Ryan Matheny, General Manager
(Omaha) — The Omaha Mavericks dropped game two of their weekend set with Western Illinois on Saturday, falling 8-4 despite a late rally.
Western Illinois starter Tom Constand (2-4) delivered an excellent start on the mound, as he didn’t surrender a run over 7.0 innings of work that saw him fan seven Maverick hitters.
After the game Head Coach Bob Herold was impressed with the work of Constand.
“That guy was 1-4, but he pitched like Whitey Ford today,” said Herold. “He threw all three pitches for strikes, and he worked really fast, so our guys couldn’t get a breather.”
Tyler Hamer (1-1) picked up the loss, allowing two earned runs through 5.0 innings.
Omaha was led at the plate by Mortensen’s 2-for-4 performance, including driving in one run.
“I didn’t think we brought the same energy as we did yesterday,” said Herold. “We got behind big, and lost our concentration a little bit.”
With the two teams scoreless in the top of the fourth, Jake Moore blasted a home run over the right-field fence to make the score 2-0.
The Leathernecks extended their lead in the sixth when JJ Reimer came home to score on a Mark Garton sacrifice fly.
WIU would then blow the game open in the seventh. With the bases loaded, Chris Tschida hit a two-RBI single. Moore would then score on a fielder’s choice before Colton Pogue unloaded a two-run homer to left off of Maverick reliever Zach Eden, making the score 8-0.
Omaha wouldn’t go away quietly, however, scoring four runs of their own in the eighth. The Mavericks loaded the bases with no outs, when Mortensen hit an infield single to plate Schultz.
A Ryan Cate walk would push across a run and one batter later, Daniel Jewett walked to bring in the third run of the inning. A pinch-hit bloop single by Isaac Holt brought across the fourth and final run of the frame for Omaha.
After a scoreless top of the ninth, Omaha brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth. A hit batter and two walks loaded the bases, but Leatherneck closer Tyler Owings got a strikeout and groundout to end the contest.
