Mavericks Host Lopers in Werner Park Debut
Apr 25, 2011 | Baseball, General
Weekly Release
Live Stats
Live Audio (KVNO)
The UNO baseball team returns to Omaha to host Nebraska-Kearney in an historical game at Werner Park on Wednesday, April 27. First pitch is set for 6 p.m., and it marks the first collegiate game played at the new ballpark in Sarpy County.
Tickets are still available for the contest and are $8 for adults and $7 for students. UNO students with a valid MavCard will have free admission. Gates at Werner Park will open at 5 p.m., and parking lots will open at 4 p.m. with parking for $2.
Nebraska Omaha is 27-14 on the season after going 3-3 last week, including a split at Fort Hays State over the weekend. The FHSU series was a wild scoring weekend for both teams, as UNO earned the first two wins on Friday, 17-8 and 26-20. In Saturday's doubleheader, the Tigers escaped with a pair of victories, 6-4 and 17-7. Over the four-game series, the two squads combined for 128 hits, 108 runs and 14 home runs -- including 13 roundtrippers on Friday alone.
Junior Brady Hohl capped Friday's doubleheader in style, smashing his first career grand slam in the top of the 10th inning to put UNO ahead after a 20-20 tie. Senior Tyler Davies then followed up with another two-run shot to complete the game at 26-20. Junior Colby McCord also had a stellar performance on Friday, tallying three home runs and accounting for 11 runs batted in.
Earlier this year, the Mavericks enjoyed an 11-game win streak from March 18 to April 2. UNO ranks third in the MIAA with a 25-13 conference record, ahead of fourth-place Missouri Western (22-18, 19-15 MIAA).
UNK enters Wednesday after a 3-1 weekend home series against Colorado Christian. The Lopers lead the Plains Division of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, and senior Andrew Haake ranks third in the league for batting average (.406) and runs scored (44). He also tops the RMAC list for RBI (49), doubles (19) and walks (32) and is second in home runs with nine.
On the Air
Wednesday's game against Nebraska-Kearney will be broadcast on KVNO 90.7 FM and online at OMavs.com. Yano Mangiameli will handle play-by-play for the game, while Terry Leahy will offer color commentary.
Welcome to Werner
Werner Park, home of the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, opened earlier this month and has since hosted minor league and high school baseball games. The ballpark has 6,434 fixed seats and can accommodate a maximum crowd of just over 9,000 fans. It is located in Sarpy County, near the intersection of 126th Street and Highway 370 in Papillion, and features 31 acres for the venue and on-site parking.
Last Time Out
UNO leads the all-time series with Nebraska-Kearney, 45-31. The two teams last squared off on April 5, 2011 at the Ballpark at Boys Town, where the Mavericks shut out the Lopers, 5-0. Sophomore Matt Tew earned the win, surrendering just two hits with a pair of strikeouts over 2.2 innings of work, while the Maverick staff of seven pitchers held Kearney to six hits on the day. Freshman Caleb Palensky finished 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored, highlighted by his second home run of the year.
League Leaders
UNO leads all MIAA teams with a .344 team batting average through games of April 24, just ahead of nationally-ranked Emporia State (.334) and Central Missouri (.318). Nebraska Omaha also tops the conference in home runs with 41 roundtrippers. The Mavericks have the fourth-fewest strikeouts (199) of any squad in the conference, while defensively they are second with a .969 fielding percentage.
Individually, Jed Hanson is tied for third with seven homers. Brady Hohl (.399) and Caleb Palensky (.393) are fifth and seventh, respectively, for batting average, while Colby McCord's 36 runs batted in are second.
Herold Captures 400th Career Win
Head Coach Bob Herold earned his 400th career win in game two of the Mavericks' doubleheader at Fort Hays State last Friday. With the victory, he becomes the third coach in school history to match the 400-win mark, joining Bob Gates (464-273) and Virgil Yelkin (439-196) in the prestigious club. Herold now needs 65 more wins to pass Gates and become the winningest skipper in UNO history.
Mavs Rank Among Nation's Best
UNO ranks 11th nationally in team batting average in the NCAA's most recently released statistical rankings through games of April 17. The Mavericks, who have a team batting average of .337, are also 20th in home runs per game (0.89), 24th in total home runs (31), 15th in slugging percentage (.489) and 21st in fielding percentage (.968). In addition, the Nebraska-Omaha pitching staff is 29th in strikeouts per nine innings (8.1).
Individually, junior Joe Holtmeyer, the defending Division II strikeout leader, rates 10th with 12.13 strikeouts per nine innings. Freshman Caleb Palensky comes in at 62nd with a .402 batting average, and sophomore Tyler Splichal is the 18th most-difficult batter to strike out.
