Baseball opens 2023 home schedule with three games versus Omaha

PROVO, Utah — After eight road games in Louisiana to begin the 2023 baseball season, BYU opens its home schedule with a three-game series versus the University of Nebraska Omaha, March 2-4, at Miller Park. 

The Thursday and Friday games are scheduled for 3 p.m. MST, with the Saturday matchup slated to begin at noon MST. 

BROADCAST PLANS. All three games will be broadcast live on the BYUtv App and online at BYUtv.org. In addition, the BYU Radio app will carry the game live, as will BYU Radio 107.9 FM in the northern Utah market. Jason Shepherd will have the simulcast play-by-play call for both broadcasts.

Ticket information for all three games can be found at BYUtickets.com.

COUGARS-MAVERICKS HISTORY.  BYU and Omaha have met just seven times in baseball, with the Cougars leading the all-time series, 4-3. BYU claimed a, 6-4, victory over the Mavericks in the last meeting in Provo on March 10, 2018. During the 2021 season, the Mavericks swept a three-games series from the Cougars at newly opened Tal Anderson Field in Omaha, April 15-17. BYU won the other three games in the series on March 9, 2018 (13-3) and March 8, 2018 (8-1) at BYU and March 12, 2012 (19-9) in Omaha.

OMAHA RECAP. The Mavericks are 2-6 (0-0) on the year, with a road record of 1-6 at UCLA (0-3) and Fresno State (1-3). They are currently 1-0 at home, coming off a, 7-6, win Tuesday over Kansas State in Omaha.  

MAVERICKS PROJECTED STARTERS. Junior left hander Caleb Riedel (0-2, 3.72 ERA) will start on Thursday for Omaha, with junior righty Preston Tenney (0-2, 14.09 ERA) slated to start on Friday. Neither pitcher appeared in the last BYU-Omaha series in April 2021. The Saturday starter for the Mavericks has yet to be determined. 

SCOUTING OMAHA. Mike Boeve leads the Marericks in hitting (.433), runs scored (3), slugging percentage (.567) and doubles (4). He is second in RBI (4) and walks (3). Zach Lechnir leads the team in RBI (6) and home runs (2). 

BYU REWIND. The Cougars are coming off back-to-back road series in Louisiana to open the 2023 campaign. BYU is 2-6 (0-0) on the year, having split the opening series at LA Tech, 2-2, before losing four-straight to the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns last weekend. Three of the four games in the Louisiana series were determined by one run.  

COUGARS PROJECTED STARTERS. Junior right hander Jack Sterner (1-1, 7.15 ERA) is scheduled to start on Thursday for BYU, while junior righty Bryce Robison (0-0, 1.86 ERA) will start on Friday. The Cougar starter for the series finale on Saturday will be determined later.

SCOUTING BYU. Right fielder Ryan Sepede leads the Cougars in several statistical categories, including average (.370) and home runs (2). He is second in hits (10) and slugging (.593). All-WCC third baseman Austin Deming leads BYU in hits (11), runs (6), RBI (8), home runs (2) and slugging (.733). Infielder Ozzie Pratt, who is hitting .355 on the year, is currently tied for the NCAA lead in doubles with seven.