Mavericks Meet Huskers at Hawks Field
Apr 15, 2014 | Baseball
Leading Off
The Omaha baseball team travels down I-80 this week, visiting in-state foe Nebraska for a midweek game on Wednesday, April 16. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park in Lincoln, Neb., and links to live stats, audio and video will be available on OMavs.com. Student broadcasters Paul Dobler and Ryan Matheny will have the call on the MavRadio.fm broadcast.
Quick Hits
•Omaha last took the field on Saturday, April 12, sweeping a league doubleheader at North Dakota State with back-to-back shutouts. The Mavericks won the first game, 2-0 in 10 innings, before a 10-0 victory in seven innings in game two.
•UNO last achieved two shutouts in the same day on May 4, 2013 against Fort Wayne.
•Head coach Bob Herold sits just two wins away from becoming the winningest coach in UNO baseball history. With 463 career wins, he is behind only Bob Gates, who had 464 during his tenure.
•Senior southpaw Steven Schoonover was named Summit League Player of the Week on Monday after throwing a complete-game one-hit shutout at North Dakota State on Saturday for his first win of the season.
•Sophomore right-handed pitcher Tyler Fox threw the first game of Saturday's doubleheader at NDSU, tossing a career-long 9.0 innings and striking out a career-best eight batters while holding the Bison to just four hits. Fox ranks first in the Summit League with five wins this season.
•Junior Daniel Jewett has been on a steady offensive climb over the last month, bringing his batting average from .269 on March 19 to a team-leading .410 on April 12.
•Sophomore Clayton Taylor has a team-best 11 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI efforts.
•Sophomore Alex Schultz's 25-game reaching base streak was snapped in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader. Schultz had previously gotten on base in every game from Feb. 21 to April 6. He also had a team-long 12-game hitting streak that lasted Feb. 21 to March 19.
•After going 20-6 in Summit League play last year, UNO is 105-87 all-time against the four other teams in the league.
Scouting the Nebraska Huskers
Entering the week, Nebraska has compiled a record of 23-14 (7-2 Big Ten) and ranks second in the Big Ten standings. The Huskers play host to Kansas State on Tuesday before welcoming the Mavericks on Wednesday. NU played a three-game road series at Minnesota last weekend, sweeping the Golden Gophers, 8-6, 5-2 and 3-2 in 10 innings. Head coach Darin Erstad (Nebraska, 1995) is in his third year at the helm of the Husker program with a career record of 87-67.
Wednesday's game will be the 60th meeting between UNO and NU, and Nebraska leads the all-time series, 49-10. The two teams have not squared off since March 7, 2000, when the Huskers took an 18-2 win at Hawks Field. The Mavericks last defeated Nebraska in 1997, winning the first game of a doubleheader, 17-13.
On the Hill: Notables About Midweek Starter Anthony Falcone
Senior lefty Anthony Falcone carries a record of 1-2 with two saves and a 3.45 ERA, and the Millard West product is scheduled to make his first career start for Wednesday's game at Nebraska. Falcone was last in action on April 12 at North Dakota State, holding the Bison hitless in the top of the 10th to pick up his second save of the year.
For his career, Falcone is 1-0 against Big Ten teams, having faced Iowa twice in the last two seasons. He has a 0.00 ERA with no hits surrendered in 4.2 innings pitched against Big Ten foes.
Schoonover Earns Mavericks' Fifth Summit League Weekly Award
Schoonover earned his second career Summit League Pitcher of the Week honor on Monday, becoming the fifth Maverick to earn a weekly conference honor this season. The southpaw from Olympia, Wash., tossed a complete-game seven-inning shutout win at North Dakota State on Saturday, allowing just one hit. He recorded three strikeouts and one walk in the 10-0 Maverick victory, and he is now 1-1 with a 0.90 ERA for the season. The performance marked Schoonover's third complete game of his career and his first of the year.
UNO has had three players earn Summit League Player of the Week in sophomore Alex Schultz (March 3), senior Caleb Palensky (March 31) and junior Daniel Jewett (April 7), while sophomore Tyler Fox was named Summit League Pitcher of the Week on March 10.
Taylor Among Nation's Slugging Percentage Leaders
Sophomore Clayton Taylor ranks among the top 25 nationally in slugging percentage in the NCAA's most recent statistical release on April 14. The Omaha native is 22nd in the country with a .643 slugging clip, which is also third in the conference.
