After two losses against LSU in Baton Rouge last week, the Bison started league play in Omaha with a three-game series over the weekend, resulting in a 2-1 win.
Game One (3/15)
NDSU took the win during Friday’s game against Omaha 4-1 at Tal Anderson field. Left-hand pitcher Nolan Johnson pitched seven innings with five strikeouts, no walks, and five hits. Johnson is now 2-0 for the season. Skyler Riedinger threw a perfect eighth inning while Joey Danielson let up no runs in the ninth, marking Danielson’s second save of the season. Charlie Bell for Omaha took the loss, allowing two runs on four hits in six innings.
Garret Hill led the Bison to victory with his two home runs: a solo to left field in the sixth inning and a two-run in the seventh, making these Hill’s first home runs of his college career. A diving catch by Hill in the sixth inning also protected a one-run lead. Omaha’s single run in the game was scored by Grant Sommers in the sixth inning with his leadoff homerun. Noah Grease for the Mavericks and James Dunlap for the Bison both collected two hits.
Game Two (3/16)
Due to the cold weather forecast for Sunday in Omaha, NDSU and the Mavericks played a double header on Saturday, with the Bison falling 7-4 to start the day. Joe Hackmann received the win making him 1-0 for the season. Left-hand pitcher Luke Gainer for the Mavericks earned the save with no runs scored in the eighth and ninth inning.
Omaha scored two runs in the seventh inning and two runs in the eighth to secure the win. Louis Garcia for the Bison and Trent Burkhalter for the Mavericks both scored two runs.
Game Three (3/16)
The Bison took home the series on Saturday night after winning 8-5 in the final game. After the five runs by Omaha were scored in the first two innings, five relievers for NDSU kept the remaining seven scoreless. Alex Karns got the win pitching 2 1/3 innings. Following that, Leland Wilson, Seth Thompson, and Skyler Riedinger all did their part before Joey Danielson got to the mound in the ninth to earn his third save of the season.
NDSU erased a 5-3 deficit early in the third inning with an RBI single by Law. When the Bison were carrying a 6-5 lead into the ninth, a triple by Sam Canton and a sacrifice fly by Jack Steil held them on to their win for good. Cadyn Schwabe got three hits in the Bison’s win with Jake Schaffner, Kyle Law, and Canton all having two hits.
NDSU is now 5-14 overall and will be heading to Lincoln next week to face Nebraska on Wednesday, March 20.