Going Streaking
Junior Brady Hohl is on the Mavericks' longest individual hitting streak this season, as he has 15 consecutive games with a registered hit since April 8. Nine of those contests have resulted in multiple-hit performances, including four three-hit games, and Hohl has accounted for 28 hits, 19 runs scored, 13 RBI, two doubles and a grand slam -- the first of his career -- in the 15-game span.
Mavs Welcome 20 Fresh Faces to Roster
UNO's 2011 roster features 20 newcomers, made up of nine true freshmen and 11 transfers. Fifteen are Nebraska natives, while 13 hail from the Omaha metropolitan area.
The list also includes multiple former teammates who have been reunited, as Derek Landis, Brandon Winkelmann, Scotty Donner and Ben Brown played together at Iowa Western to begin their collegiate careers. Brown, Kyle Kruger, Anthony Falcone and Zach Williamsen are all products of Millard West, while Caleb Palensky and Beau Suponchick played together at Papillion-LaVista South.
2011 UNO NEWCOMERS
Player -- Hometown (High School) Player -- Hometown (High School)
Ben Brown -- Omaha, Neb. (Millard West) Derek Landis -- Ralston, Neb. (Ralston)
Cody Brown -- Yorktown, Va. (Tabb) Sean Mascia -- Woodbury, Minn. (St. Thomas Academy)
Cory Buckley -- Bellevue, Neb. (Bellevue East) Connor McCrite -- Topeka, Kan. (Hayden)
Reid Carter -- Castle Rock, Colo. (Rock Canyon) Caleb Palensky -- Papillion, Neb. (Papillion-LaVista South)
Tyler Davies -- Papillion, Neb. (Papillion-LaVista) Martin Sartin -- Hamburg, Ark. (Hamburg)
Scotty Donner -- Crofton, Neb. (Crofton) Beau Suponchick -- Papillion, Neb. (Papillion-LaVista South)
Anthony Falcone -- Omaha, Neb. (Millard West) Mark Waldron -- Omaha, Neb. (Creighton Prep)
Landon Fall -- Kansas City, Mo. (Lee's Summit North) Rob Wheeler -- Elkhorn, Neb. (Elkhorn)
Mitch Kracl -- Omaha, Neb. (Burke) Zach Williamsen -- Omaha, Neb. (Millard West)
Kyle Kruger -- Omaha, Neb. (Millard West) Brandon Winkelmann -- Omaha, Neb. (Gross Catholic)
Holtmeyer Eclipses Career Strikeout Record
Junior Joe Holtmeyer (6-2) had his most dominant strikeout performance of the season at No. 1 Emporia State on April 2, striking out 12 batters in a seven-inning, complete-game performance for the 5-2 win. The victory also marked an important milestone for Holtmeyer, as he became UNO's all-time career strikeout leader. He has now amassed 302 strikeouts in two and a half years, ahead of former Maverick Tim Huber (2005-08), who had 277 in his four-year career.
Holtmeyer leads the Mavericks and the MIAA with 73 Ks on the year. He had three consecutive outings with double-figure strikeouts against Washburn, Lincoln and Emporia State and another 11-strikeout performance last Friday at Fort Hays State.
Mavericks in Professional Baseball
Player 2011 Team (Organization) Level Pos. At UNO Year Drafted -- Team (Round)
Tyler Cloyd Clearwater Theshers (Philadelphia) A RHP 2006-07 2008 -- Phillies (18th)
Notes: Cloyd previously played for the Threshers, a Class A Advanced team in the Florida State League, in early 2010. He is 0-0 with a 2.40 ERA in 2011, having made two starts over three appearances and 15.0 innings. Cloyd has 14 strikeouts to one walk for the year.
Chris Kessinger Everett AquaSox (Seattle) A RHP 2008-09 2009 -- Mariners (37th)
Notes: Kessinger is on the roster for the Everett AquaSox -- a Class A short-season team in the Northwest League -- for the second straight year. The AquaSox do not begin play until June.
Swiping Bags
Senior Jed Hanson and junior Brady Hohl have been the Mavericks' leading base-stealing duo in the first half of the season, both swiping eight bags on 10 tries. Hanson's senior year total marks a jump in his performance from 2010, when he finished the year 7-for-8 on stolen base attempts, while Hohl was 6-for-8 on the basepaths.
Holtmeyer Named to Tino Martinez Award Watch List
Junior right-handed pitcher Joe Holtmeyer was named to the Tino Martinez Award's initial 2011 watch list, the award committee announced in mid-February. The returning All-American is among 91 student-athletes nominated for the honor, which is given annually to the most outstanding player in NCAA Division II baseball.
