Sixth-Inning Outburst Propels Omaha in Run-Rule Win

Saturday, May 1

Omaha, Neb.

6 p.m.

Omaha

17-16, 0

Western Illinois

9-22, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Western Illinois	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	2	9	2
Omaha	1	0	0	0	2	8	1	12	12	1

Parker Smejkal hit a two-run homer in Omaha's 12-2 run-rule win vs. Western Illinois on Saturday night.

Photo by: Omaha Athletics

Sixth-Inning Outburst Propels Omaha in Run-Rule Win

May 1, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score

OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha baseball team erupted for eight runs in the bottom of the sixth, leading the Mavericks to a 12-2 run-rule win in seven innings vs. Western Illinois on Saturday night at Tal Anderson Field.

The win extends the win streak to five games and moves the record to 17-16 (9-5 Summit League) for Omaha while the Leathernecks drop to 9-22 (5-13).

How it Happened

Harrison Denk began the bottom of the first with an infield single before coming around to score on a wild pitch to give the Mavericks an early lead.
Western Illinois tied the game in the second with a run on two hits and an Omaha error.
An RBI single in the top of the third handed the Leathernecks a one-run lead through three innings.
Eduardo Rosario opened the bottom of the fifth with a double to left center and later raced home from second on an errant WIU throw to tie the game at two.
Denk lifted a sacrifice fly to left, allowing Grant Goldston to jog on home to give Omaha the 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth.
Chris Esposito reached on an error in the sixth before Parker Smejkal unleashed a two-run homer off the flagpole in left center, expanding the lead to 5-2.
Denk ripped a ground-rule double to left center, plating Rosario before Masen Prososki blasted a three-run homer to center to blow the game open at 9-2.
The Mavericks tacked on two more in the sixth with an RBI double by Esposito and an RBI single from Keil Krumwiede.
Omaha clinched the run-rule victory in the bottom of the seventh when Esposito's RBI single through the left side plated Goldston with the bases loaded.

Inside the Box Score

Denk went 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair of doubles, two RBI and two runs scored.
Prososki was 2-for-4 with a three-run homer while Esposito went 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs.
Rosario had three hits while Goldston scored a team-high three runs.
Starter Joey Machado earned the win to improve to 4-3 on the year.
Machado allowed two runs, one earned, on seven hits and struck out three Leathernecks in five innings of work.
Jarrett Blunt collected his second save of the season after tossing two scoreless innings.

On Deck
The Mavericks and Leathernecks wrap up the weekend series tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Tal Anderson Field. Links to live stats are available on OMavs.com. Single-game tickets can be purchased at OMavs.com/tix.