Omaha Baseball Hosts Lindenwood for Three this Weekend

Friday, April 21

Omaha, Neb.

5 p.m.

Omaha

Lindenwood

Photo by: Bonnie Ryan

Omaha Baseball Hosts Lindenwood for Three this Weekend

Apr 20, 2023 | Baseball

Game_Notes_vs._Lindenwood.pdf

Leading Off
The Mavericks (12-17) look to bounce back this weekend as they host Lindenwood (9-28) in the first ever meeting between the two schools in a three-game non-conference series starting Friday night.

Upcoming Schedule
Friday: 5 p.m. at Tal Anderson Field
Saturday: 4 p.m. at Tal Anderson Field
Sunday: 1 p.m. at Tal Anderson Field

Around the Horn

The Mavericks had another up and down week as they started hot with their second win over in-state rival Nebraska on Tuesday, but were swept for the second conference series in a row by South Dakota State over the weekend.
Omaha got off to an early 5-0 lead against the Huskers, featuring the second triple of the season for Noah Greise and a two-run home run from Mike Boeve in the fifth.
Though the Huskers eventually fought their way back and forced extra innings, a Zach Lechnir sac fly and a 1-2-3 inning featuring two strikeouts for Wyatt Sellers secured the second win of the season in Lincoln.
Despite three losses over the weekend, the Mavericks' offense remained potent, with Brennen Bales having a career day in game three as he launched a pair of two-run homers for his second multi-home run game of the season.
Boeve also made history on Sunday as he went 5-for-5 at the plate with five singles, becoming the first Maverick to go 5-for-5 since Ryan Keele vs. Purdue Fort Wayne on May 4, 2013. He has now increased his batting average to .440, good for first in the Summit League and 11th in the NCAA. His .556 OBP also places sixth in the nation. In 27 games played so far this season, Boeve has gotten a hit in 24 of them and reached base in 26, only failing to do so in an injury shortened appearance vs. Stonehill.
With another double Sunday, Eduardo Rosario now has 5 on the year, good for the second most he has ever hit in a single season.
Matt Goetzmann also swung a hot bat during the series, going 5-for-11 to give him a six-game multi-hit streak. He is 9-for-23 in this span.
All told, the Mavericks had seven multi-hit performances at South Dakota State and recorded seven extra-base hits.
Though things came undone in his fifth inning of work, Jackson Gordon was lights out through his first four innings in relief on Sunday, allowing just three hits and striking out four.
After making two starts last week, Charlie Bell is on the cusp of passing both 100 career IP (96.2) and 100 strikeouts (88).

Scouting Lindenwood
Lindenwood is currently in its first season as a Division I program and owns a 9-28 record with a 5-7 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference. They come to Omaha with back-to-back wins over Morehead State (6-5) and Saint Louis (13-8).

The Lions' offense is led by Joe Copeland and Dawson Hokuf. Copeland leads the team with a .320 AVG and .843 OPS, while Hokuf is first in home runs with three. Both are tied for the team lead with seven doubles, as well as being tied for second on the team with 15 RBIs. Logan Stevens paces the team in RBIs with 17.

Lindenwood's pitching staff owns a 6.68 ERA, with their top starter, Eli Brown, posting a 5.13 ERA in nine starts. That said, Lindenwood's bullpen is faring much better, as Easton Rakers owns an excellent 1.82 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 15 relief appearances (24.2 innings). Carson Subbert (2.28 ERA) and Graham Breite (2.84 ERA) are having strong seasons as well.

Head Coach Doug Bletcher was one of the most successful NAIA coaches in the country, winning three conference championships and appearing in two regional tournaments in four seasons back when Lindenwood was still an NAIA. During the Division II era (2012-2022), Bletcher led the team to its first ever NCAA Division II World Series appearance in 2017 after winning the MIAA and sweeping through regionals.