Leading Off
The Mavericks officially kick off their 2025 campaign this week when they open a two-week road trip in Louisiana with a three-game series at Tulane beginning this Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Upcoming Schedule
Friday: 6:30 p.m. at Tulane at Greer Field
Saturday: 2 p.m. at Tulane at Greer Field
Sunday: 1 p.m. at Tulane at Greer Field

Around the Horn
• In the official Summit League preseason poll, Omaha was ranked third out of six with 18 points, including one first place vote. Last year, the Mavericks went 18-32-1 overall, but 16-13-1 in conference play to claim the No. 1 seed in the 2024 Summit League Tournament and will host the 2025 tournament.
• Omaha has a lot of new faces on the roster this year, with 24 newcomers joining 17 returners. Among the newcomers are nine freshman all of whom are from Nebraska. As for the 15 transfers, 11 come from the JUCO level. The other four are Sam Beck, who was with BYU last year but did not play, Blake Stenger, who posted a .669 OPS with six RBIs and 11 runs in two years at Illinois State, CJ Hood, who posted a 4.97 ERA in two years at Nebraska before moving to LBSU last year and striking out 34 in 28.1 innings, and Ben Weber, who struck out 12 in 9.1 innings his rookie year with K-State before spending the last two years at George Gwinnett where he posted a 2.30 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 27.1 innings.
• Headlining the returners are Summit League Players to Watch Cardel Dick and Brayden Curtis, Dick finished second on the team last year in RBIs with 32, including 24 in league play. He also racked up three home runs, six doubles, and scored 17 runs, while Curtis totaled 28 strikeouts in 26.1 innings for 9.6 K/9
• Also back are 2024 Second Team All-Summit honorees Tyler Bishop (.317/.395/.524, 8 HR, 38 RBI), Henry Zipay (.303/.438/.485, 12 XBH), Noah Greise (.247/.347/.370, 23 RBIs), and Luke Gainer, who was named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watchlist (3.80 ERA, 11.8 K/9, 5 saves).
• The revamped Mavericks pitching staff will have a lot to live up to as the team is coming off a season in which it set the program's all-time single season strikeout total with 483. 

Scouting Tulane
Tulane will be the first of six teams the Mavericks face this year that made it to the NCAA Tournament last year. The reigning AAC champs are coming off a 36-26 season that saw them go 5-0 in the conference tournament.

As a team, Tulane boasted an .871 OPS last year with just under 100 home runs. Of their top five hitters by OPS last year, only outfielder Jackson Linn (1.009) returns. The Green Wave's best all-around hitter, he led the team with 16 home runs while also totaling 32 XBHs, 45 RBIs, and 40 runs scored. Other notable hitters include infielders Connor Rasmussen (.910 OPS, 51 RBI, 50 runs) and Gavin Schulz (.895 OPS, 51 RBI, 48 runs).

Tulane's rotation was less dominant than its lineup, owning a 5.37 team ERA and 1.54 WHIP. Heading up the rotation is Luc Fladda (4.77 ERA, 88 Ks), as well as returning starters Blaise Wilcenski (6.23 ERA) and Will Clements (6.35 ERA). Closer Jacob Moore is also back after posting a 3.00 ERA and 45 strikeouts along with six saves. He is joined in the bullpen by Michael Lombardi, who has the second best ERA of returning relievers at 3.89.