The NDSU baseball team took just one out of three games against Omaha this past week in Summit League play. The Bison dropped to 9-18 and 7-4 in the Summit after the three-game set against the Mavericks.
NDSU was able to start the series hot, winning 6-3 in game one. Nolan Johnson got the start on the hill, logging a career-high ten strikeouts, with Omaha not getting their first hit until the sixth inning. Johnson also went a career-best seven innings of work with no runs given up and no walks. Danny Lachenmayer picked up the save, going one and a third innings with two strikeouts.
The game was scoreless through the first three innings until Alex Urlaub broke through for the Bison with an RBI single in the fourth inning to put NDSU up 1-0. Urlaub added another RBI single in the sixth, stretching the lead to two. The Bison then added three in the fifth to bust it open, with an RBI single from Colten Becker and an RBI triple from Davis Hamilton. Sam Canton topped off the rally for the Bison with a sac fly to extend the lead to five. Tommy Simon added an RBI single in the eighth inning to make it six to nothing. The Mavericks tried to storm back, adding three in the bottom of the eighth, but the comeback fell short as Lachenmayer shut the door.
Game two saw the tides turn for the Bison, as they fell short 5-1 on Saturday.
Mason Gaines started the scoring for the Mavericks in the third with an RBI single to make it a one-run lead. Omaha then added three more on four hits in the fifth to make it a four-run lead. They then added one more in the seventh off a Bison error to make it a five-run lead for the Mavericks. The Bison added one in the ninth off a Jake Schaffner single, but the comeback attempt fell short as they dropped the contest 5-1.
Logan Knight got the start for the Bison, logging six strikeouts and one walk over six innings of work. Sam Roberts got an innings of relief with two strikeouts, and Hayden Sylte got the ninth with one strikeout.
The Mavericks put up a six-spot in the first inning of game three as the Bison fell short 11-1 in seven innings in the final game of the series.
The Mavericks used four hits in the bottom of the first to push six runs across, topped off by a sac fly off the bat of Drew Borner. Omaha was then able to add two more in the fourth after a sacrifice fly from Jackson Trout, and then Tyler Bishop logged an RBI single. Colten Becker used a solo shot in the sixth to cut into the Mavericks’ deficit and make it eight to one in the sixth, but the Mavericks added three more as they closed out the Bison in seven innings.
Parker Puetz got the start on the mound in his season debut, and Landon Koenig went four and two-thirds in relief, logging three strikeouts.
NDSU will look to right the ship as they head to Creighton Tuesday night before hosting St. Thomas in a big Summit League home series.