Taylor tops the Mavericks with 26 runs driven in this season, which is fourth in the Summit League. He also leads the team with 10 doubles, two triples and five home runs. His last roundtripper was a first-pitch solo shot to tie the game at 5-5 in the ninth against K-State on April 1, a game which Omaha went on to win in extra innings, 6-5.
In 2013, Taylor was named a Freshman All-American Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball. He finished third in the league with a .352 batting average and added 20 runs scored, eight doubles, 18 RBI and eight stolen bases. His 23 walks drawn were also fifth among conference players.
Double Digits
As a team, Omaha has produced double-digit hits in 14 games this season, including a season-high of 23 hits against Chicago State on Feb. 28.
On Saturday in a league doubleheader at North Dakota State, the Mavericks posted a combined 24 hits for the day. Ten of those came in a 2-0 win in the first game and 14 were tallied in a 10-0 victory in the second game.
Going the Extra Mile
When registering three or more extra-base hits in a game, UNO has gone 9-3 this season. The Mavericks notched a season-high five doubles as a team in a 12-5 win over Dartmouth on March 18, and it was their highest extra-base hit total since tallying two doubles, two triples and two homers on April 28, 2013 vs. North Dakota State.
Omaha is on pace to surpass last season's team extra-base hit total (103). At 28 games into the 2013 season, the Mavericks had 51 doubles, two triples and four home runs, while the 2014 squad has come up with 44 doubles, eight triples and nine homers through April 12.
Walkoff Winners
Walkoff wins are nothing new to the Omaha baseball team this season, as the Mavericks secured back-to-back victories in the final inning against South Dakota State (March 30) and Kansas State (April 1).
Against the Jackrabbits, senior Dylan Casey came through in the clutch in game two of the doubleheader. He pinch hit with two outs and the bases loaded, coming up with the game-winning hit to score senior Caleb Palensky and secure the victory.
Two days later against K-State, sophomore Alex Schultz came through with the game-winning RBI single. It scored fellow sophomore Cole Gruber in the bottom of the 10th inning, giving Omaha its second straight walkoff win, 6-5 over the Wildcats at Werner Park.
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 463-314-2. 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 two 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.
Next Up
Omaha returns to action this weekend with a three-game non-conference series at Bradley. Friday's game is set for 6 p.m. in Peoria, Ill., followed by a 2 p.m. game on Saturday and a 1 p.m. contest on Sunday. Links to live stats, audio and video will be available on OMavs.com.
The Omaha baseball team travels down I-80 this week, visiting in-state foe Nebraska for a midweek game on Wednesday, April 16. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park in Lincoln, Neb., and links to live stats, audio and video will be available on OMavs.com. Student broadcasters Paul Dobler and Ryan Matheny will have the call on the MavRadio.fm broadcast.
Quick Hits
•Omaha last took the field on Saturday, April 12, sweeping a league doubleheader at North Dakota State with back-to-back shutouts. The Mavericks won the first game, 2-0 in 10 innings, before a 10-0 victory in seven innings in game two.
•UNO last achieved two shutouts in the same day on May 4, 2013 against Fort Wayne.
•Head coach Bob Herold sits just two wins away from becoming the winningest coach in UNO baseball history. With 463 career wins, he is behind only Bob Gates, who had 464 during his tenure.
•Senior southpaw Steven Schoonover was named Summit League Player of the Week on Monday after throwing a complete-game one-hit shutout at North Dakota State on Saturday for his first win of the season.
•Sophomore right-handed pitcher Tyler Fox threw the first game of Saturday's doubleheader at NDSU, tossing a career-long 9.0 innings and striking out a career-best eight batters while holding the Bison to just four hits. Fox ranks first in the Summit League with five wins this season.
•Junior Daniel Jewett has been on a steady offensive climb over the last month, bringing his batting average from .269 on March 19 to a team-leading .410 on April 12.
•Sophomore Clayton Taylor has a team-best 11 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI efforts.
•Sophomore Alex Schultz's 25-game reaching base streak was snapped in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader. Schultz had previously gotten on base in every game from Feb. 21 to April 6. He also had a team-long 12-game hitting streak that lasted Feb. 21 to March 19.
•After going 20-6 in Summit League play last year, UNO is 105-87 all-time against the four other teams in the league.
Scouting the Nebraska Huskers
Entering the week, Nebraska has compiled a record of 23-14 (7-2 Big Ten) and ranks second in the Big Ten standings. The Huskers play host to Kansas State on Tuesday before welcoming the Mavericks on Wednesday. NU played a three-game road series at Minnesota last weekend, sweeping the Golden Gophers, 8-6, 5-2 and 3-2 in 10 innings. Head coach Darin Erstad (Nebraska, 1995) is in his third year at the helm of the Husker program with a career record of 87-67.
