May 28, 2004
Box Score
HAMMOND, Louisiana - The University of Texas at Arlington baseball season came to a premature end on Friday afternoon when Louisiana-Monroe's Ben Jones hit an RBI single through the right side to cap off a four-run comeback as the Indians eliminated the Mavericks from the 2004 Southland Conference Tournament.
The Indians (29-27) trailed by one run heading into the seventh inning when Glenn Jackson started the inning with a bloop single into left field chasing UTA starter Jake Baxter from the contest. Mike Snapp entered the game and struck out the first batter on three pitches before giving up a double just inside the bag at first by Justin LaBorde to score Jackson from first with the tieing run just one pitch before Jones would plate the game winner.
The Mavs (32-26) had their chances early on in the contest to put the Indians away, but could not capitalize. Kasey Baker started the game with a double to center field on the first pitch. Aaron Batlle followed with a flyout to the wall in right center field moving Baker to third. After Hunter Pence was hit by a pitch, Ryan Nelson struck out for the second out of the inning. Darrell Preston followed with a quality at-bat, fouling off numerous pitches, before depositing a run-producing single to left center field. Paul Bruder would follow with same type of at-bat and had the same result with a run scoring single to left.
ULM would get a run back in the home half of the inning as Jackson singled to left field to start the inning and moved to third on a Jay Aulds single to left field. Justin LaBorde would score Jackson with a sacrifice fly to left field.
The two teams would each add a run in the third inning on a pair of solo shots as Dane Ryan hit his third of the season to left center field and Jackson started the bottom of the inning with a solo shot to right.
UTA would another run in the fourth as Aaron Cook singled up the middle and moved to third on a wild pitch and a Batlle single to left center. Pence would plate Cook with a sacrifice fly to right field.
The fifth run of the game for the Mavs would come in the fifth inning as Bruder singled with one out and came around to score on Brett Lewis' double down the left field line.
Baxter had it on cruise control through over the next few innings as he cruised through the fourth and fifth and quickly retired the first two batters in the sixth. That is when the trouble began as Ty Rollinson hit a two-out chopper over the mound that found its way into center field. Kade Eady and Lane LaBorde would then walk to load the bases for eight-hole hitter Daniel Raymond. Raymond came through with a clutch hit as he singled to center field to score two runs and bring the Indians to within one.
UTA was not without chances in the game's final two innings as they had runners in scoring position in each inning, but failed to score. In the eighth, Ryan started things with a single through the left side and advanced to second on a Lewis sac bunt. ULM would the turn to closer Jim Miller who came in throwing gas to strikeout the next two UTA hitters and get out of the inning.
The Mavs had one final gasp in the ninth as Batlle walked to started the inning, but still found himself on first with two outs following a Pence pop out to the catcher and a Nelson flyout to right. Preston kept the teams hopes alive with a single through the right side before Bruder would ground into a fielder's choice to end the game and the Mavs season.
Batlle, Preston, Bruder and Ryan would each collect two hits apiece for UTA. Jakcson would lead the way for ULM with three hits.
Snapp (5-4) took the loss in his final game at UTA after allowing one run on three hits with two strikeouts in two innings of work. Justin Lensch (5-6) picked up the victory after allowing five runs on 10 hits in 7.1 innings of work. Miller picked up his seventh save by allowing one hit in 1.2 innings.
