Leading Off
The Mavericks (8-20, 6-6) play the first half of their eight-game homestand this week when crosstown rival Creighton (24-5) comes to Tal on Tuesday for their second of three games this year, before ending the week with a three-game set vs. South Dakota State (13-16, 6-5).

Upcoming Schedule
Tuesday: 6 p.m. vs. Creighton at Tal Anderson Field
Friday: 6 p.m. vs. South Dakota State at Tal Anderson Field
Saturday: 2 p.m. vs. South Dakota States at Tal Anderson Field
Sunday: 1 p.m. vs. South Dakota States at Tal Anderson Field

Around the Horn

• At St. Thomas last week, Omaha took their second series in a row after winning the first two games. For the first time this season, the Mavericks are now .500 in Summit League play.
• Scoring a total of 26 runs in three games, multiple Mavericks set new season and career highs in the process. Matt Goetzmann, who was responsible for 12 of those 26 runs (six RBIs, six runs), set a new career single-game high with four runs in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader. That same game he also tied his career best in hits (three), RBIs (four), and hit his first home run of the season.
• Henry Zipay also had a strong showing in Saturday's first game, hitting his first career triple and tying his personal bests with three hits and two runs scored.
• Noah Greise passed a major career milestone on Saturday as well, playing in his 100th career game as a Maverick. He hit his first two home runs of the season in the doubleheader, one in each game, and tying his career highs in the first game with three hits, three RBIs, and three walks. 
• Trent Burkhalter was tied with Greise for the second most combined runs and RBIs in the series with seven total. In the series finale, he clubbed his fourth home run of the season and drove in three runs.
• Tyler Bishop also had one of his best games this year in game one on Saturday, recording two doubles, two walks, and four RBIs.
• Three Mavericks recorded a hit in all three games at St. Thomas last week: Grant Sommers (4-for-14), Greise (5-for-13), and Burkhalter (4-for-9).
• Omaha totaled 12 XBHs last week, the team's most in any three game stretch this season. This included five home runs, six doubles, and one triple.
• On the mound, Nick Scanlon tossed three scoreless innings on Friday to lower his ERA to 1.98. Meanwhile, Harrison Kreiling was nearly unhittable on Saturday, striking out six in 2.2 innings of work.
• Charlie Bell and Caleb Riedel are now tied for the team lead with 42 strikeouts each this season. Riedel holds a slight lead in career Ks at 161 to 148.

Scouting Creighton
Since their last meeting with Omaha on March 12, Creighton has gone 12-3 and just last week opened conference play by taking two of three from Butler. They are now 24-5 on the season.

The Bluejays potent offense boasts six players batting above .300, led by Nolan Clifford and Nolan Sailors at .438 and .394, respectively. These two also round out a trio of players with an OPS above 1.000, with Clifford leading the way at 1.179, followed by Sailors at 1.144 and Teddy Deters at 1.108. These three combine for 86 of the team's 234 RBIs and 77 of its 255 runs.

Creighton's rotation is fronted by Dominic Cancellie (2.83 ERA), Jack Pineau (2.89), and Eli Nissen (2.91), along with Chad Saner who owns a 3.48 ERA. Out of the pen, Mason Koch (1.89) and Shane Curtin (2.83) lead the way with 61 total strikeouts in 42.0 IP.

Head Coach Ed Servais is the winningest coach in Creighton baseball history at 667-392-1 while his career record of 849-474-2 is 21st among all Division I coaches. In 21 years with Creighton, he has led them to six NCAA Tournaments.

Scouting South Dakota State
South Dakota State is coming off a 2-1 series victory at North Dakota State last week that saw the Jackrabbits improve to 13-16 on the year, as well as being half a game ahead of Omaha in the Summit League standings at 6-5. Before facing the Mavericks this week, they host Northwestern (Iowa) for a midweek game on Tuesday.

SDSU is led by arguably the top hitter in the league in Cael Frost, who paces the conference in OPS (1.284), runs (33), hits (43), home and runs (14). Right behind him is Dawson Perry, who is first in RBIs (44) and second in OPS (1.087) and home runs (10).

On the mound, Nic McCay leads the only league with a 2.27 ERA in 39.2 IP, along with the second most strikeouts with 58. SDSU's other starters, Reece Arbogast (4.24 ERA) and Arlen Peters (6.44), have been more inconsistent. Likewise, Brady Hawkins (3.00 ERA) is the Jackrabbits' only reliever with an ERA below 6.00.

Rob Bishop is now in his eighth season with the Jackrabbits and 14th overall as a head coach. Not including the pandemic shortened 2020 season, He has lead SDSU to the Summit League Tournament in every season since taking over in 2017.