TULSA, Okla. – Fourth-seeded Omaha knocked out top-seeded North Dakota State with a 5-3 victory in Saturday's second elimination game of the #SummitBSB Championship. The Mavericks move on to face second-seeded and tournament host Oral Roberts in a rematch of the last title game played at J.L. Johnson Stadium in 2019.
Omaha (26-30) piled up 12 hits with third baseman Mike Boeve and Jack Lombardi leading the way with three a piece, while a pair of Maverick hurlers limited the Bison to just seven base knocks as they beat NDSU (31-19) for the second time in as many tries in the tournament.
Boeve started a two-out rally in the first with his second double of the tournament and catcher Eduardo Rosario followed by belting a two-run homer during an at-bat that he got an extra swing after a hustling Jack Simenson nearly snagged a pop up down the rightfield line that glanced off his glove and fell in foul territory. For Rosario, it was his second long ball of the tournament with both coming with two-strike counts.
Simonsen got one of those runs back with an RBI-single to left field in NDSU's first at-bat, but Logan Williams, who had doubled earlier in the inning, was thrown out at the plate trying to tie the game at 2-2.
Omaha took advantage of a two-out error in the third and Rosario was able to come around to score on a RBI-single by Jack Lombardi to make it a 3-1 contest. Omaha's Grant Goldston tried to pad the lead even more with another single, but the Bison prevented further damage when Cadyn Schwabe threw out Eddie Satisky at the plate to keep their deficit at two.
Lombardi led off the sixth with a solo home run to give Omaha a 4-1 edge. The Mavericks put two more runners on off NDSU starter Evan Sankey (5-4) when Jake Drew was summoned from the bullpen. The Bison righthander, who had not given up an earned run in his first 17 appearances of the regular season, was able to pitch out of the jam, keeping his team's deficit at three.
Williams put the Bison within a run in the sixth with a two-run homer out to left off Omaha starter Charlie Bell (5-5), who would get through the inning with a one-run lead. He logged six innings, allowing three earned runs and six hits to earn the victory.
The Mavericks threatened in the seventh, loading the bases on a double by Rosario and a pair of walks, but Drew was able to keep the score at 4-3.
The Bison put the first two runners on in the seventh off reliever Harrison Kreiling, but he was able to strike out the side after that to keep his team in front.
Both sides went down in order in the eighth before Boeve led off the ninth with his third hit of the contest. He moved to second on Rosario's first sacrifice bunt of the year, then took third on wild pitch by Drew, which forced him out of the game with an injury.
Joey Danielson replaced Drew and hit Satisky with a pitch, then gave up a RBI-single to Lombardi to provide an insurance run for the Mavericks.
NDSU put two runners on in its final at-bat against Kreiling, but the righthander was able to endure a game-ending double play to register just his second save of the season.
Pitcher of Record
Win – Charlie Bell (5-5): 6.0 IP, 6 hits, 3 earned runs, 0 walks, 4 strikeouts
Loss – Evan Sankey (5-4): 5.1 IP, 9 hits, 4 runs, 3 earned runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts
Save – Harrison Kreiling (2): 3.0 IP, 1 hit, 0 earned runs, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts
Notable Notes
• The Bison won the only previous matchup between the two in Summit League postseason play a year ago when NDSU won an opening-round game 3-1.
• The Mavericks are back in the title game for the first time since winning its first title in 2019 here in Tulsa at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
• Boeve's two doubles increased his league-leading total to 23, but was just the second time he had multiple doubles in a game this season.
• Williams sixth-inning home run was his team-leading 12th of the season, but just his second since April 1.
• NDSU reliever Jake Drew logged 3.0 innings in relief, yielding his first earned run of the season in 18 appearances and snapping a streak of 24 consecutive scoreless innings.
• Omaha is just the seventh No. 4 seed to reach the title game and first since 2018. The 2014 NDSU squad is the only No. 4 seed to win the tournament.
Up Next
Omaha will play second-seeded Oral Roberts in the title game scheduled for 1:05 p.m. CT on Sunday. An "if necessary game" will follow were the Mavericks to win the game.
#SummitBSB
