Mavs Ready for Midweek Series With Dartmouth
Mar 17, 2014 | Baseball
Leading Off
The Omaha baseball team returns to action this week, facing Dartmouth in a three-game, neutral-site series, March 16-18, at Hoglund Ballpark in Lawrence, Kan. First pitch on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday is set for 2 p.m., and links to live stats will be available on OMavs.com.
Quick Hits
•Omaha snapped a four-game losing streak last weekend with three straight wins to sweep Air Force at the Ballpark at Boys Town.
•The Mavericks return 20 letterwinners from 2013, including eight who saw the field as position starters and three returning starting pitchers. Fifteen newcomers are also on the 2014 roster, 11 of whom have seen the field.
•Sophomore Cole Gruber's .381 batting average ranks third in the Summit League. He and fellow sophomore Alex Schultz have a team-leading six multi-hit games apiece this season.
•Schultz has gotten on base in all 15 games he has played, now carrying with him a team-leading 15-game streak of reaching base. Schultz also has a team-long 11-game hitting streak.
•Senior Josh Bullock is tied for the league lead with two saves on the year.
•A two-year starter and first-team All-Summit honoree, junior Alex Mortensen will miss the 2014 season due to injury.
•After going 20-6 in Summit League play last year, UNO is 100-84 all-time against the four other teams in the league.
Scouting the Dartmouth Big Green
Entering Tuesday's series opener against Dartmouth, the Big Green holds a record of 1-5 (0-0 Ivy League). Dartmouth most recently dropped a three-game series at TCU, falling 4-1, 5-1 and 8-0 over the weekend.
Head coach Bob Whalen (Maine, 1979) is in his 25th year with the program and holds a career record of 490-458-1. This week marks the first meeting in program history between Omaha and Dartmouth.
On the Hill: Notables About the Rotation
Senior lefty Steven Schoonover (0-0) will make just his second appearance of the season on Tuesday. Schoonover last threw against Kansas State on March 12, holding the Wildcats to one unearned run on one hit with a strikeout in his first appearance since the 2013 season.
Sophomore Sam Murphy is scheduled to make his first start on Wednesday, as the Lake Worth, Fla., native has made six relief appearances so far this year. Murphy holds a record of 1-0 with a 0.84 ERA, having earned the win over Chicago State on Feb. 28, holding the Cougars to no runs on one hit over 2.1 innings thrown. Last weekend against Air Force, Murphy picked up the save, tossing 3.0 innings of scoreless, hitless ball while striking out two batters.
Sophomore righty Tyler Fox (2-1) will throw for the Mavericks on Thursday in Lawrence. Last week against Air Force, Fox tossed six innings, surrendering two runs on four hits with a career-high seven strikeouts and two walks for the victory. The performance improved him to 2-1. Fox previously earned Summit League Pitcher of the Week honors after a win two weeks ago at Grand Canyon. As a true freshman in 2013, Fox went 6-2 with a 3.99 ERA over a staff-leading 56.1 innings pitched and limited his opponents to a .263 batting average.
Schultz, Fox Earn Summit League Weekly Awards
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Tyler Fox was named Summit League Co-Pitcher of the Week for his performance March 3-9, the conference office announced Monday. He shared the honor with South Dakota State's Adam Bray.
Fox recorded the second Pitcher of the Week award of his career after guiding Omaha to game one's 6-0 win at Grand Canyon March 7. The Thornton, Colo., native tossed seven innings, surrendering two hits with a career-high-tying six strikeouts and one walk for the victory. Fox picked up his first win of the year and improved to 1-1.
Sophomore Alex Schultz garnered his first career award on March 3 after leading Omaha to a 4-1 record during the second half of the season-opening Snowbird Classic Tournament. The outfielder from Sioux Falls, S.D., went 5-for-6 with three RBI and three runs scored in UNO's win over Chicago State. He added a pair of hits vs. the Cougars and two hits in a win over Villanova. For the week, Schultz batted .455 (10-of-22) with four runs scored, three RBI, two doubles and two walks. He also had a .545 slugging percentage and .500 on-base percentage in the five games.
The 1-2 Punch
Sophomore outfielders Cole Gruber and Alex Schultz have provided quite the 1-2 punch for Omaha to start the 2014 season. Gruber leads the team in batting average (.381), runs scored (14), walks drawn (five), slugging percentage (.492), on-base percentage (.443) and a 5-for-7 effort in stolen bases. Schultz is second on the squad with a .373 average and has scored 14 runs.
In eight games at the season-opening Snowbird Classic, the duo batted an identical .364 (12-for-33). Schultz, who was named Summit League Co-Player of the Week on March 3, had two doubles, scored five runs, drove in three more and drew three walks. Gruber had one double, six runs scored, six RBI and two walks while going 1-for-2 on the basepaths.
