March 12, 2010
Sam Houston State Game Notes 
ARLINGTON, Texas -
FIRST PITCH
UT Arlington opens Southland Conference play Friday hosting Sam Houston State for a three-game series at Clay Gould Ballpark. These two teams opened SLC play against each other last season with the Bearkats sweeping the Mavs in Huntsville. This week, UT Arlington lost a pair of midweek games at home with a 15-2 loss against No. 7 TCU and on Wednesday, 11-5, against Creighton. Sam Houston State lost its midweek game 8-1 at No. 9 Rice. Last weekend SHSU went 2-2 against Creighton and Northern Colorado.
INSIDE THE SERIES
UT Arlington trails Sam Houston State 41-47 in the all-time series. UTA holds a 25-19 lead in the series in Arlington. Last season Sam Houston State swept the Mavericks (2-8, 5-7, 5-7) in Huntsville and has won seven of the last nine overall meetings. In 2008, UTA took two out of three against the Bearkats in Arlington. Since 2000, UT Arlington is 9-5 against Sam Houston State in Arlington. These two programs haven't faced each other in the postseason since a 1997 meeting in Monroe (L, 3-12).
First Pitch: Fri: 6:30 p.m., Sat: 2 p.m., Sun: 1 p.m.
All-Time Series SHSU leads, 47-41
Last Meeting SHSU defeated UTA, 7-5
Huntsville, Texas (3/8/09)
Stadium Clay Gould Ballpark (1,600)
Dimensions: 330 (LF), 400 (CF), 330 (RF)
Live Stats (GameTracker) www.utamavs.com
Press Box (817) 462-4225
UT ARLINGTON MAVERICKS
Overall Record: 4-8
Conference Record: 0-0
Home Record: 4-5
Away Record: 0-3
Neutral Record: 0-0
Last 5/Last 10: 2-3/4-6
Streak: Lost 3
Rankings: BA: NR/CB: NR/NCBWA: NR/ESPN: NR
Website: www.utamavs.com
Head Coach: Darin Thomas
Career Record: 60-65 (3rd year)
Record at UTA: 60-65 (3rd year)
SAM HOUSTON STATE BEARKATS
Overall Record: 3-10
Conference Record: 0-0
Home Record: 3-6
Away Record: 0-4
Neutral Record: 0-0
Last 5/Last 10: 2-3/3-7
Streak: Lost 2
Rankings: BA: NR/CB: NR/NCBWA: NR/ESPN: NR
Website: www.gobearkats.com
Head Coach: Mark Johnson
Career Record: 992-514-3 (25th year)
Record at School: 116-85 (4th year)
UT ARLINGTON VS. THE SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE
UT Arlington is 330-344 all-time against teams that are current members of the Southland Conference. The Mavericks are 41-47 all-time against Sam Houston State, which are the second most victories for the Mavs against any team from the Southland. UT Arlington has its most wins against McNeese State (56-55). The Mavericks and Bearkats series dates back to 1971, with only Lamar's series dating back further (1969).
MAVERICKS LOOKING FOR 400TH ALL-TIME SOUTHLAND VICTORY
UT Arlington is two conference wins shy of its 400th all-time Southland Conference victory. UTA, the winningest program in Southland Conference history, owns a 398-389 (.506) overall conference record in 40 seasons of competition. Lamar has the second most wins in league history with 386 (1964-87, 1999-present). The Mavericks have the fourth most Southland Tournament victories (22) in league history.
TAKING A LOOK BACK
UT Arlington dropped its third straight game on Wednesday in an 11-5 loss against Creighton at Clay Gould Ballpark. The Bluejays scored six runs in the first three innings and later scored four in the fifth and one in the eighth. Freshman Sam Hansen made his first collegiate start for UT Arlington but pitched only two innings allowing five runs on six hits with a walk and a strikeout in the loss. Three Maverick relievers combined to pitch seven innings allowing six runs and 13 hits with six strikeouts. No Maverick had more than one RBI while Chad Comer went 2-for-4, giving him a tie for the team lead with six multi-hit games (Steffan Guest). Jordan Vaughn entered the game as a pinch hitter late in the game and finished with a 2-for-2 effort. Daniel Jordan collected seven assists at shortstop which is the most by a Maverick this season.
