LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Omaha baseball team suffered a heartbreaker on opening day as USC won 6-5 on a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth.
Things got off to a delayed start with a nearly two-hour rain delay, as the game began into the late hours of the night.
In his season debut,
Joey Machado had five strikeouts through 5.1 innings pitched.
Max Gamm recorded two runs, while
Matt Bondarchuk,
Thomas DeBonville,
Tyler Daugherty and
Braden Rogers all had an RBI.
Bondarchuk got the Mavericks on the board first with the second hit of the game. The newcomer rocketed a single to left-center, which brought home Gamm from second for an RBI and gave Omaha a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, USC was able to strike back with a triple with two outs, but the Mavericks were able to retire the side and keep the Trojans scoreless heading into the fifth.
Later on in the top of the fifth, Omaha took a 2-0 lead over the Trojans after
Breyden Eckhout doubled to left and was able to score Gamm. The second run of the inning was plated after when DeBonville hit a chopper to shortstop and made it to first on a fielder's choice. That play was able to advance Eckhout from third to home and give UNO a 3-0 advantage.
With no outs, a two-run homer to center by the Trojans in the bottom of the sixth cut the Omaha lead to one.
The Maverick offense was able to keep its momentum after opening the top of the eighth with back-to-back singles from
Brett Bonar and
Keil Krumwiede. That set up a double by Daugherty who recorded an RBI that sent home Bonar and advanced Krumwiede to third to make it 4-2.
Rogers was able to follow up with a sacrifice fly to score Krumwiede and extend the Maverick lead at 5-2.
USC was able to mount a comeback in the bottom of the eighth with another two-shot home run and cut Omaha's lead to 5-4 with only one out. The Trojans were able to get a triple two batters later with two outs, but a flyout to Gamm ended the inning and kept the Maverick lead at one.
In the top of the ninth, USC was able to keep the Mavericks scoreless in the inning after Eckhout was picked off, a ground out and a strikeout. That kept the Maverick lead at one.
In the bottom of the inning, USC led off with a double. With one out, the tying run came off a single that advanced the runner from second to home, which made it 5-5. Later in the inning with the bases loaded and two outs, USC won the game on a walk-off single to make it 6-5.
Omaha returns to action Saturday, Feb. 16, at 4 p.m. (CST). Links to live stats, stream and audio will be available on OMavs.com.
