MINNEAPOLIS -- Omaha could not overcome an early deficit, falling 5-3 to Northern Colorado on the opening day of the Summit League Baseball Championship on Wednesday.
The No. 2-seeded Mavericks will face No. 1 seed Oral Roberts in an elimination game Thursday at noon CT at Siebert Field. Earlier in the day, No. 4 seed South Dakota State upset the top-seeded Golden Eagles, 7-3.
Omaha trailed 5-0 after Northern Colorado chased starter
Maddox Meyer with a three-run fifth inning.
Nick Riggs and
Oliver Mabee combined to keep the Bears scoreless the rest of the way as the Mavericks threatened in each of the final four innings.
Omaha finally broke through in the sixth after loading the bases against starter and eventual winning pitcher Reece Wagner.
Tyler Bishop drove in a run on a fielder's choice, and
Hayden Lewis extended his hitting streak to nine games with an RBI double, but the Mavericks stranded two runners in scoring position.
In the eighth,
Cardel Dick delivered a two-out single to score
Jackson Trout and trim the deficit to 5-3. Omaha brought the potential tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth against reliever Logan Borboa, but Trout's deep fly ball to center field ended the game.
Henry Zipay went 2 for 3 with two walks, while Omaha totaled five hits and stranded nine runners.
The Summit League Championship, hosted by St. Thomas, is being played at Siebert Field through May 23. The winner of the double-elimination tournament receives an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament.
All tournament games can be streamed live on the Summit League Network powered by Midco Sports.
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