Home Runs Power Omaha to Doubleheader Sweep
Apr 16, 2016 | Softball
MACOMB, Ill. ā Four Omaha players hit a home run Saturday afternoon at Mary Ellen McKee Field, as the Maverick softball team earned a doubleheader sweep against Western Illinois.Ā UNO won game one of the twin bill, 7-3, and completed the sweep with a 2-0 win in game two.
The Mavericks improve to 23-21 overall and 9-1 in Summit League play.Ā The Leathernecks are now 10-27 overall and 3-5 in league play.
Game 1: Omaha 7 Western Illinois 3
In the opening game of the doubleheader, five home runs accounted for all of Omaha's runs in a 7-3 victory.
Senior catcher Campbell Ditto went 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored, two home runs and three RBI.Ā Junior centerfielder Lia Mancuso went 3-for-3 with a double, a homer and an RBI.Ā Junior shortstop Nicole Warren hit a two-run homer, while freshman pinch hitter Alexis Parker added a solo shot.
Freshman right hander Laura Rocker (12-9) pitched her team-best 12th complete game of the year in the victory.Ā Roecker allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits while walking three and striking out five.
Aly Compton and Rachel Beatty opened the bottom of the second with back-to-back doubles to put Western Illinois on the board first, 1-0.
The Mavericks did not trail for long as Mancuso led off the top of the third with a solo homer to right field.Ā Senior Sydney Hames drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a passed ball.Ā Ditto hit the Mavericks' second long ball of the inning to left field to give Omaha 3-1 lead after three innings.
Mancuso led off the top of the fifth with an infield hit and scored on Warren's homer to center field.
Western Illinois took advantage of an Omaha error and an infield hit to get a run back in the bottom of the fifth, but still trailed 5-2.
UNO pushed the lead back to four runs in the top of the sixth.Ā Parker hit a two-out, pinch hit homer to right field to put Omaha on top, 6-2.
Ditto added an insurance run for the Mavs with a one-out, solo home run in the seventh.
Western Illinois made it interesting in the bottom of the seventh.Ā The Leathernecks put two runners on base thanks to a fielder's choice and a walk.Ā Karissa Kuchis lined a single to center scoring one run.Ā WIU loaded the bases with two outs in the inning, but Roecker was able to strike out Compton to end the game.
Game 2:
In the second game of the doubleheader, Omaha scored two runs in the top of the first and relied on the crafty pitching of junior Abbie Clanton as the Mavericks defeated Western Illinois, 2-0.
Junior left fielder Lizzie Noble went 1-for-3 at the plate with a double and two RBI to lead Omaha.Ā Senior right fielder Bailey Schulenberg went 2-for-3 with a double.
Clanton (9-9) pitched a complete game allowing five hits and striking out two.Ā This was her fourth complete game of the year and second shutout.
In the top of the first, Sydney Hames hit a one-out single to center.Ā Campbell Ditto drew a four pitch walk to put runners on first and second.Ā Hames and Ditto came around to score on Noble's two-out double.
Solid Omaha defense and good pitching from Clanton allowed only one Western Illinois baserunner to reach third base the entire game.
Clanton retired the Leathernecks in order in the bottom of the seventh to clinch the Omaha win.
