OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha baseball team split a doubleheader vs. North Dakota State on Friday after belting five home runs in game one. The Mavericks tallied a 15-4 run-rule victory in seven innings in game one before falling 8-2 in the nightcap.
The split moves Omaha to 9-13 (4-2 Summit League) on the season while the Bison are now 17-7 (5-4).
Game One: Omaha 15, NDSU 4 (F/7)
How it Happened
- Chris Esposito singled up the middle in the first before Parker Smejkal launched a no-doubt two-run homer to left to give the Mavericks the early 2-0 lead.
- The Bison rallied to take a 3-2 lead in the fourth after a two-run home run and an RBI single.
- Omaha responded in the bottom half of the fourth when Keil Krumwiede unleashed an absolute moonshot to left, tying the game at three.
- Brett Bonar followed Krumwiede with a single before Garrett Kennedy and Breyden Eckhout reached on back-to-back walks to load the bases.
- Masen Prososki lifted a grand slam to right center that barely cleared the fence and gave Omaha a 7-3 advantage.
- Smejkal continued the scoring in the fourth, unleashing an RBI triple down the right field line to plate Esposito.
- Krumwiede opened the fifth with a double down the left field line before scoring on an RBI single by Bonar.
- Kennedy followed with a two-run homer to left center, blowing the game wide open at 11-4 in the fifth.
- Jack Lombardi doubled down the right field line and Krumwiede drew a walk before Bonar cranked a three-run home run to right, extending the Maverick lead to 14-4.
- Mike Boeve capped the scoring for the Mavericks with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth.
Inside the Box Score
- Prososki was 3-for-5 at the plate with a grand slam and four RBI.
- Bonar went a perfect 3-for-3 with a homer, four RBI and three runs scored.
- Smejkal had two hits with three RBI and Kennedy tallied a pair of hits, two RBI and three runs.
- Krumwiede collected three hits and three runs while Boeve added two hits.
- Joey Machado improved to 2-3 on the year after allowing four runs on four hits and striking out four batters in four innings of work.
- Easton Smith garnered his first save of the season after tossing the final three innings of relief.
Game Two: NDSU 8, Omaha 2 (F/7)
How it Happened
- A bases loaded walk and a pair of RBI doubles had the Bison out front 5-0 in the first inning.
- Boeve began the bottom of the first with double down the fight field line and scored on Esposito's RBI groundout to make it 5-1.
- Omaha got within three in the second when Krumwiede came home on an NDSU fielding error.
- NDSU scored a run in the third and added two more in the fifth to clinch the 8-2 victory over the Mavericks.
Inside the Box Score
- Mike Boeve led Omaha at the plate with three hits while four other Mavericks tallied a hit.
- Spencer Koelewyn fell to 1-3 on the year after allowing six runs on four hits in two innings.
- Jackson Gordon tossed 2.2 innings in relief while Henry Ristvedt threw 2.1 one-hit innings with a strikeout.
On Deck
Omaha and North Dakota State continues the series with game three of the four-game weekend set tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Tal Anderson Field.