March 25, 2008
Final Stats
NORMAN, Okla. - - The UT Arlington baseball team got a double and homer from Michael Choice and three solid innings of pitching work from Andy Sauter, but it wasn't enough in a 6-5 loss against Oklahoma in a non-conference game Tuesday night in Norman, Okla.
Choice hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth that cut a three-run deficit to 6-5, but a line drive ended the game and stopped the Mavericks rally attempt. Sauter kept the Mavericks in the game by tossing three innings of relief, allowing no runs and just one hit.
UTA (7-16) got on the board first against Oklahoma starter C.J. Blue. Jay Pitschka reached on an error, and David McLeod followed with a single up the middle. After another Sooners error, Pitschka scored on a fly ball by Mitch Putman. Oklahoma (18-7-1) answered quickly with two runs in the bottom of the second off Mavericks starter Drew Clementz. The Sooners were helped by an error and scored two unearned runs.
The Mavericks tied it, 2-1 in the third on a Matt Otteman ground-out to third, which scored McLeod. McLeod led the inning by reaching on an error, and Choice advanced him to third with a double.
Oklahoma scored two in the bottom of the third and one more in the fourth to take control of the game, 5-2.
From there, Blue (5-0) settled down to hold the Mavericks scoreless from the fourth to the seventh before giving way to two Oklahoma relievers.
UTA's comeback started in the eighth with a lead-off double by Otteman, who later scored on a failed pickoff attempt at third. In the ninth, UTA got a single from Pitschka before Choice homered to right to make it 6-5. A line-out ended the game and UTA's rallly.
Clementz (0-1) took the loss for UTA. He went three innings, allowed five hits and two earned runs.
The Mavericks return to action for a three-game series on the road against UTSA. First pitch for Friday's series opener is set for 6 p.m.
