Storm Chasers Win Game 2 and Split Doubleheader With Clippers

COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Omaha Storm Chasers came up short in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Columbus Clippers, losing 3-0 before bouncing back in Game 2 with a 5-4 win for a split on the day.

GAME 1: Columbus 3, Omaha 0 (Final/7)

For a second consecutive day where rain and cold temperatures were factors, the Storm Chasers and Clippers once again struggled early to put runs on the board.

After a nearly 2.5 hour delay to the start of the doubleheader, Clippers starting pitcher Ben Lively retired his first six batters before right fielder Nate Eaton notched his first of two hits to open the third. In the bottom of the third inning, Columbus threatened as three consecutive singles loaded the bases before Myles Straw and Kyle Manzardo brought two runners home with sacrifice flies.

Reliever Sam Long came in behind starter Anthony Veneziano and struck out two batters over 1.2 scoreless innings. The Clippers hinted at another scoring opportunity with the bases loaded in the fifth inning but Steven Cruz came in to retire the side.

The Storm Chasers threatened in the top of the sixth as Eaton singled to open the inning, then Brian O’Keefe and Cam Devanney walked to load the bases with bases loaded but Omaha left the bases loaded and failed to crack the scoreboard.

Columbus added another run in the sixth inning on a wild pitch to stretch its lead to 3-0 and Omaha went quietly in the top of the seventh to drop its third straight game in shutout fashion. The game one loss extended the Chasers' streak of 25.0 consecutive innings without scoring, the longest such stream for Omaha since at least 2005.

GAME 2: Omaha 5, Columbus 4 (Final/7)

The Chasers immediately bounced back in the second game of the evening and snapped the franchise record scoreless streak with just one out in the top of the first inning, as a Tyler Tolbert walk, Tyler Gentry single and CJ Alexander RBI single put Omaha up 1-0 early, the first time in 2024 that the Chasers scored first.

Devin Mann connected on his first home run of the year to open the top of the second inning, a crucial run as Columbus struck starter Luis Cessa for a run on a long ball in the bottom of the frame. A John Rave single in the fourth inning was followed by a walk by Tolbert and RBI single from Nick Pratto, at the time giving Omaha a 3-0 lead and matching the team's hit total from the first two games of the series combined (6 hits).

After Cessa lasted just 2.0 innings, Walter Pennington followed with 3.0 hitless and scoreless innings of relief, striking out 3 in the process while retiring nine of 10 batters faced.

With Omaha leading by two going into the bottom of the sixth, the Clippers took advantage of Jonah Dipoto's struggles with command, as a pair of walks both scored on a two-run triple from Micah Pries, who then scored on a groundout two batters later to put Columbus ahead 4-3.

Pratto walked to lead off the top of the seventh inning, but a pair of strikeouts brought Omaha down to its final out of the night, in danger of being swept in the doubleheader. However, Logan Porter blasted a two-run homer to the bleachers in left field to give the Storm Chasers a 5-4 advantage going into the bottom half.

Will Klein worked around a one-out walk to pitch a scoreless seventh inning, ending the game on a strikeout to secure his first save of the year.

The Storm Chasers continue this six-game series against the Columbus Clippers on Friday, April 5 at Huntington Park with a 5:15pm CT first pitch as right-hander Andrew Hoffmann is projected to head to the mound for Omaha.