OMAHA, Neb. - The Omaha softball team finishes the regular season this weekend, hosting Western Illinois at Westside Field at Westbrook. The three-game series begins on Saturday, May 4, with a doubleheader at Noon which includes the 50th Anniversary and Alumni Day festivities, followed by Sunday's Senior Day at 11 a.m. Live stats to all games are available on OMavs.com.
Leading Off
• The 2019 campaign marks the 50th season for the Omaha softball program with the Mavericks owning a .660 winning percentage as a program.
• The Mavericks picked up their 1,500th win – a 7-6 victory over Saint Francis in 11 innings – last season. In the program's history, UNO owns a 1516-779-5 overall record.
• League-leading North Dakota State swept Omaha in a three-game set last weekend in Fargo, N.D.
• The Mavericks are 4-40 overall and 2-13 in Summit League action. UNO is looking to snap a six-game losing streak.
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Lexi Burkhardt leads the Mavericks at the plate this season with a .258 batting average and a .398 slugging percentage. Burkhardt also has two home runs, three stolen bases, seven doubles and eight RBI.
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Emma Dargy,
Alexa Sedlak and
Jamie White lead Omaha with three home runs, while White and
Janae Cameron are the team-leaders with 15 RBI.
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Natalie Mostek leads the team with six stolen bases.
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Sydney Hampton (1-15, one save) leads the team with 18 starts, 31 appearances and 58 strikeouts. Hampton has a team-low 5.55 ERA in 94.2 innings.
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Ryanne Millington (2-12) has pitched in 29 games with 14 starts. She has a 6.68 ERA in team-best 102.2 innings.
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Halley Jones has made 24 appearances with a 1-12 record and 37 strikeouts.
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Amanda Eberhart enters her first season at the helm of the Omaha softball program.
• The Mavericks were picked fifth in the Preseason Summit League Coaches Poll.
• Senior
Natalie Mostek and sophomore
Sydney Hampton were recognized as Players to Watch in the Summit League.
• This season's roster is comprised of 12 returning letterwinners, including seven upperclassmen, and nine newcomers.
Scouting the Western Illinois Fighting Leathernecks
Western Illinois is 17-19 overall and 9-6 in Summit League play. The Fighting Leathernecks have won six straight, including a sweep of Purdue Fort Wayne last weekend.
Jasmine Lara leads Western Illinois with a .319 batting average and 26 runs scored. Payton Abbott leads WIU with four home runs and 25 RBI.
Four pitchers have seen action this season for the Fighting Leathernecks. Emily Ira leads the team with a 12-6 record in 21 appearances and a 2.52 ERA. Ira has struck out 127 batters in 125 innings. Abby Carlin owns a 3-8 mark with a 3.71 ERA in 71.2 innings.
Tournament Time
North Dakota State is the top seed in next week's Summit League Championship in Fargo, N.D., and clinches the outright Summit League regular season title with a win over North Dakota this weekend. Omaha will clinch the No. 6 seed in the tournament by winning two of three games against Western Illinois this weekend.