The pair fueled Omaha's hit parade in UNO's Feb. 28 doubleheader with Villanova and Chicago State, combining for 14 hits. Both had seven hits in the two games, including five apiece against CSU in game two alone.
Herold at the Helm
Head Coach Bob Herold is in his 15th year as the skipper of the Nebraska Omaha baseball program in 2013, having compiled a career record of 455-310-2. Herold earned his 400th career win on April 22, 2011 against Fort Hays State, becoming the third coach in school history to reach the milestone. He joined Bob Gates (464-273) and Virgil Yelkin (439-196) in the prestigious club, and Herold needs 10 more wins to pass Gates as the all-time winningest coach in UNO history.
Over his Maverick career, Herold has guided Omaha to seven NCAA Division II postseason appearances and four conference championships. In 2013, he was honored as Summit League Coach of the Year.
Herold's most recent draft pick was right-handed pitcher Joe Holtmeyer, who was taken in the 22nd round (No. 682 overall) of the 2011 Major League Baseball amateur draft by the Boston Red Sox. Holtmeyer was the fifth Maverick drafted under Herold and the second-highest pick of any player during the Herold era.
Herold is assisted by assistant coaches Chris Gadsden, in his 15th year, and Evan Porter, in his second year, as well as volunteer pitching coach Dan McGinn, who is in his 14th year.
Mixed Schedule Takes Mavericks Around the Nation
Omaha's 2014 schedule includes 50 games against 18 different Division I opponents, and the team will play in seven states across the country. UNO will match up with opponents from 10 different conferences: the Atlantic 10, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Horizon League, Ivy League, MAC, Missouri Valley, Mountain West and WAC.
Two foes -- South Dakota State and Kansas State -- were 2013 NCAA Tournament qualifiers. SDSU, which finished second to UNO in the Summit League's regular-season standings and went on to win the tournament championship for a berth to the NCAA Tournament, lost to Oregon and San Francisco in the Eugene Regional. K-State nearly knocked off Oregon State in game three of the Corvallis Super Regional, rallying for two runs in the eighth inning before the Beavers snagged a 4-3 win.
The Mavericks have never faced six of their 2014 opponents -- Milwaukee, St. Bonaventure, Villanova, Western Michigan, Grand Canyon and Dartmouth -- and they hold a combined all-time record of 179-202 against all teams on the slate this season.
Next Up
Omaha returns to action on March 25, traveling top Kansas State for a single midweek game in Manhattan, Kan. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m., and links to live audio, video and stats will be available on OMavs.com. The game will also be televised nationally on FOX College Sports.
The Omaha baseball team returns to action this week, facing Dartmouth in a three-game, neutral-site series, March 16-18, at Hoglund Ballpark in Lawrence, Kan. First pitch on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday is set for 2 p.m., and links to live stats will be available on OMavs.com.
Quick Hits
•Omaha snapped a four-game losing streak last weekend with three straight wins to sweep Air Force at the Ballpark at Boys Town.
•The Mavericks return 20 letterwinners from 2013, including eight who saw the field as position starters and three returning starting pitchers. Fifteen newcomers are also on the 2014 roster, 11 of whom have seen the field.
•Sophomore Cole Gruber's .381 batting average ranks third in the Summit League. He and fellow sophomore Alex Schultz have a team-leading six multi-hit games apiece this season.
•Schultz has gotten on base in all 15 games he has played, now carrying with him a team-leading 15-game streak of reaching base. Schultz also has a team-long 11-game hitting streak.
•Senior Josh Bullock is tied for the league lead with two saves on the year.
•A two-year starter and first-team All-Summit honoree, junior Alex Mortensen will miss the 2014 season due to injury.
•After going 20-6 in Summit League play last year, UNO is 100-84 all-time against the four other teams in the league.
Scouting the Dartmouth Big Green
Entering Tuesday's series opener against Dartmouth, the Big Green holds a record of 1-5 (0-0 Ivy League). Dartmouth most recently dropped a three-game series at TCU, falling 4-1, 5-1 and 8-0 over the weekend.
Head coach Bob Whalen (Maine, 1979) is in his 25th year with the program and holds a career record of 490-458-1. This week marks the first meeting in program history between Omaha and Dartmouth.
On the Hill: Notables About the Rotation
Senior lefty Steven Schoonover (0-0) will make just his second appearance of the season on Tuesday. Schoonover last threw against Kansas State on March 12, holding the Wildcats to one unearned run on one hit with a strikeout in his first appearance since the 2013 season.
Sophomore Sam Murphy is scheduled to make his first start on Wednesday, as the Lake Worth, Fla., native has made six relief appearances so far this year. Murphy holds a record of 1-0 with a 0.84 ERA, having earned the win over Chicago State on Feb. 28, holding the Cougars to no runs on one hit over 2.1 innings thrown. Last weekend against Air Force, Murphy picked up the save, tossing 3.0 innings of scoreless, hitless ball while striking out two batters.
