwa leads WIU with a .369 average with nine doubles, three home runs and 24 RBI. Jasmine Lara is hitting .324 while Ashley Minyard is batting .306.
The Fighting Leathernecks have used four pitchers this season with Emily Ira leading the team with a 6-7 record with a 3.59 ERA and 115 strikeouts. Payton Abbott is 3-2 with 28 strikeouts and a 4.36 ERA.
On Deck
Omaha returns to action with a midweek tilt against Kansas on Wednesday, April 25. First pitch is at for 4 p.m. at Arrocha Ballpark at Rock Chalk Park. Links to live stats will be available on OMavs.com.
