March 11, 2006
Box Score
ARLINGTON, Texas - Senior first baseman Kyle Thomason became just the fifth UT-Arlington baseball player to hit for the cycle, and the first to hit for the natural cycle, as the Mavericks thrashed conference preseason favorite Northwestern State 14-1 in seven innings as the conference mercy rule was invoked Saturday afternoon at Clay Gould Ballpark.
"To be the fifth guy to ever do it is neat," said Thomason. "Just to do it alone is really neat, but to be just the fifth person here is just extra special."
Thomason finished the game by going 4-for-4 with six RBIs and one run scored. He started his day with a single through the right side and followed it up with a double into the left field corner. His third at-bat was a triple off the base of the wall and followed it up with his first career home run.
"I didn't do anything different today," said Thomason. "I just went up with the same approach as always and it all fell into place."
"My first at-bat I just got a fastball and pulled it through the right side. Second at-bat I tried to stay away cause I thought they were going to work me away cause the guy had a good changeup. My third at-bat I thought I popped it up. I was just trying to get a ball in the outfield and fourth at-bat I was just trying to hit another ball into the outfield and I just hit it pretty good and it went out."
The Mavs (6-13, 2-0 SLC) got the offense rolling in the first inning as last night's hero Daniel Rieder drew a base on balls to start the game. After going to second on a groundout, Adam Moore drove in the runner with a double off the right-center field wall. With two outs, Robby Winn drove in Moore with a single to center field.
The Demons (10-8, 0-2 SLC) got a run back in the third inning as back-to-back singles from Marty Dewees and Brandon Morgan put runners on the corners with nobody out. The runner from third scored as Bobby Barbier hit into a 6-4-3 double play.
UTA answered in the home half of the inning with four runs of their own. McLeod started the inning with a base on balls, Moore followed with a single through the left side and Danny Slinkman put down a perfect bunt that just hugged the third base line. After a pitching change, Winn drove in a pair of runs with a single to center field and Thomason put an RBI double into the left-field corner. Following the second pitching change of the inning, David Newby drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to left center.
The Mavs added to the lead in the fourth as McLeod singled through the left side and stole second. Moore drove in the runner with a bloop single into right field. After a hit-by-pitch to Slinkman and a fielder's choice, Thomason drove in two runs with a triple to the base of the wall in right center.
UTA put the game away in the fifth inning as Rieder singled up the middle before the bases loaded on a hit-by-pitch to Moore and a Slinkman walk. Winn drove in two more runs with a single through the left side and Thomason capped it off with a three-run shot to right, the first of his career.
Winn had a career-day for the Mavs as he went 3-for-4 with five RBIs and three runs scored. Moore added three hits and a pair of RBIs.
Dillon Gee (2-4) picked up the victory as he tossed a complete game and allowed just one run on nine hits. He walked one and struck out four. Heath Hennigan (2-1) took the loss as he gave up five earned runs on five hits in two innings of work.
The Mavs and Demons will close out the three-game series tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. at Clay Gould Ballpark. UTA will send LHP Randy Cornejo (1-1, 6.55 ERA) to the mound, while the Demons will counter with RHP Kyle Broughton (2-1, 3.20 ERA).