The award is named for former University of Tampa Spartan, Olympian, first-round draft pick and MLB All-Star, Tino Martinez. Nominations are made by baseball sports information contacts and members of the media. Omission from the initial list does not exclude additional players from future consideration.
The list will be updated with semi-finalists on May 7. Finalists will be named on May 19, after which fans will be invited to vote online at TinoAward.com to help determine the winner. The award will be announced after the conclusion of the Division II Baseball Championship in Cary, N.C., May 28 to June 4.
Mavericks Return Division II Strikeout Leader
Junior right-handed pitcher Joe Holtmeyer had a stellar sophomore season in 2010, fanning 152 batters, the most of any pitcher in NCAA Division II. The Creighton Prep product was honored as a first-team All-American and was the Rawlings/ABCA South Central Regional Pitcher of the Year. He also earned MIAA Pitcher of the Year plaudits and was a first-team all-conference selection after going 9-2 with a 2.89 ERA over 87.1 innings of work.
All-MIAA Trio Leads Mavs Into 2011 Season
UNO returns a trio of all-conference performers from 2010 on this year's squad in junior right-handed pitcher Joe Holtmeyer, sophomore infielder Tyler Splichal and junior infielder Brady Hohl. Holtmeyer, the MIAA Pitcher of the Year, was a first-team honoree, while Splichal and Hohl garnered second-team honors.
Holtmeyer led the conference in nearly every major pitching category, compiling a 9-2 record, a nation-leading 152 strikeouts and a 2.89 ERA over 87.1 innings on the mound.
Splichal batted .410 in his inaugural campaign with 22 doubles, five home runs and 42 RBI. En route to MIAA Freshman of the Year plaudits, he started all 51 games he played in and had a team-leading 200 at-bats, scoring 35 runs with 82 hits.
Hohl also started all 51 of his appearances, hitting .354 with 10 doubles, two triples and a home run as a sophomore. He led the Mavericks with 45 runs scored and had 42 RBI while drawing 16 walks and stealing six bases Hohl was also second on the team in hit-by-pitches, as he was plunked 15 times over the year.
Next Up for the Mavs
UNO returns to action April 30-May 1, traveling to Truman for a four-game conference series in Kirksville, Mo. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader is set for 1 p.m., while Sunday's games will begin at Noon.
Live Stats
Live Audio (KVNO)
The UNO baseball team returns to Omaha to host Nebraska-Kearney in an historical game at Werner Park on Wednesday, April 27. First pitch is set for 6 p.m., and it marks the first collegiate game played at the new ballpark in Sarpy County.
Tickets are still available for the contest and are $8 for adults and $7 for students. UNO students with a valid MavCard will have free admission. Gates at Werner Park will open at 5 p.m., and parking lots will open at 4 p.m. with parking for $2.
Nebraska Omaha is 27-14 on the season after going 3-3 last week, including a split at Fort Hays State over the weekend. The FHSU series was a wild scoring weekend for both teams, as UNO earned the first two wins on Friday, 17-8 and 26-20. In Saturday's doubleheader, the Tigers escaped with a pair of victories, 6-4 and 17-7. Over the four-game series, the two squads combined for 128 hits, 108 runs and 14 home runs -- including 13 roundtrippers on Friday alone.
Junior Brady Hohl capped Friday's doubleheader in style, smashing his first career grand slam in the top of the 10th inning to put UNO ahead after a 20-20 tie. Senior Tyler Davies then followed up with another two-run shot to complete the game at 26-20. Junior Colby McCord also had a stellar performance on Friday, tallying three home runs and accounting for 11 runs batted in.
Earlier this year, the Mavericks enjoyed an 11-game win streak from March 18 to April 2. UNO ranks third in the MIAA with a 25-13 conference record, ahead of fourth-place Missouri Western (22-18, 19-15 MIAA).
UNK enters Wednesday after a 3-1 weekend home series against Colorado Christian. The Lopers lead the Plains Division of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, and senior Andrew Haake ranks third in the league for batting average (.406) and runs scored (44). He also tops the RMAC list for RBI (49), doubles (19) and walks (32) and is second in home runs with nine.
On the Air
Wednesday's game against Nebraska-Kearney will be broadcast on KVNO 90.7 FM and online at OMavs.com. Yano Mangiameli will handle play-by-play for the game, while Terry Leahy will offer color commentary.
Welcome to Werner
Werner Park, home of the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, opened earlier this month and has since hosted minor league and high school baseball games. The ballpark has 6,434 fixed seats and can accommodate a maximum crowd of just over 9,000 fans. It is located in Sarpy County, near the intersection of 126th Street and Highway 370 in Papillion, and features 31 acres for the venue and on-site parking.
