April 5, 2008
Final Stats
ARLINGTON, Texas - - UT Arlington and Sam Houston State turned to their relievers in Saturday's baseball game at Clay Gould Ballpark.
Ryan Martin was solid for UTA, but Sam Houston right-hander Dallas Gallant matched him as the Bearkats took a 6-5 victory in the second game of the three-game Southland Conference game. UTA won the first game Friday. Sunday's deciding game is scheduled for 1 p.m.
UTA (11-19, 4-7 in the SLC) scored two runs in the ninth to cut a three-run deficit to 6-5. The Mavericks had the tying run on second base and go-ahead run on first, but Sam Houston (17-12, 6-5) turned to Matt pitcher Shelton, who got the final out for the save.
"Every loss is disappointing, but we battled all day long and had a chance to win," UTA coach Darin Thomas said. "You have to give some credit to Sam Houston's pitcher. They did a great job. We got a very nice pitching performance from Ryan Martin."
The Mavericks were in a position to win because of Martin, who relieved starter Nathan Long (3-3) in the third. The Bearkats knocked Long out of the game with three runs in the third inning, taking a 5-1 lead. In Long's defense, an error on a grounder to short got the inning started for Sam Houston.
Martin tossed the next 4 2/3 innings, allowing just three hits and one run.
UTA centerfielder Michael Choice helped get UTA's comeback attempt started in the third, making it 5-2 off Sam Houston left-handed starter Will Skelton.
UTA then got a run in the fourth, sparked by a Mitch Putman walk and Andrew Kainer double. The Bearkats then turned to Gallant (2-2), who went the next 5 1/3 innings, allowing five hits on two runs. The Mavericks finally got to him in the ninth. Kainer started the inning with a single, and Brock Wilson followed with a pitch-hit single.
Preston McCoy moved the runners over before Steffan Guest drove one home with a grounder to third to make it 6-4. David McLeod then drove home Wilson with a run-scoring single to center. A Matt Otteman single followed before Shelton (1) recorded the final out for his first save.
Kainer finished the day 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
