May 15, 2008
Final Stats
ARLINGTON, Texas - - UTA junior left-hander Ryan Robinson handcuffed the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi lineup for eight innings, and the Mavericks offense got hits from eight different players en route to a 6-5 victory in a Southland Conference baseball game at Clay Gould Ballpark.
UTA took a 6-1 lead into the ninth and made things interesting when Trey Hernandez hit a three-run homer to left with nobody out. The Islanders then got consecutive two-out singles to put the tying run in scoring position. But Mavs reliever Ryan Martin got Islanders leading hitter Stephen Flora on a strikeout to end the game.
The victory in the first game of the SLC series, coupled with Sam Houston State's victory against Stephen F. Austin, means the Mavericks have clinched a spot in the 2008 Southland Conference Baseball Tournament next week in Huntsville.
The postseason-bound Mavericks (24-29, 14-14) and already-qualified-for-postseason Islanderrs (22-29-1, 14-13) return to the diamond at 6:30 p.m. Friday for Game 2 of the three-game series.
UTA looked to Robinson (6-5) for a chance to clinch early and not have to sweat the rest of the weekend, and the transfer from Howard College didn't disappoint. A Southlake native, Robinson went eight innings, allowed just three runs on seven hits and struck out five.
UTA's offense made it clear early that Robinson wouldn't have to pitch with a deficit.
Steffan Guest got the scoring started for UTA off Texas A&M-Corpus Christi starter Omar Gutierrez in the bottom of the second with a homer to left. The Lumberjacks answered with one in the top of the fourth, but UTA broke the 1-1 tie thanks to a leadoff double by David McLeod and run-scoring single by Danny Slinkman in the bottom of the fourth.
UTA added two more in the bottom of the fifth, again getting a leadoff hit to start the inning. Chad Comer singled, and Evan Raley followed with a double to drive him home. Brock Wilson's single gave Robinson a 4-1 cushion and signaled the end of the day for Gutierrez (5-4), who took the loss.
After the Mavericks loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi pulled Gutierrez's replacement, Matt Hudec, in favor of Andrew Longoria. The left-hander kept the Islanders in the game by forcing a double-play to end the inning.
Just as the Mavericks had done to that point, however, it didn't matter which guy the Islanders put in the game. UTA put base runners on against each of them, and when the Mavericks put two on with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, the Islanders this time looked to left-hander Jesse Maldonado.
UTA coach Darin Thomas inserted right-handed hitter Andrew Kainer in the lineup in place of the left-handed hitting Danny Slinkman. Kainter promptly doubled down the line in left, and the Mavericks had a comfortable 6-1 lead.
Chad Comer had a 3-for-4 day for the Mavericks, and Brock Wilson went 2-for-4.
