Feb. 12, 2006
Box Score
RUSTON, La. - Redshirt freshman left-hander Austin Bridges made his collegiate debut on the mound on Sunday and earned his first victory as he allowed three runs on four hits in five innings of work as Texas-Arlington defeated Louisiana Tech 8-3 in the first game of a doubleheader.
The second game began just the same as the opener as Collin Garner drew a leadoff walk. Adam Moore continued to swing the hot bat as he plated Garner with a double into the gap in right center field.
Tech starter Luke Burnett settled in after the Moore double as he struck out four of the next five hitters, including four looking, before running into major problems in the third inning. Kyle Thomason started things with a solid single to center field and advanced to third as Garner put down a sacrifice bunt that was thrown down the first base line. With runners on second and third, David McLeod laced a single to center field to plate Thomason. Garner would score on a wild pitch and Moore would follow with a walk. Tech tried a pickoff at first, but the first baseman tried to apply the tag before he caught the ball and McLeod raced in to score from second and Moore hustled to third. Colin Booher drove in the fourth run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to right center field.
The Bulldogs (1-3) got a pair of runs back in the home half of the third as a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases with one out. Brandon Hudson plated a run with a sacrifice fly to the warning track in right field. With runners on the corners, the runner at first took off for second and when the throw went to first, the runner broke for home and just beat the throw for the second run.
Tech added another run in the fifth inning as Amos Ramon hit a two-out solo shot over the right center field fence.
UTA (2-0) pushed across three runs in the sixth inning as Brock Wilson drew a one-out walk and scored when Daniel Rieder doubled down the left field line. Kyle Rudy followed with an RBI double to left center field and advanced to third on a wild pitch. With two outs, Garner delivered his first collegiate hit and RBI with a chopper over the head of the third baseman.
The Mavs put the final nail in coffin in the eighth inning as Thomason ripped a single through the right side and advanced to second on a Garner sacrifice bunt. McLeod followed with a single to left field to put runners on the corners. After McLeod stole second, Moore was intentionally walked. Justin Stevens drove in two runs with a single through the left side to put Mavs in double figures for the first time this season.
Tech got a run back in the home half of the inning as Hudson led off the inning with a solo home run to center field.
McLeod led the offense with three hits and Thomason added a pair. Garner, McLeod and Thomason each scored a pair of runs. Hudson led the Bulldogs with two hits and two RBIs.
Nathan Long earned his first career save as he pitched the final four innings allowing one run on four hits with two strikeouts. Burnett took the loss as he allowed five runs, two earned, on three hits in 3.2 innings of work. He struck out six and walked three.
The final game of the series will begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.
