Mavericks Set for Weekend Series at WIU
Apr 27, 2017 | Baseball
Leading Off
The Omaha baseball team visits Western Illinois for a three-game Summit League series this weekend, April 28-30, at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium in Macomb, Ill. First pitch on Friday is set for 3 p.m., followed by 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN3, and live stats, audio and video for all three games will be linked on OMavs.com.
Quick Hits
•Junior right-hander Payton Kinney is slated to make his first mound start Saturday at Western Illinois.
•Senior Sam Palensky saw his career-long 25-game reaching base streak expire April 18 at Air Force. It was the longest streak of any UNO player this year and the longest of any Maverick since Clayton Taylor (32) in 2016.
•Ryan Cate now carries the longest active reaching base streak on the team at 14 games. He and Palensky both have team-leading five-game hitting streaks entering this weekend's series.
•Eight of the Mavericks' 10 wins this season have come on the road.
•The Mavericks put down a season-high five sacrifice bunts last Sunday in their win at North Dakota State.
•Sophomore Grant Suponchick is batting a team-leading .346 in Summit League play, the fifth-highest average of any league hitter.
•Binger is one of 23 pitchers in the country with three or more complete games this season.
•Twenty-eight players have seen playing time this season.
•Omaha played a three-game series at No. 6 Louisville Feb. 24-26, marking the highest-ranked opponent Omaha has faced in the Division I era.
•UNO returned 19 letterwinners this year, including six position players with starting experience: Palensky, Suponchick and Cate, junior Adam Caniglia and sophomores Riley Herold and Jack Kalina.
•Cate is the Mavericks' lone returning All-Summit selection.
•UNO was picked fourth in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll for the second straight season. In 2016, the Mavericks went on to finish as the league's regular-season runner-up.
•Omaha is 263-308 all-time against all opponents on the schedule this year and 152-137 all-time against the five other teams in the Summit League. The Mavericks have compiled a 72-56 record in Summit League play since 2013.
Scouting the Western Illinois Leathernecks
Western Illinois enters the weekend with a record of 15-23 (10-8 Summit League). The Leathernecks have won six of their last seven games, taking two of three in a series at Fort Wayne last weekend before earning a 4-1 non-conference win at Illinois State on Wednesday.
Head coach Ryan Brownlee is in his fifth season at WIU, carrying a career record of 86-131.
Friday marks the 28th meeting all-time between Omaha and Western Illinois, and the Mavericks lead the series, 18-9. The two teams last met April 7-9 at Seymour Smith Park. The Leathernecks took the series opener, 14-4 in seven innings, followed by a 4-2 Omaha win in the second game and an 11-10 WIU victory in the weekend finale.
Leading the League
Freshman Cole Thibodeau ranks second nationally and leads the Summit League with 12 sacrifice hits. Junior Corey Binger leads all league pitchers for games started (11), complete games (three) and shutouts (one).
As a team, Omaha is 12th in the country and the league's top squad for sac bunts (38).
Cate's Career Day
Junior Ryan Cate turned in a career-best plate performance April 19 at Air Force, going 5-for-6 with two doubles, two runs scored and six RBI. It was the most hits and most RBI in a game this season by any Maverick.
Over the last six games, Cate has batted a team-leading .440 (11-for-25) with team highs of seven runs, seven RBI and four doubles. The effort has helped stretch his reaching base streak to a team-best 14 games.
Kinney Picks Up a Pair of Ws
Omaha got a pair of strong relief outings from junior right-hander Payton Kinney last week, as the Firth, Neb., native notched his first two wins of the year and had a 1.74 ERA.
On April 19 at Air Force, Kinney threw 5.1 innings in relief of starter Brett Sasse, allowing four runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Kinney retired 14 consecutive Falcon batters from the third to the seventh innings before allowing a leadoff single in the eighth.