Last Time Out
UNO leads the all-time series with Nebraska-Kearney, 45-31. The two teams last squared off on April 5, 2011 at the Ballpark at Boys Town, where the Mavericks shut out the Lopers, 5-0. Sophomore Matt Tew earned the win, surrendering just two hits with a pair of strikeouts over 2.2 innings of work, while the Maverick staff of seven pitchers held Kearney to six hits on the day. Freshman Caleb Palensky finished 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored, highlighted by his second home run of the year.
League Leaders
UNO leads all MIAA teams with a .344 team batting average through games of April 24, just ahead of nationally-ranked Emporia State (.334) and Central Missouri (.318). Nebraska Omaha also tops the conference in home runs with 41 roundtrippers. The Mavericks have the fourth-fewest strikeouts (199) of any squad in the conference, while defensively they are second with a .969 fielding percentage.
Individually, Jed Hanson is tied for third with seven homers. Brady Hohl (.399) and Caleb Palensky (.393) are fifth and seventh, respectively, for batting average, while Colby McCord's 36 runs batted in are second.
Herold Captures 400th Career Win
Head Coach Bob Herold earned his 400th career win in game two of the Mavericks' doubleheader at Fort Hays State last Friday. With the victory, he becomes the third coach in school history to match the 400-win mark, joining Bob Gates (464-273) and Virgil Yelkin (439-196) in the prestigious club. Herold now needs 65 more wins to pass Gates and become the winningest skipper in UNO history.
Mavs Rank Among Nation's Best
UNO ranks 11th nationally in team batting average in the NCAA's most recently released statistical rankings through games of April 17. The Mavericks, who have a team batting average of .337, are also 20th in home runs per game (0.89), 24th in total home runs (31), 15th in slugging percentage (.489) and 21st in fielding percentage (.968). In addition, the Nebraska-Omaha pitching staff is 29th in strikeouts per nine innings (8.1).
Individually, junior Joe Holtmeyer, the defending Division II strikeout leader, rates 10th with 12.13 strikeouts per nine innings. Freshman Caleb Palensky comes in at 62nd with a .402 batting average, and sophomore Tyler Splichal is the 18th most-difficult batter to strike out.
Going Streaking
Junior Brady Hohl is on the Mavericks' longest individual hitting streak this season, as he has 15 consecutive games with a registered hit since April 8. Nine of those contests have resulted in multiple-hit performances, including four three-hit games, and Hohl has accounted for 28 hits, 19 runs scored, 13 RBI, two doubles and a grand slam -- the first of his career -- in the 15-game span.
Mavs Welcome 20 Fresh Faces to Roster
UNO's 2011 roster features 20 newcomers, made up of nine true freshmen and 11 transfers. Fifteen are Nebraska natives, while 13 hail from the Omaha metropolitan area.
The list also includes multiple former teammates who have been reunited, as Derek Landis, Brandon Winkelmann, Scotty Donner and Ben Brown played together at Iowa Western to begin their collegiate careers. Brown, Kyle Kruger, Anthony Falcone and Zach Williamsen are all products of Millard West, while Caleb Palensky and Beau Suponchick played together at Papillion-LaVista South.
2011 UNO NEWCOMERS
Player -- Hometown (High School) Player -- Hometown (High School)
Ben Brown -- Omaha, Neb. (Millard West) Derek Landis -- Ralston, Neb. (Ralston)
Cody Brown -- Yorktown, Va. (Tabb) Sean Mascia -- Woodbury, Minn. (St. Thomas Academy)
Cory Buckley -- Bellevue, Neb. (Bellevue East) Connor McCrite -- Topeka, Kan. (Hayden)
Reid Carter -- Castle Rock, Colo. (Rock Canyon) Caleb Palensky -- Papillion, Neb. (Papillion-LaVista South)
Tyler Davies -- Papillion, Neb. (Papillion-LaVista) Martin Sartin -- Hamburg, Ark. (Hamburg)
Scotty Donner -- Crofton, Neb. (Crofton) Beau Suponchick -- Papillion, Neb. (Papillion-LaVista South)
Anthony Falcone -- Omaha, Neb. (Millard West) Mark Waldron -- Omaha, Neb. (Creighton Prep)
Landon Fall -- Kansas City, Mo. (Lee's Summit North) Rob Wheeler -- Elkhorn, Neb. (Elkhorn)
Mitch Kracl -- Omaha, Neb. (Burke) Zach Williamsen -- Omaha, Neb. (Millard West)
Kyle Kruger -- Omaha, Neb. (Millard West) Brandon Winkelmann -- Omaha, Neb. (Gross Catholic)
Holtmeyer Eclipses Career Strikeout Record
Junior Joe Holtmeyer (6-2) had his most dominant strikeout performance of the season at No. 1 Emporia State on April 2, striking out 12 batters in a seven-inning, complete-game performance for the 5-2 win. The victory also marked an important milestone for Holtmeyer, as he became UNO's all-time career strikeout leader. He has now amassed 302 strikeouts in two and a half years, ahead of former Maverick Tim Huber (2005-08), who had 277 in his four-year career.