Wednesday's game will be the 60th meeting between UNO and NU, and Nebraska leads the all-time series, 49-10. The two teams have not squared off since March 7, 2000, when the Huskers took an 18-2 win at Hawks Field. The Mavericks last defeated Nebraska in 1997, winning the first game of a doubleheader, 17-13.
On the Hill: Notables About Midweek Starter Anthony Falcone
Senior lefty Anthony Falcone carries a record of 1-2 with two saves and a 3.45 ERA, and the Millard West product is scheduled to make his first career start for Wednesday's game at Nebraska. Falcone was last in action on April 12 at North Dakota State, holding the Bison hitless in the top of the 10th to pick up his second save of the year.
For his career, Falcone is 1-0 against Big Ten teams, having faced Iowa twice in the last two seasons. He has a 0.00 ERA with no hits surrendered in 4.2 innings pitched against Big Ten foes.
Schoonover Earns Mavericks' Fifth Summit League Weekly Award
Schoonover earned his second career Summit League Pitcher of the Week honor on Monday, becoming the fifth Maverick to earn a weekly conference honor this season. The southpaw from Olympia, Wash., tossed a complete-game seven-inning shutout win at North Dakota State on Saturday, allowing just one hit. He recorded three strikeouts and one walk in the 10-0 Maverick victory, and he is now 1-1 with a 0.90 ERA for the season. The performance marked Schoonover's third complete game of his career and his first of the year.
UNO has had three players earn Summit League Player of the Week in sophomore Alex Schultz (March 3), senior Caleb Palensky (March 31) and junior Daniel Jewett (April 7), while sophomore Tyler Fox was named Summit League Pitcher of the Week on March 10.
Taylor Among Nation's Slugging Percentage Leaders
Sophomore Clayton Taylor ranks among the top 25 nationally in slugging percentage in the NCAA's most recent statistical release on April 14. The Omaha native is 22nd in the country with a .643 slugging clip, which is also third in the conference.
Taylor tops the Mavericks with 26 runs driven in this season, which is fourth in the Summit League. He also leads the team with 10 doubles, two triples and five home runs. His last roundtripper was a first-pitch solo shot to tie the game at 5-5 in the ninth against K-State on April 1, a game which Omaha went on to win in extra innings, 6-5.
In 2013, Taylor was named a Freshman All-American Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball. He finished third in the league with a .352 batting average and added 20 runs scored, eight doubles, 18 RBI and eight stolen bases. His 23 walks drawn were also fifth among conference players.
Double Digits
As a team, Omaha has produced double-digit hits in 14 games this season, including a season-high of 23 hits against Chicago State on Feb. 28.
On Saturday in a league doubleheader at North Dakota State, the Mavericks posted a combined 24 hits for the day. Ten of those came in a 2-0 win in the first game and 14 were tallied in a 10-0 victory in the second game.
Going the Extra Mile
When registering three or more extra-base hits in a game, UNO has gone 9-3 this season. The Mavericks notched a season-high five doubles as a team in a 12-5 win over Dartmouth on March 18, and it was their highest extra-base hit total since tallying two doubles, two triples and two homers on April 28, 2013 vs. North Dakota State.
Omaha is on pace to surpass last season's team extra-base hit total (103). At 28 games into the 2013 season, the Mavericks had 51 doubles, two triples and four home runs, while the 2014 squad has come up with 44 doubles, eight triples and nine homers through April 12.
Walkoff Winners
Walkoff wins are nothing new to the Omaha baseball team this season, as the Mavericks secured back-to-back victories in the final inning against South Dakota State (March 30) and Kansas State (April 1).
Against the Jackrabbits, senior Dylan Casey came through in the clutch in game two of the doubleheader. He pinch hit with two outs and the bases loaded, coming up with the game-winning hit to score senior Caleb Palensky and secure the victory.
Two days later against K-State, sophomore Alex Schultz came through with the game-winning RBI single. It scored fellow sophomore Cole Gruber in the bottom of the 10th inning, giving Omaha its second straight walkoff win, 6-5 over the Wildcats at Werner Park.
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 463-314-2. 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 two 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.
Next Up
Omaha returns to action this weekend with a three-game non-conference series at Bradley. Friday's game is set for 6 p.m. in Peoria, Ill., followed by a 2 p.m. game on Saturday and a 1 p.m. contest on Sunday. Links to live stats, audio and video will be available on OMavs.com.
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