On April 23 at North Dakota State, Kinney tossed 5.0 shutout innings out of the bullpen after taking over for starter Cal Hehnke. Kinney held the Bison to one hit with no walks and five strikeouts.
Suponchick vs. the Summit League
Sophomore Grant Suponchick has batted a team-leading .346 against Summit League competition, up from .222 in non-conference games. In those 18 league contests, the Papillion, Neb., native has posted two doubles, two home runs, eight runs scored, 10 RBI and eight walks, and he owns a .500 slugging percentage and a .433 on-base percentage. He also has six mound appearances and a pair of saves in league play.
Mission: Complete
Omaha's pitching staff threw four complete games last season, the most of any Maverick staff since 2011. This season, Maverick hurlers have combined for four already through games of April 2. Junior right-hander Corey Binger has three to his credit -- at Incarnate Word (March 5), at Fort Wayne (March 24) and vs. North Dakota State (March 31) -- and senior left-hander Sam Murphy has one -- at Fort Wayne (March 24).
Climbing the Career Charts
Senior left-hander Sam Murphy entered the year ranked 10th in school history with 48 mound appearances and has now climbed up to second in the category with 59 appearances. He ranks behind only Brandon Dahl (2006-10), who had 63. Murphy has also faced 780 batters in his career -- the seventh-most of any Maverick -- and is 10th for innings pitched (171.1).
Palensky Making Moves
After starting all 56 games at second base as a junior, senior Sam Palensky made a switch in his 2017 campaign. Palensky had the starting nod at shortstop for the first 35 games of the season and has now started the last five at third base.
At the plate, the Papillion, Neb., native owns a team-leading nine multi-hit performances and reached base in 25 straight contests (March 3 - April 16). Over five games last week, he hit.381 with a triple, five runs scored and two RBI.
Palensky is following in the steps of his older brother, Caleb, a four-year starting infielder from 2011-14.
2017 Slate Takes Mavericks Around the Nation
Omaha's 2017 schedule includes 55 games, and the team will play in 12 states against schools from 10 other Division I conferences. Four opponents – Louisville, Nebraska, Saint Mary's and Oral Roberts – played in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
Entering the season, the Mavericks had never faced two of their opponents in Saint Mary's and Louisville. Omaha holds a combined all-time record of 263-308 over all teams on the regular-season slate.
Porter Enters First Season as Head Coach
Head coach Evan Porter enters his first year as the skipper of the Omaha baseball program in 2017 after serving four years as an assistant coach. One of the most decorated players in UNO history, Porter was four-year starter at shortstop from 2005-09 and a two-time All-American. He was also a three-time all-region selection from 2007-09, earning awards from Daktronics and Rawlings/ABCA. Additionally, Porter was a two-time All-NCC pick (2007-08) and was first-team All-MIAA in 2009.
Porter's name runs through the Omaha record books, as he remains the program's all-time leader in games played (239), at-bats (869), hits (323), doubles (75), home runs (43), runs batted in (249) and total bases (527). His 97 hits recorded as a senior were a UNO single-season record that still stands.
A member of the UNO squad that earned a berth to the 2007 NCAA Division II College World Series, Porter was part of two Maverick teams (2006, 2008) that set a school record with 45 wins. During his time, UNO made four straight NCAA regional appearances and won the 2008 NCC championship.
Following his senior campaign, Porter was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 23rd round. He has played professionally overseas for the Solingen Alligators in Germany (2010), Gothenburg Sharks in Sweden (2011), Victoria Park Reds in Australia (2011-12), ADO AamigoO Lakers in Holland (2012) and Sölvesborg Firehawks in Sweden (2014, 2016).
Porter is assisted by assistant coach Chris Gadsden, in his 18th year, and pitching coach Brian Strawn, in his second year, as well as volunteer assistant coach Brett Swain, who is in his first year.
Up Next
Omaha returns to action on Friday, May 5, welcoming Fort Wayne. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. at Seymour Smith Park, and live stats and audio will be linked on OMavs.com.