ON THE HORIZON
The Mavericks open Southland Conference competition this weekend against three-time defending SLC Tournament champion Sam Houston State (3-10). The series will begin on Friday, March 12 (6:30 p.m.) and will continue on Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.). Sam Houston State swept the Mavericks in both team's opening-conference weekend a year ago in Huntsville (8-2, 7-5, 7-5). The Bearkats will be in search of their first road victory of the season after starting the season 0-4. Sam Houston State will start the series with right-handed pitcher Dallas Gallant, who was a preseason All-Southland Conference selection along with UTA Saturday starter Rett Varner.
UT ARLINGTON IN SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE OPENING WEEKEND SERIES
UT Arlington has won five of its last 11 Southland Conference opening weekend series. Last year the Mavs opened their conference slate at Sam Houston State where they were swept by the Bearkats (8-2, 7-5, 7-5). UTA has lost its last three conference opening weekends with also losing two of three against Lamar in Arlington in 2008 and getting swept by Lamar in 2007 in Beaumont, Texas. This season will mark the third time in the last 11 years the Mavs and Bearkats have faced each other to open SLC play. The other meeting came in Arlington in 2002 (UTA won 2 of 3). Overall, the Mavericks are 15-18 in games played on the opening weekend of Southland Conference play.
Steffan Guest EXTENDS HIT STREAK TO 13 GAMES
Senior Steffan Guest is the only Maverick with at least one base hit in every game this season and with that and his one hit in the only game he played last season, Guest owns a career best 13-game hit streak. Guest has six multiple hit games this season, including three in a row against BYU. He leads the team with 20 base hits, five doubles and is tied for the team lead with 14 RBI. The lone hit Guest had in the 2009 season was in his only at-bat against TCU on March 3 at Clay Gould Ballpark. Guest has batted cleanup in nine games this season and hit fifth twice.
WEEKEND STARTERS: Jason Mitchell (RHP), Rett Varner (RHP), TBA
The one consistent element of the Mavericks season thus far is that all of their wins (4) have come when either senior Jason Mitchell or junior Rett Varner have started on the mound. Both pitchers own a 1-1 record, but the Mavericks are 2-1 in games started by both weekend starters. The Mavericks are 0-5 this season when any other pitcher makes a start. Mitchell makes his fourth start of the season on Friday and will try to make his third straight outing with at least 7.0 innings pitched. Mitchell threw 9.0 innings in a no-decision allowing one hit and posting a school record 18 strikeouts against Missouri State (2/27) and most recently earned the win in a 7.0 inning start allowing two runs on eight hits with six strikeouts against BYU (3/6). Mitchell leads the Mavericks with a 1.80 ERA, 20.0 innings pitched, 28 strikeouts and an opponent batting average of .211. Varner also makes his third start of the season after pitching his second straight 6.0-inning outing last weekend against BYU. Against his former team, Varner picked up his first win of the season striking out five batters while allowing two runs on eight hits with two walks and throwing 102 pitches in the Mavs' 6-3 victory. He took the no-decision in his second start of the year pitching 6.0 innings with six strikeouts and allowing seven hits and three runs against Missouri State (2/27) in a game the Mavs won 9-6. Varner owns a 1-1 record with a 6.06 ERA in 16.1 innings pitched. He has allowed 22 base hits with 14 strikeouts and five walks in three starts. The Mavericks' Sunday starter has yet to be announced.
CHOICE CLIMBS RECORD BOOKS, MOVES INTO FIFTH PLACE ON ALL-TIME CAREER HOME RUN LIST
Michael Choice moved into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time UTA career home run record book with his 23rd career home run against TCU on Tuesday night. Choice is now one home run behind Richard Wilkinson (24, 1977-80) for fourth place and three behind Ryan Roberts (26, 2002-03) for third place. Matt Mize (31, 1998-99) and Craig Martin (27, 1998-2001) are the top two on the career home run list. Choice's two-run homer on Tuesday also moved him into ninth place on the all-time career RBI list with 117. Choice moved past Clay Gould (116, 1990-93) and Richard Valenta (116, 1977-80). With just two RBI Choice will tie Pat Varni (119, 1986-89) for eighth on the list. Choice also moved into 10th place on the career total bases chart with 291. He now needs one RBI to equal Matt Mize (291) for ninth place and with 11 total bases Choice will move past former all-time great Trey Hillman (301, 1982-85) for eighth place.
