May 13, 2005
ARLINGTON, Texas - For the third straight Southland Conference series, Texas-Arlington loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth inning and failed to score a single run as the Mavs dropped a 4-2 decision to Southeastern Louisiana Friday evening at Clay Gould Ballpark. The loss dropped the Mavs to 11-14 at home and insured them of only their second losing home season in school-history and their first since 1997.
The inning started out good for the Mavs as Josh McSpadden walked and Nathan Warrick hit a bloop single down the left field line. Brett Lewis followed with a sac bunt attempt that turned into a base hit as he beat out the throw to first. The Mavs would then get a pop up to third base off the bat of Aaron Batlle and a 6-4-3 inning ending double play from Ryan Nelson.
Jake Baxter was again the beneficiary of misfortune as it was his third straight start which the Mavs loaded the bases and did not score. Baxter (7-5) has only received 12 runs in support in his last six starts. He took the loss on Friday as he allowed four runs, three earned, on eight hits in throwing his sixth complete game of the season. He has know thrown 104 innings on the season and struck out 92, tieing him for fourth on the single-season strikeout list.
The Lions (23-27, 10-12 SLC) got on the board in the first inning as Gary Duhe started the game with a bloop single into left field. After a wild pitch, Steve Clevenger plated the first run with a single to center field and Ryan Spencer connected on a two-out RBI double down the left field line.
SLU took advantage of a Maverick error in the sixth inning to plate their third run. Jason Waguespack started the inning with a walk and went to third on Ryan Roth's double down the left field line. With the infield in, Spencer reached on a fielding error by the shortstop allowing a run to score. The Lions thought they scored a second run on a fielder's choice, but the runner was called for interference sliding into second making it an automatic double play and ending the inning.
The Mavs (24-26, 13-9 SLC) got two runs back in the home half of the inning as Warrick had a one-out bunt single. Lewis followed with a walk before Batlle hit a bloop double over the third baseman's head allowing one run to score, but Lewis was cut down at third. Nelson followed with an RBI single through the left side to score Battle from second.
SLU got a leadoff single up the middle by Kyle Ginn and then took advantage of a very fortunate bounce to get one run back in the seventh. With Ginn on second, a wild pitch skipped off the catcher towards the Mavs dugout allowing Ginn to slide in ahead of the tag at home plate.
Benard Robert (7-4) picked up the complete-game victory as he allowed two runs on seven hits. It was his seventh complete-game in 10 starts.
Warrick and Ryan Nelson were the only two Mavs to have two hits. Clevenger and Roth led the Lions with two hits apiece
The Mavs and Lions will play the second game of the series tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. at Clay Gould Ballpark.