The Omaha baseball team visits Western Illinois for a three-game Summit League series this weekend, April 28-30, at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium in Macomb, Ill. First pitch on Friday is set for 3 p.m., followed by 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN3, and live stats, audio and video for all three games will be linked on OMavs.com.
Quick Hits
•Junior right-hander Payton Kinney is slated to make his first mound start Saturday at Western Illinois.
•Senior Sam Palensky saw his career-long 25-game reaching base streak expire April 18 at Air Force. It was the longest streak of any UNO player this year and the longest of any Maverick since Clayton Taylor (32) in 2016.
•Ryan Cate now carries the longest active reaching base streak on the team at 14 games. He and Palensky both have team-leading five-game hitting streaks entering this weekend's series.
•Eight of the Mavericks' 10 wins this season have come on the road.
•The Mavericks put down a season-high five sacrifice bunts last Sunday in their win at North Dakota State.
•Sophomore Grant Suponchick is batting a team-leading .346 in Summit League play, the fifth-highest average of any league hitter.
•Binger is one of 23 pitchers in the country with three or more complete games this season.
•Twenty-eight players have seen playing time this season.
•Omaha played a three-game series at No. 6 Louisville Feb. 24-26, marking the highest-ranked opponent Omaha has faced in the Division I era.
•UNO returned 19 letterwinners this year, including six position players with starting experience: Palensky, Suponchick and Cate, junior Adam Caniglia and sophomores Riley Herold and Jack Kalina.
•Cate is the Mavericks' lone returning All-Summit selection.
•UNO was picked fourth in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll for the second straight season. In 2016, the Mavericks went on to finish as the league's regular-season runner-up.
•Omaha is 263-308 all-time against all opponents on the schedule this year and 152-137 all-time against the five other teams in the Summit League. The Mavericks have compiled a 72-56 record in Summit League play since 2013.
Scouting the Western Illinois Leathernecks
Western Illinois enters the weekend with a record of 15-23 (10-8 Summit League). The Leathernecks have won six of their last seven games, taking two of three in a series at Fort Wayne last weekend before earning a 4-1 non-conference win at Illinois State on Wednesday.
Head coach Ryan Brownlee is in his fifth season at WIU, carrying a career record of 86-131.
Friday marks the 28th meeting all-time between Omaha and Western Illinois, and the Mavericks lead the series, 18-9. The two teams last met April 7-9 at Seymour Smith Park. The Leathernecks took the series opener, 14-4 in seven innings, followed by a 4-2 Omaha win in the second game and an 11-10 WIU victory in the weekend finale.
Leading the League
Freshman Cole Thibodeau ranks second nationally and leads the Summit League with 12 sacrifice hits. Junior Corey Binger leads all league pitchers for games started (11), complete games (three) and shutouts (one).
As a team, Omaha is 12th in the country and the league's top squad for sac bunts (38).
Cate's Career Day
Junior Ryan Cate turned in a career-best plate performance April 19 at Air Force, going 5-for-6 with two doubles, two runs scored and six RBI. It was the most hits and most RBI in a game this season by any Maverick.
Over the last six games, Cate has batted a team-leading .440 (11-for-25) with team highs of seven runs, seven RBI and four doubles. The effort has helped stretch his reaching base streak to a team-best 14 games.
Kinney Picks Up a Pair of Ws
Omaha got a pair of strong relief outings from junior right-hander Payton Kinney last week, as the Firth, Neb., native notched his first two wins of the year and had a 1.74 ERA.
On April 19 at Air Force, Kinney threw 5.1 innings in relief of starter Brett Sasse, allowing four runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Kinney retired 14 consecutive Falcon batters from the third to the seventh innings before allowing a leadoff single in the eighth.
On April 23 at North Dakota State, Kinney tossed 5.0 shutout innings out of the bullpen after taking over for starter Cal Hehnke. Kinney held the Bison to one hit with no walks and five strikeouts.