Holtmeyer leads the Mavericks and the MIAA with 73 Ks on the year. He had three consecutive outings with double-figure strikeouts against Washburn, Lincoln and Emporia State and another 11-strikeout performance last Friday at Fort Hays State.
Mavericks in Professional Baseball
Player 2011 Team (Organization) Level Pos. At UNO Year Drafted -- Team (Round)
Tyler Cloyd Clearwater Theshers (Philadelphia) A RHP 2006-07 2008 -- Phillies (18th)
Notes: Cloyd previously played for the Threshers, a Class A Advanced team in the Florida State League, in early 2010. He is 0-0 with a 2.40 ERA in 2011, having made two starts over three appearances and 15.0 innings. Cloyd has 14 strikeouts to one walk for the year.
Chris Kessinger Everett AquaSox (Seattle) A RHP 2008-09 2009 -- Mariners (37th)
Notes: Kessinger is on the roster for the Everett AquaSox -- a Class A short-season team in the Northwest League -- for the second straight year. The AquaSox do not begin play until June.
Swiping Bags
Senior Jed Hanson and junior Brady Hohl have been the Mavericks' leading base-stealing duo in the first half of the season, both swiping eight bags on 10 tries. Hanson's senior year total marks a jump in his performance from 2010, when he finished the year 7-for-8 on stolen base attempts, while Hohl was 6-for-8 on the basepaths.
Holtmeyer Named to Tino Martinez Award Watch List
Junior right-handed pitcher Joe Holtmeyer was named to the Tino Martinez Award's initial 2011 watch list, the award committee announced in mid-February. The returning All-American is among 91 student-athletes nominated for the honor, which is given annually to the most outstanding player in NCAA Division II baseball.
The award is named for former University of Tampa Spartan, Olympian, first-round draft pick and MLB All-Star, Tino Martinez. Nominations are made by baseball sports information contacts and members of the media. Omission from the initial list does not exclude additional players from future consideration.
The list will be updated with semi-finalists on May 7. Finalists will be named on May 19, after which fans will be invited to vote online at TinoAward.com to help determine the winner. The award will be announced after the conclusion of the Division II Baseball Championship in Cary, N.C., May 28 to June 4.
Mavericks Return Division II Strikeout Leader
Junior right-handed pitcher Joe Holtmeyer had a stellar sophomore season in 2010, fanning 152 batters, the most of any pitcher in NCAA Division II. The Creighton Prep product was honored as a first-team All-American and was the Rawlings/ABCA South Central Regional Pitcher of the Year. He also earned MIAA Pitcher of the Year plaudits and was a first-team all-conference selection after going 9-2 with a 2.89 ERA over 87.1 innings of work.
All-MIAA Trio Leads Mavs Into 2011 Season
UNO returns a trio of all-conference performers from 2010 on this year's squad in junior right-handed pitcher Joe Holtmeyer, sophomore infielder Tyler Splichal and junior infielder Brady Hohl. Holtmeyer, the MIAA Pitcher of the Year, was a first-team honoree, while Splichal and Hohl garnered second-team honors.
Holtmeyer led the conference in nearly every major pitching category, compiling a 9-2 record, a nation-leading 152 strikeouts and a 2.89 ERA over 87.1 innings on the mound.
Splichal batted .410 in his inaugural campaign with 22 doubles, five home runs and 42 RBI. En route to MIAA Freshman of the Year plaudits, he started all 51 games he played in and had a team-leading 200 at-bats, scoring 35 runs with 82 hits.
Hohl also started all 51 of his appearances, hitting .354 with 10 doubles, two triples and a home run as a sophomore. He led the Mavericks with 45 runs scored and had 42 RBI while drawing 16 walks and stealing six bases Hohl was also second on the team in hit-by-pitches, as he was plunked 15 times over the year.
Next Up for the Mavs
UNO returns to action April 30-May 1, traveling to Truman for a four-game conference series in Kirksville, Mo. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader is set for 1 p.m., while Sunday's games will begin at Noon.
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