Mavericks Take Down Iowa, 9-6

Saturday, March 16

Wichita, Kan.

1:00 PM

Omaha

3-7

Iowa

7-7

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Omaha	1	0	3	5	0	0	0	0	0	9	13	3
Iowa	1	0	1	2	2	0	0	0	0	6	8	3

Mavericks Take Down Iowa, 9-6

Mar 16, 2013 | Baseball, General

Box Score

By: Omaha Athletics

Box Score (PDF/HTML)

WICHITA, Kan. – The Omaha baseball team picked up its second straight victory over a Big Ten opponent on Saturday, defeating Iowa 9-6 at Eck Stadium. With the win, the Mavericks improve to 3-7 (0-0 Summit League) on the year, while the Hawkeyes drop to 7-7 (0-0 Big Ten).

Senior Ryan Keele led the way with a 4-for-5 day at the plate with two runs scored and two driven in. Junior Brett Bass went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI, and freshman Collin Leif added another multi-hit effort with a 2-for-5 performance with a pair of RBI.

The win went to reliever Anthony Falcone (1-0), who threw 3.2 innings of hitless relief and allowed no walks. Iowa starter Sasha Kuebel (1-4) was charged with the loss, surrendering eight runs (six earned) off six hits with three walks and a strikeout over 3.1 innings. Junior Josh Bullock earned his first save of the season, striking out one batter to close out the game.

Omaha, which is now 3-0 when scoring first, made quick work in the top of the first inning. Bass led off and reached on a fielding error, moved to second on senior Tyler Splichal's single through the right side and advanced to third on redshirt freshman Clayton Taylor's sacrifice bunt. Keele used a sacrifice fly to right to score Bass, giving UNO a 1-0 lead.

Iowa tied it at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning, but the Mavericks put up three runs on two hits in the third. Sophomore Brett Miller reached on a fielder's choice and later scored on a wild pitch, and Leif sent a two-run single down the right field line to plate Keele and junior Caleb Palensky and extend it to 4-1.

After the Hawkeyes added a run in the bottom of the frame, Omaha delivered another big inning with five runs on three hits and an error. Splichal drew a walk and Taylor reached on a catcher's interference call, and stolen bases put both runners into scoring position. Miller was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Keele singled up the middle to score Splichal. Redshirt freshman Connor Messinger came through with a two-run single to short that plated Miller and Taylor, and a Palensky single to center brought Keele across. Messinger notched the Mavs' final run of the inning when Bass snagged a bases-loaded walk, putting Omaha in control at 9-2.

Following a pitching change, Iowa scored two runs in the fourth inning and another pair in the fifth. Falcone, who entered the game in the sixth inning and allowed no hits, was nearly flawless over 3.2 innings, holding the Hawkeyes to nine straight groundouts before the ninth-inning leadoff reached on an error and one batter was hit by a pitch in the last inning. Bullock came in with two outs and got Iowa's final batter on a strikeout looking, capping Omaha's 9-6 win for its second straight triumph in the all-time series against the Hawkeyes.

UNO continues the three-game series with Iowa on Sunday, March 17. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Eck Stadium in Wichita, Kan., and a link to live stats will be available on OMavs.com.