Omaha
South Dakota State
Mavs and Jackrabbits Split on a Wild and Windy Day
Apr 4, 2015 | Softball
BROOKINGS, South Dakota – The Omaha softball team split its first Summit League road doubleheader with South Dakota State Friday at Jackrabbit Softball Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota. The Mavericks prevailed 13-7 in Friday's first game, before falling 9-6 in the nightcap.
Omaha is now 17-18 overall and 5-3 in Summit League play, while SDSU is now 11-15 overall and 2-3 in league play.
The two teams wrap up their Summit League series on Saturday afternoon at 11:00 a.m. Links to audio and live stats will be available on OMavs.com.
Omaha 13, South Dakota State 7
Omaha scored eight combined runs in the first and fifth frames Friday to pull away from South Dakota State in the first game of the three-game series at Jackrabbit Softball Stadium, 13-7.
Freshman Jaylee Hinrichs (8-7) earned the complete-game win, allowing seven earned runs on six hits and three walks with 10 strikeouts. With the win, Hinrichs picked up her second conference win on the season.
Omaha recorded the first runs of the game in the top of the first. Lizzie Noble laced a double to centerfield to drive in Kelly Pattison to give Omaha the lead, 1-0. Tonya Peterson scored from third place on a passed ball. Megan May hit a single through the left side to bring around Noble and a 3-0 Omaha lead.
The Mavericks tacked two more runs on in the top of the third inning. Pattison and Noble each walked to give UNO runners with two outs in the inning. May lined a double to right field to drive in both runners and put Omaha up 5-0 after three innings.
South Dakota State got a run back with a solo home run to open the bottom of the third inning.
Using a two-out rally, Omaha pushed two more runs across the plate in the top of the fourth. Allie Mathewson walked and stole second with two outs. Pattison's single up the middle allowed Mathewson to score. Pattison stole second to move into scoring position. Peterson singled through the right side to plate Pattison to give the Mavs a 7-1 lead.
After retiring the Jackrabbits in the fourth, the Mavericks went on to score five runs in the top of the fifth inning. Campbell Ditto hit a leadoff single and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Nicole Warren singled to center to bring home Ditto. The Mavericks loaded the bases following a fielder's choice and a SDSU error. Pattison drew a walk to drive in the second UNO run of the inning. Peterson cleared the bases with a double to right center for a 12-1 Omaha lead.
SDSU cut into the UNO in the bottom of the fifth. The Jackrabbits loaded the bases with two outs in the inning. Devan Larsen hit a grand slam home run cut the Omaha lead to 12-5.
Ditto led off the top of the sixth inning with her seventh home run of the season to push the lead back to 13-5.
The Jackrabbits scored single runs in the bottom of the sixth and seventh to make the final score 13-7.
Peterson was 3-for-5 in the game, recording a career high four RBIs. May went 3-for-5 including three RBI. Ditto had a 2-for-4 day at the plate with a home run and two runs scored.
South Dakota State 9, Omaha 7
Omaha posted seven runs on 10 hits but fell, 9-6, in a slugfest to South Dakota State in game two of their double header Friday afternoon.
South Dakota State took advantage of an Omaha fielding error in the bottom of the first inning to take the lead, 1-0.
In the top of the third, Omaha hit back-to-back doubles to tie the game, 1-1. Kelly Pattison hit a one-out double to right center and came around to score on Tonya Peterson's double.
The Jackrabbits regained a lead in the third, scoring four runs on four hits and two Omaha errors.
UNO cut the lead in half in the top of the fifth inning. Tonya Peterson opened the frame with a walk. Lizzie Noble launched a homerun to left field that bounced off the SDSU scoreboard to draw Omaha closer, 5-3.
South Dakota State did not let the momentum get away as they used a two-run homer to left center to make the score 7-3. The Jackrabbits used a two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth to plate two more runs and take a 9-3 lead.
Omaha crept back into the game in the top of the seventh. Pattison opened the frame with a single through the left side and advanced to third on a Peterson double. Noble drove in Pattison and Peterson with a double to right center. Campbell Ditto and Megan May each singled to load the bases for Omaha with one out. Tara Trede seemingly hit a single to drive in a run, but was ruled out of the batter's box and called out. Allie Mathewson hit a hard grounder to second base, but could not beat the throw as Omaha fell, 9-6.
Starter Kat Barrow (7-6) pitched 5.2 innings allowing nine runs (four earned) on 11 hits with two walks and a strikeout. Carly Nielsen pitched 0.1 innings allowing no hits.
Noble had a 2-for-4 effort at the plate with four RBIs on a double and a home run. Peterson went 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored, while Pattison was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. May went 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of singles.
