Softball Sweeps South Dakota on Senior Day
Apr 24, 2016 | Softball
OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha softball team honored its four seniors on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader sweep of Summit League foe South Dakota. The Mavericks took the opener, 9-4, and went on to dispatch the Coyotes, 11-3, in game two. In between games, seniors Campbell Ditto, Sydney Hames, Bailey Schulenberg, and Tara Trede were recognized for their contributions to the Omaha softball team over the last four years.
Omaha improved to 27-22 overall and 10-2 in Summit League play. South Dakota fell to 13-31 overall and 7-4 in league play.
Omaha and South Dakota wrap up the three-game series Sunday morning at 11 a.m.
Game 1: Omaha 9 South Dakota 4
Nicole Warren opened the bottom of the first with a walk and moved to third as Sydney Hames reached on an error. Kourtney Pock lifted a sacrifice fly to right field that allowed Warren to score and gave Omaha the lead, 1-0.
South Dakota tied things up in the top of the third. Yvonne Minogue walked and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Minogue came around to score on Jessica Rogers' single up the middle.
The Coyotes took the lead in the top of the fifth. Jamie Holscher opened the inning with a double to left. Minogue singled and took second as Holscher moved to third. Katie Cochran doubled to score both runners as USD went up, 3-1.
Omaha responded with eight runs in the bottom of the fifth. Hames and Campbell Ditto walked to open the inning. Pock cleared the bases with a home run to left center field for a 4-3 Maverick lead. Bailey Schulenberg and Megan May each were hit by a pitch to give the UNO two runners with no outs. Tara Trede drew a one out walk to load the bases. Lia Mancuso singled to center scoring two. Warren followed Mancuso's single with a three-run homer to put Omaha ahead, 9-3.
USD scored one run in the top of the seventh to make it a 9-4 game, but were unable to do any further damage.
Pock led the Omaha offense by going 3-for-3 at the plate with a home run and four RBI. Warren went 1-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored, and three RBI. Mancuso went 1-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI.
Laura Roecker (14-10) picked up the win by pitching a complete game. Roecker allowed four runs on 10 hits while walking two and striking out four.
Game 2: Omaha 11 South Dakota 3 (6 innings)
In game two, Omaha again jumped out to a lead early on and again had to battle back for an 11-3 win in six innings.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the second. Kourtney Pock and Bailey Schulenberg each walked to open the inning. South Dakota starter Rachel Cue retired the next two batters in the inning. Tara Trede cleared the bases with a three-run home run to left field. Trede's first career homer gave the Mavericks a 3-0 lead.
South Dakota tied things up in the top of the fourth inning. Jessica Rogers hit a one-out home run. Shelby Keil reached on an error in the outfield to bring up Taylor Steinfeldt. Steinfeldt hit the first pitch she saw over the centerfield fence to make the score 3-3.
UNO regained the lead in the bottom half of the frame. Pock walked to open the inning and moved to second on Schulenburg's sacrifice bunt. Kelly Pattison was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base with two outs. Trede again came through for Omaha as she doubled off the centerfield wall driving in Pock and Pattison. Lia Mancuso doubled to left allowing Trede to score as Omaha took a 6-3 lead.
Campbell Ditto led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run. The home run was the 35th of Ditto's career and moved her into a tie for third all-time.
The Mavericks were not done flexing their offensive muscle in the bottom of the sixth. Warren hit a one-out double to center and scored on Sydney Hames' double. Pock drew her fourth walk of the game to give Omaha two runners on base. Lizzie Noble ended the game with a walk-off three-run homer.
Trede led Omaha's offense in game two going 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and a home run. The senior drove in a career high five runs. Noble went 1-for-1 with a homer and three RBI. Ditto, Hames, and Mancuso each had an RBI for the Mavs. Pock scored three times and set a single game record by walking four times.
Abbie Clanton (11-9) picked up the complete game victory. Clanton allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits over six innings of work.
