Mavericks Host Portland For Home Opener Before Playing Three at SIUE

Wednesday, March 6

Omaha, Neb.

5 p.m.

Omaha

Portland

Photo by: Jaelle Johnson/Omaha Athletics

Mavericks Host Portland For Home Opener Before Playing Three at SIUE

Mar 5, 2024 | Baseball

game notes

Leading Off
The Mavericks (0-10) come into their 2024 home opener looking for their first win of the season when they host Portland (6-3) on Wednesday. After that, it is back on the road again as Omaha heads east to take on SIUE (2-10) for three games starting on Friday.

Upcoming Schedule
Wednesday: 5 p.m. vs. Portland at Tal Anderson Field
Friday: 3 p.m. at SIUE at the Simmons Baseball Complex
Saturday: 1 p.m. at SIUE at the Simmons Baseball Complex
Sunday: 1 p.m. at SIUE at the Simmons Baseball Complex

Around the Horn

Of Omaha's four losses last week, the closest was an 8-7 defeat at Lindenwood on Friday in which the team scored four in the top of the first. Thanks to Tyler Bishop's third RBI of the day and a two-run double from Matt Goetzmann in the eighth inning, the Mavericks actually led 7-5 heading into the bottom of the ninth, only to succumb to two-out Lions rally.
In his 3 RBI game against Lindenwood on Friday, Tyler Bishop also became the first Maverick to record 4 hits in a game this year.
Despite going 0-2 against Lindenwood, Omaha actually outhit the Lions in both games and 18 to 15 in the series.
The bullpen saw multiple standout performances last week, with Luke Gainer and Chris Byhre each turning a scoreless, four-inning appearance. Gainer also struck out a career-high five batters, while Byhre did not allow a single hit. Reed Scott and Joe Hackman, in his Mavericks debut, both pitched two scoreless innings as well.
Freshman reliever Ethan Louthan has allowed zero hits through his first 4.1 innings pitched across three appearances.
On offense, freshman Grant Sommers started and got a hit in the last three games last week, notching his first career RBI at Lindenwood on Friday and going 3-for-4 against Bradley the next day.
Trent Burkhalter notched the first triple of the season for Omaha against Lindenwood, followed the next day by Goetzmann who picked up his first since March 25, 2023.
5 Mavericks have started every game so far this season: Goetzmann, Burkhalter, Bishop, Henry Zipay, and Haiden Hunt.

Scouting Portland
Portland is fresh off a three-game sweep of Utah State last week to bring them to 6-3 on the year.

The Pilots have four qualified batters with an OPS above .900: Spencer Scott (.952), Ben Patacsil (.960), Brady Bean (.988), and Christian Cooney (1.084). Cooney also leads the team with three doubles, two home runs, and 10 RBIs, while Bean paces Portland with a .379 BA and seven runs scored.

Nick Brink has been the team's most effective starter after three turns through the rotation, posting a 2.37 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 27 strikeouts, and a .229 BAA. Out of the bullpen, Carter Gaston leads the way with a 1.80 ERA, 12 strikeouts, and a.171 BAA in 10 innings pitched .

Head Coach Geoff Loomis recently picked up his 500th career win earlier this season in a 22-year career. A Portland Hall of Famer after a playing career that saw him post the highest career average in program history (.372), he took over as head coach in summer 2015 following 13 seasons with Pacific Lutheran which included two trips to the NCAA Tournament.

Scouting SIUE
SIUE snapped an eight-game losing streak on Sunday after taking the final game from South Dakota State 6-5 in 10 innings.

Freshman infielder Ryan Niedzwiedz is off to a fast start to his collegiate career, leading the Cougars with a .354 average and .978 OPS after starting all 12 games so far. Fellow infielder Ethan Willoughby is also batting above .300 and is first on the team with five doubles and 10 RBIs, along with a perfect 4-for-4 on steal attempts.

SIUE's starters have struggled early on, with Spencer Stearns leading the way despite a 5.87 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and .274 BAA. The bullpen has also labored as Joseph Martin (0.00 ERA in two innings) is the only reliever to have an ERA below 5.00.

Head Coach Sean Lyons is in his eighth season with the Cougars. During that time he has oversaw the development of seven MLB Draft picks and has guided the team to three-straight seasons with at least 23 wins.