Omaha Baseball Ranked Third in Preseason Poll

Feb 15, 2023

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Omaha baseball team was ranked third in the 2023 Summit League Preseason Poll Wednesday morning, the league announced. This is the second season in a row the Mavericks have been tabbed third in the preseason poll.

The league also announced its 2023 Players and Pitchers to Watch, with Mike Boeve being named for the second consecutive year and Caleb Riedel for the first time.

Omaha earned 30 points in the poll, trailing only North Dakota State (36) and Oral Roberts (42). The Mavericks went 26-31 last year with a 12-12 record in league play. They advanced all the way to the Summit League Tournament Championship after defeating NDSU 5-3 in the final elimination game, but lost the following day to ORU in the title game.

In his sophomore season, Boeve took a massive leap forward after an already impressive rookie season. Starting all 57 games at third base last year, he finished the season with a .364/.491/.584 slash line (1.075 OPS), clubbing eight home runs and 23 doubles along the way, as well as driving in 33 runs and scoring 46. Not only did every single one of these rank in the top 10 in the Summit League, but his .491 OBP ranked 27th in the entire NCAA while his 23 doubles were the 20th most. On top of all of this, Boeve also strung together a 29-game hitting streak from April 3-May 26.

Boeve was named First Team All-Summit for the second straight season, as well as the Summit League Player of the Year and made the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings Central All-Region Second Team.

Riedel burst onto the scene as a rookie last year, starting 13 games and firing 60.1 innings. During this time he posted the second-best ERA in the nation at 1.49 as he allowed just 12 earned runs total. He also owned a 1.18 WHIP, struck out 65 batters, and held opposing hitters to a .229 BA. Over a 27-inning stretch spanning five games from February 27-April 15, Riedel did not allow a single earned run.

Riedel was also a First Team All-Summit selection and was named the Summit League Newcomer of the Year.

Opening day is just two days out for the Mavericks as they head to Los Angeles California for a three-game slate against UCLA, beginning with a 7 p.m. game on Friday. After a four-game set at Fresno State, the Mavericks will return to Omaha and host Kansas State in their home opener on Tuesday February 28, at 5 p.m.

2023 Summit League Baseball Preseason Poll
Place	Team	Points (1st)	2022 Record
1.	Oral Roberts	42 (6)	38-20 (17-7)
2.	North Dakota State	36 (1)	31-19 (17-5)
3.	Omaha	30	26-31 (12-12)
4.	South Dakota State	24	22-23 (13-9)
5.	St. Thomas	17	16-29 (10-14)
6.	Northern Colorado	12	12-39 (8-16)
7.	Western Illinois	7	8-44 (5-19)

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