Sophomore righty Tyler Fox (2-1) will throw for the Mavericks on Thursday in Lawrence. Last week against Air Force, Fox tossed six innings, surrendering two runs on four hits with a career-high seven strikeouts and two walks for the victory. The performance improved him to 2-1. Fox previously earned Summit League Pitcher of the Week honors after a win two weeks ago at Grand Canyon. As a true freshman in 2013, Fox went 6-2 with a 3.99 ERA over a staff-leading 56.1 innings pitched and limited his opponents to a .263 batting average.
Schultz, Fox Earn Summit League Weekly Awards
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Tyler Fox was named Summit League Co-Pitcher of the Week for his performance March 3-9, the conference office announced Monday. He shared the honor with South Dakota State's Adam Bray.
Fox recorded the second Pitcher of the Week award of his career after guiding Omaha to game one's 6-0 win at Grand Canyon March 7. The Thornton, Colo., native tossed seven innings, surrendering two hits with a career-high-tying six strikeouts and one walk for the victory. Fox picked up his first win of the year and improved to 1-1.
Sophomore Alex Schultz garnered his first career award on March 3 after leading Omaha to a 4-1 record during the second half of the season-opening Snowbird Classic Tournament. The outfielder from Sioux Falls, S.D., went 5-for-6 with three RBI and three runs scored in UNO's win over Chicago State. He added a pair of hits vs. the Cougars and two hits in a win over Villanova. For the week, Schultz batted .455 (10-of-22) with four runs scored, three RBI, two doubles and two walks. He also had a .545 slugging percentage and .500 on-base percentage in the five games.
The 1-2 Punch
Sophomore outfielders Cole Gruber and Alex Schultz have provided quite the 1-2 punch for Omaha to start the 2014 season. Gruber leads the team in batting average (.381), runs scored (14), walks drawn (five), slugging percentage (.492), on-base percentage (.443) and a 5-for-7 effort in stolen bases. Schultz is second on the squad with a .373 average and has scored 14 runs.
In eight games at the season-opening Snowbird Classic, the duo batted an identical .364 (12-for-33). Schultz, who was named Summit League Co-Player of the Week on March 3, had two doubles, scored five runs, drove in three more and drew three walks. Gruber had one double, six runs scored, six RBI and two walks while going 1-for-2 on the basepaths.
The pair fueled Omaha's hit parade in UNO's Feb. 28 doubleheader with Villanova and Chicago State, combining for 14 hits. Both had seven hits in the two games, including five apiece against CSU in game two alone.
Herold at the Helm
Head Coach Bob Herold is in his 15th year as the skipper of the Nebraska Omaha baseball program in 2013, having compiled a career record of 455-310-2. Herold earned his 400th career win on April 22, 2011 against Fort Hays State, becoming the third coach in school history to reach the milestone. He joined Bob Gates (464-273) and Virgil Yelkin (439-196) in the prestigious club, and Herold needs 10 more wins to pass Gates as the all-time winningest coach in UNO history.
Over his Maverick career, Herold has guided Omaha to seven NCAA Division II postseason appearances and four conference championships. In 2013, he was honored as Summit League Coach of the Year.
Herold's most recent draft pick was right-handed pitcher Joe Holtmeyer, who was taken in the 22nd round (No. 682 overall) of the 2011 Major League Baseball amateur draft by the Boston Red Sox. Holtmeyer was the fifth Maverick drafted under Herold and the second-highest pick of any player during the Herold era.
Herold is assisted by assistant coaches Chris Gadsden, in his 15th year, and Evan Porter, in his second year, as well as volunteer pitching coach Dan McGinn, who is in his 14th year.
Mixed Schedule Takes Mavericks Around the Nation
Omaha's 2014 schedule includes 50 games against 18 different Division I opponents, and the team will play in seven states across the country. UNO will match up with opponents from 10 different conferences: the Atlantic 10, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Horizon League, Ivy League, MAC, Missouri Valley, Mountain West and WAC.
Two foes -- South Dakota State and Kansas State -- were 2013 NCAA Tournament qualifiers. SDSU, which finished second to UNO in the Summit League's regular-season standings and went on to win the tournament championship for a berth to the NCAA Tournament, lost to Oregon and San Francisco in the Eugene Regional. K-State nearly knocked off Oregon State in game three of the Corvallis Super Regional, rallying for two runs in the eighth inning before the Beavers snagged a 4-3 win.
The Mavericks have never faced six of their 2014 opponents -- Milwaukee, St. Bonaventure, Villanova, Western Michigan, Grand Canyon and Dartmouth -- and they hold a combined all-time record of 179-202 against all teams on the slate this season.
Next Up
Omaha returns to action on March 25, traveling top Kansas State for a single midweek game in Manhattan, Kan. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m., and links to live audio, video and stats will be available on OMavs.com. The game will also be televised nationally on FOX College Sports.
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