MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Top-seeded Omaha responded in emphatic fashion Thursday evening, rolling past No. 2 seed St. Thomas 12-2 in five innings to stay alive in the 2026 Summit League Softball Championship. The Mavericks erupted for 14 hits, including two home runs from senior Taylor Sedlacek, to avoid elimination and advance to Friday’s elimination bracket.
Omaha wasted little time taking control in the opening inning as Sedlacek launched a solo shot to center field before Summit League Defensive Player of the Year Marra Cramer tripled home Bailey Sample later in the frame to give the Mavericks an early 2-0 advantage.
St. Thomas answered immediately in the second when Ella Cook connected on a solo homer to trim the deficit to one, but the Mavericks responded with three runs in the bottom half of the frame. Rylinn Groff delivered an RBI single before Sedlacek and Sample added run-scoring hits to push the lead to 5-1. UST nearly added a second home run in the top of the second inning, but Omaha’s Ava Rongisch climbed the wall to rob the blast with one of the tournament’s best catches.
The Tommies threatened in the third after loading the bases with two outs, but Maddia Groff induced a fielder’s choice to end the inning and keep Omaha in front. St. Thomas added an unearned run in the fourth on an RBI single by Morgan Klein to make it 5-2 before the Mavericks broke the game open in the bottom half.
Sedlacek started the seven-run inning with her second home run of the game, a two-run blast to center field. Later in the inning, Sammy Schmidt lined a two-run single to right before Groff cleared the bases with a three-run double to right field, stretching Omaha’s lead to 12-2.
Groff closed out the victory in the circle, striking out seven over five innings while allowing just one earned run. Omaha stranded seven St. Thomas runners and limited the Tommies to six hits in the run-rule victory.
Pitcher of Record
Win – Maddia Groff (Omaha): 5.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Loss – Ella Cook (St. Thomas): 3.0 IP, 11 H, 8 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Notables
- Sedlacek went 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs.
- R. Groff finished 3-for-4 with a double, four RBIs and two runs scored.
- Omaha recorded 14 hits, including six extra-base hits.
- Cramer went 2-for-3 with a triple, RBI and run scored for the Mavericks.
- Cook homered for St. Thomas to record one of two team RBIs.
Up Next
No. 1 Omaha advances to face the loser of the winner’s bracket semifinal between No. 4 South Dakota and No. 6 South Dakota State at 4 p.m. CT on Friday. Second-seeded St. Thomas has been eliminated from the tournament.
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