JONESBORO, Ark. - The Mavericks continue to look for their first win of 2024 after letting a four-run lead get away them in a 7-5 loss to Arkansas State.

Omaha is now 0-2 to start the season, while the Red Wolves improve to 2-0.

Innings 1-3
For the second day in a row, Omaha trailed 1-0 through three innings. Charlie Bell ran into some early trouble, getting tagged for an unearned run in the first after the first two ASU batters reached base. He was able to limit the damage to just one run thanks to a pair of strikeouts. He got into a groove over the next two innings, setting down the next six batters in order, getting his third swinging strikeout of the day to end the third.

Innings 4-6
After three hitless innings, Omaha was able to get to ASU starter Arlon Butts in the top of the fourth as Drew Lechnir recorded the team's first hit of the day with a single to right. After Matt Goetzmann was hit by a pitch, Trent Burkhalter bunted both runners into scoring position to set up Joel Benes to bring both home with his first career hit. With Butts now out of the game, Cardel Dick launched his second double in as many days to bring Benes home and make it 3-1.

Bell fired his third-straight 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fourth, before the Mavericks tacked on two more runs in the fifth thanks to an RBI single from Goetzmann and a failed pick-off attempt that allowed Lechnir to score. Bell would then end his day by again setting down the Red Wolves in order in the fifth, extending his streak to 13-straight retired batters.

With Bell's day done, Arkansas State got three runs back in the bottom of the sixth as six straight batters reached base with one out.

Innings 7-9
The Red Wolves managed to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh with another unearned run on an errant throw from Burkhalter on a steal attempt. Then, in the bottom of the eighth they plated two more to pull ahead late, before holding Omaha scoreless in the ninth to take game two. 

Inside the Box Score
After throwing 31 pitches in the first inning, Bell threw just 46 pitches over the next four. This was his fourth career game allowing no earned runs through at least five innings.

Seven of Omaha's nine starters reached base at least once today, with five of them recording a hit.

Up Next
The Mavericks wrap up the series tomorrow at 1 p.m. as Preston Tenney makes his season debut on the mound vs. ASU's Dylan Heine.