Suponchick vs. the Summit League
Sophomore Grant Suponchick has batted a team-leading .346 against Summit League competition, up from .222 in non-conference games. In those 18 league contests, the Papillion, Neb., native has posted two doubles, two home runs, eight runs scored, 10 RBI and eight walks, and he owns a .500 slugging percentage and a .433 on-base percentage. He also has six mound appearances and a pair of saves in league play.
Mission: Complete
Omaha's pitching staff threw four complete games last season, the most of any Maverick staff since 2011. This season, Maverick hurlers have combined for four already through games of April 2. Junior right-hander Corey Binger has three to his credit -- at Incarnate Word (March 5), at Fort Wayne (March 24) and vs. North Dakota State (March 31) -- and senior left-hander Sam Murphy has one -- at Fort Wayne (March 24).
Climbing the Career Charts
Senior left-hander Sam Murphy entered the year ranked 10th in school history with 48 mound appearances and has now climbed up to second in the category with 59 appearances. He ranks behind only Brandon Dahl (2006-10), who had 63. Murphy has also faced 780 batters in his career -- the seventh-most of any Maverick -- and is 10th for innings pitched (171.1).
Palensky Making Moves
After starting all 56 games at second base as a junior, senior Sam Palensky made a switch in his 2017 campaign. Palensky had the starting nod at shortstop for the first 35 games of the season and has now started the last five at third base.
At the plate, the Papillion, Neb., native owns a team-leading nine multi-hit performances and reached base in 25 straight contests (March 3 - April 16). Over five games last week, he hit.381 with a triple, five runs scored and two RBI.
Palensky is following in the steps of his older brother, Caleb, a four-year starting infielder from 2011-14.
2017 Slate Takes Mavericks Around the Nation
Omaha's 2017 schedule includes 55 games, and the team will play in 12 states against schools from 10 other Division I conferences. Four opponents – Louisville, Nebraska, Saint Mary's and Oral Roberts – played in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
Entering the season, the Mavericks had never faced two of their opponents in Saint Mary's and Louisville. Omaha holds a combined all-time record of 263-308 over all teams on the regular-season slate.
Porter Enters First Season as Head Coach
Head coach Evan Porter enters his first year as the skipper of the Omaha baseball program in 2017 after serving four years as an assistant coach. One of the most decorated players in UNO history, Porter was four-year starter at shortstop from 2005-09 and a two-time All-American. He was also a three-time all-region selection from 2007-09, earning awards from Daktronics and Rawlings/ABCA. Additionally, Porter was a two-time All-NCC pick (2007-08) and was first-team All-MIAA in 2009.
Porter's name runs through the Omaha record books, as he remains the program's all-time leader in games played (239), at-bats (869), hits (323), doubles (75), home runs (43), runs batted in (249) and total bases (527). His 97 hits recorded as a senior were a UNO single-season record that still stands.
A member of the UNO squad that earned a berth to the 2007 NCAA Division II College World Series, Porter was part of two Maverick teams (2006, 2008) that set a school record with 45 wins. During his time, UNO made four straight NCAA regional appearances and won the 2008 NCC championship.
Following his senior campaign, Porter was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 23rd round. He has played professionally overseas for the Solingen Alligators in Germany (2010), Gothenburg Sharks in Sweden (2011), Victoria Park Reds in Australia (2011-12), ADO AamigoO Lakers in Holland (2012) and Sölvesborg Firehawks in Sweden (2014, 2016).
Porter is assisted by assistant coach Chris Gadsden, in his 18th year, and pitching coach Brian Strawn, in his second year, as well as volunteer assistant coach Brett Swain, who is in his first year.
Up Next
Omaha returns to action on Friday, May 5, welcoming Fort Wayne. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. at Seymour Smith Park, and live stats and audio will be linked on OMavs.com.
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