Thursday, May 16
Omaha, Neb.
4 p.m.
Omaha
vs
Oral Roberts
Omaha concludes the weekend with a three-game stint against Oral Roberts.
Photo by: Mark Kuhlmann
Baseball Eyes Regular Season Crown This Weekend
May 15, 2019 | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha baseball team vies for its third Summit League regular season crown in the Division I era with a three-game home stand against Oral Roberts Thursday, May 16, through Saturday, May 18.
LEADING OFF
• Omaha baseball has a shot at The Summit League Regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the league tournament with a series win over Oral Roberts.
• The Mavericks sit at 19-8 in league action and hold a 1.5 game lead over South Dakota State (17-9). The team needs the following to clinch the regular season crown: Two wins over Oral Roberts or one win and one South Dakota State loss at North Dakota State.
• Omaha aims to clinch its first conference regular season title since the program did it back-to-back times in 2013 and 2014.
• Should Omaha clinch, it would be the third regular season crown for the program's young Division I history (2012-present).
• The team's 27 wins already match the 2013 team that finished 27-22.
• Payton Kinney will get the Thursday start, while Joey Machado returns to the rotation for the Friday game after missing the last two series weekends due to injury. Machado has a 5-1 record and posts a 3.92 ERA for the Mavericks in 11 mound appearances.
• Omaha's .982 fielding percentage ranks second in the country behind Xavier (.984).
• The last time Omaha and Oral Roberts faced off at Seymour Smith Park was March 23-25, 2018, where the Mavericks won the series 2-1 in games one (4-3) and two (8-2).
• Earlier this season, Omaha dropped the series at Oral Roberts, 2-1.
• The lone win was the Mavericks' first-ever against ORU playing in Tulsa (4-2).
• Omaha ranks 29th in the nation with 36 sacrifice bunts, while defensively, the team has only allowed 8.11 hits allowed per nine innings and ranks 41st amongst all of Division I in that category.
• The Mavericks look to erase a current three-game skid. The last three-game skid Omaha suffered was April 27-30 of this season.
SALUTE TO OUR SENIORS
This Saturday, May 18, Omaha will honor 10 members of the baseball program on Senior Day. Those being honored include Cal Hehnke (RHP), Thomas DeBonville (OF), Tyler Daugherty (OF/RHP), Ben Palensky (OF), Braden Rogers (INF), Payton Kinney (RHP), Grant Suponchick (INF/RHP), Andrew Brighton (LHP) and Jonas Lovin (RHP). Academically, Parker Smejkal (OF) will also be honored.
SCOUTING ORAL ROBERTS
Oral Roberts sits in third in The Summit League standings with a 15-11 conference record. Overall, the Golden Eagles are 24-23 after they most recently fell 4-2 at home against Wichita State Tuesday. Oral Roberts won the series against Omaha in Tulsa, 2-1, the weekend of April 12, 2019.
The team has a trio of players that are hitting a .300 clip or better in Spencer Henson (.364), Isaac Coffey (.312) and Hunter Wilson (.309). Oral Roberts is led by head coach Ryan Folmar, who is 239-154 in his seventh year at the helm. Omaha trails the all-time series 22-5.
LOOKING AHEAD
After the regular season concludes this weekend, Omaha will find out its fate and seeding for The Summit League Baseball Championships. The postseason double-elimination tournament takes place May 22-25 in Tulsa, Okla. Tournament information can be accessed through The Summit League's website at thesummitleague.org.
LEADING OFF
• Omaha baseball has a shot at The Summit League Regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the league tournament with a series win over Oral Roberts.
• The Mavericks sit at 19-8 in league action and hold a 1.5 game lead over South Dakota State (17-9). The team needs the following to clinch the regular season crown: Two wins over Oral Roberts or one win and one South Dakota State loss at North Dakota State.
• Omaha aims to clinch its first conference regular season title since the program did it back-to-back times in 2013 and 2014.
• Should Omaha clinch, it would be the third regular season crown for the program's young Division I history (2012-present).
• The team's 27 wins already match the 2013 team that finished 27-22.
• Payton Kinney will get the Thursday start, while Joey Machado returns to the rotation for the Friday game after missing the last two series weekends due to injury. Machado has a 5-1 record and posts a 3.92 ERA for the Mavericks in 11 mound appearances.
• Omaha's .982 fielding percentage ranks second in the country behind Xavier (.984).
• The last time Omaha and Oral Roberts faced off at Seymour Smith Park was March 23-25, 2018, where the Mavericks won the series 2-1 in games one (4-3) and two (8-2).
• Earlier this season, Omaha dropped the series at Oral Roberts, 2-1.
• The lone win was the Mavericks' first-ever against ORU playing in Tulsa (4-2).
• Omaha ranks 29th in the nation with 36 sacrifice bunts, while defensively, the team has only allowed 8.11 hits allowed per nine innings and ranks 41st amongst all of Division I in that category.
• The Mavericks look to erase a current three-game skid. The last three-game skid Omaha suffered was April 27-30 of this season.
SALUTE TO OUR SENIORS
This Saturday, May 18, Omaha will honor 10 members of the baseball program on Senior Day. Those being honored include Cal Hehnke (RHP), Thomas DeBonville (OF), Tyler Daugherty (OF/RHP), Ben Palensky (OF), Braden Rogers (INF), Payton Kinney (RHP), Grant Suponchick (INF/RHP), Andrew Brighton (LHP) and Jonas Lovin (RHP). Academically, Parker Smejkal (OF) will also be honored.
SCOUTING ORAL ROBERTS
Oral Roberts sits in third in The Summit League standings with a 15-11 conference record. Overall, the Golden Eagles are 24-23 after they most recently fell 4-2 at home against Wichita State Tuesday. Oral Roberts won the series against Omaha in Tulsa, 2-1, the weekend of April 12, 2019.
The team has a trio of players that are hitting a .300 clip or better in Spencer Henson (.364), Isaac Coffey (.312) and Hunter Wilson (.309). Oral Roberts is led by head coach Ryan Folmar, who is 239-154 in his seventh year at the helm. Omaha trails the all-time series 22-5.
LOOKING AHEAD
After the regular season concludes this weekend, Omaha will find out its fate and seeding for The Summit League Baseball Championships. The postseason double-elimination tournament takes place May 22-25 in Tulsa, Okla. Tournament information can be accessed through The Summit League's website at thesummitleague.org.
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ Baseball
OF/RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ BaseballWednesday, August 26
Wednesday, August 26
Friday, August 21
Tuesday, April 21
