The Omaha baseball team fell at the hands of North Dakota State in the regular season finale, setting the stage for postseason play. 

The Mavericks’ bats went cold on the way to a 12-2 seven-inning loss against the Bison. It was yet another rough day for the Omaha pitching staff in Fargo. 

Tanner Foertsch toed the mound for the Mavericks, but he found trouble immediately. The freshman (2-3) struck out four Bison hitters in 1.1 innings but surrendered four runs on four hits, leading to an early departure. 

The struggles of the staff boiled over in the sixth inning, where Luke Gainer and Maddox Meyer gave up three runs apiece, putting the game out of reach for good. Meyer was unable to record an out. 

On the offensive side, the Mavericks managed just three hits in what turned out to be a staff day for the Bison. North Dakota State junior Leland Wilson (1-3) notched his first win of the season. 

Mavericks’ right fielder Tyler Palmer laced an RBI triple, Omaha’s only extra base hit on the day. 

Third baseman Drew Borner logged one hit with one RBI and shortstop Sam Beck reached base twice overall. 

It was a productive day for the Bison offense, plating 12 runs on 16 hits. Third baseman Davis Hamilton led the team with four hits, scoring twice. 

Designated hitter Dante Smith, right fielder Blake Timmons and second baseman Luis Garcia each logged two RBIs for the Bison. 

Originally a three-game series, the first two games were cancelled due to harsh weather conditions. The postseason playing field was already set, allowing some flexibility for Summit League officials in either cancelling or postponing the games. 

The loss ends the regular season on a negative note for the Mavericks. It marks their third straight mercy-rule loss. Including their high-scoring win against South Dakota State on May 10th, they have given up 56 runs. In their last three games, the Mavericks have scored eight runs while surrendering 45 runs. 

The Mavericks (19-28, 12-16 in Summit League play) will look to right the ship as they host the Summit League Baseball Championship at Tal Anderson Field. They will suit up again versus North Dakota State on May 21st at 6:00 p.m. The winner will play against the winner of the Oral Roberts vs. South Dakota State contest.