Mavs Win Extra-Innings Thriller at Minnesota, 10-9

Wednesday, March 13

Minneapolis, Minn.

3:05 PM

Omaha

2-7

Minnesota

11-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Omaha	0	3	0	5	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	10	15	1
Univ. of Minnesota	0	5	3	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	9	14	2

Mavs Win Extra-Innings Thriller at Minnesota, 10-9

Mar 13, 2013 | Baseball, General

Box Score

By: Omaha Athletics

Box Score (PDF/HTML)

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The Omaha baseball team picked up its second win of the season on Wednesday, defeating Minnesota in 11 innings in a 10-9 at the Metrodome. The Mavericks improved to 2-7 (0-0 Summit League) on the season, while the Gophers dropped to 11-6 (0-0 Big Ten).

Junior Steven Schoonover (1-0) earned the win in relief, throwing 3.0 innings of scoreless ball with three hits, one strikeout and no walks. Billy Soule (0-1) took the loss, surrendering one run on six hits over 3.1 innings of work with two strikeouts and a walk.

As a team, Omaha pounded out 15 hits in the extra-innings win, while Minnesota had 14 as a squad. Redshirt freshman Clayton Taylor finished a flawless 3-for-3 with two runs scored, an RBI and a walk, while sophomore Alex Mortensen went 3-for-6 with a pair of runs scored and another driven in.

Senior Ryan Keele, junior Brett Bass and freshman Cole Gruber each tallied two hits on the day, and Keele scored twice and drove in two runs as well. He came across for the go-ahead run on an RBI double by junior Caleb Palensky, who finished 1-for-5 with two RBI.

Omaha secured an early lead, scoring three runs in the top of the second. Taylor, Keele and sophomore Brett Miller were all hit by pitches, and Taylor scored the first run on Palensky's sacrifice fly to center. One batter later, Gruber delivered a two-run single to center to drive in Keele and Miller, which gave UNO a 3-0 start.

Minnesota responded swiftly with five runs on six hits in the bottom of the frame. Michael Handel led off with a double to third and later scored on Ryan Abrahamson's RBI single through the left side. Bobby Juan got on base with a single to right, and Dan Motl singled to center to bring in Abrahamson. Henkemeyer then sent a two-run home run to right, spotting the Gophers a 5-3 lead.

UM upped its advantage with three more runs in the third when Dan Olinger put up a leadoff single and later came in with Handel's RBI single to left. Matt Halloran then delivered a two-run roundtripper to right, pushing the score to 8-3.

In the fourth, the Mavericks exploded for five runs on five hits to make it a tied ballgame. Omaha loaded the bases with no outs as Gruber and Bass singled and senior Tyler Splichal was hit by a pitch. Mortensen sent a single through the left side to plate Gruber, and Taylor dropped a single into center to score Bass. Following a Minnesota pitching change, Keele drove in both Mortensen and Splichal with a two-run single, and Taylor stole home to post the Mavs' last run of the frame, knotting the game 8-8.

UNO regained the lead in the sixth, as Mortensen crossed the plate on Keele's bases-loaded groundout into a double play, but UM tied the game again the bottom of the eighth. Handel led off with a solo homer to left to make it 9-9 and send the game to extra innings.

Omaha finally broke through in the top of the 11th when Keele doubled to right center and Palensky driving him in with a huge RBI double to the same place, putting UNO up 10-9. Minnesota threatened in the bottom of the inning, as Larson got on with a single to center with no outs, but Omaha halted it with a fielder's choice and a groundout. The game was capped by a play up the middle to the diving Palensky, who finished it off with the 6-3 groundout.

Minnesota was led by Henkemeyer, Halloran and Handel, each of whom homered on the day. Henkemeyer finished 2-for-6 with three RBI, Handel was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI, and Halloran chipped in two hits of his own.

Omaha returns to action this weekend with a three-game series against Iowa, May 16-18, which was moved to Eck Stadium in Wichita, Kan. Links to live stats will be available on OMavs.com.