March 13, 2011
Final Stats
HUNTSVILLE, Tex. - UT Arlington scored a pair of runs in the 10th inning to take a 4-2 win over Sam Houston State on Sunday afternoon at Sanders Stadium.
The win gave UTA (8-7, 2-1) the series edge in the team's first conference set of the season.
"It certainly wasn't easy," UTA coach Darin Thomas said. "We had a couple injuries and we have a couple guys playing out of position. It really doesn't matter who we're playing so far - we're competing. When you compete you have a chance to win. We've had good at-bats. Today was the first day we've been shut down by a starting pitcher in a long time, but we still found a way to win."
The Mavericks got hits from Brian Nephew and Daniel Jordan in the 10th before Jesse Payne came up as a pinch-hitter. Payne hit a sharp grounder at SHSU shortstop Braeden Riley, who couldn't handle it. The ball bounced off Riley and into center field, allowing Nephew to score the go-ahead run.
Ryan Walker followed with a sacrifice fly to center field scoring Jordan, giving the Mavs a two-run cushion.
Michael Morales retired the first two hitters he faced before giving up a two-out single to pinch-hitter Kyle Singleton. Adam Boydston came on to close the game, striking out Ryan Mooney with runners on first and second to earn his second save of the season.
The top of the 10th inning came on the heels of an equally chaotic bottom of the ninth when Sam Houston State (12-4, 1-2) had a chance to win the game.
Sam Houston State had a chance to win the game in the ninth inning with runners on the corners and one out. Kevin Miller missed on a two-strike suicide squeeze attempt and Chad Comer caught Mark Hudson in a rundown to end the threat.
"It was pretty crazy but we've really been working on it, especially since the beginning of the year against South Dakota State we had the play at the plate," Comer said. "We've also had a couple rundowns over those first couple weekends. We botched one at the beginning of the year so we've really been working on it in practice. It was nice to execute on that and get the guy out."
Comer proved critical in the field. In addition to starting the rundown in the ninth, he gunned down Olson trying to steal second to end the fifth and then picked Mark Hudson off first to get reliever Collin Reynolds out of a two-on, two-out jam.
"He's playing the way a fifth-year senior should," Thomas said. "He's not putting pressure on himself. He's got experience. He's been back there a lot. I can't say enough about how well he's playing."
For a second straight day, UTA started the day with a pair of runs in the first, highlighted by Comer's first home run of the season. Comer hammered a 2-2 curveball over the left-field wall, giving the Mavs their second run of the frame.
Preston Beck gave the Mavs their other run a batter earlier when his groundout to second base scored Ryan Walker.
Sam Houston State halved the lead in the first on a sacrifice fly and tied the game in the second on a home run from Daniel Nottebart.
Bearkats starter Brandon Kimbrel, meanwhile, settled down. After Comer's home run, Kimbrel retired the next 14 batters he faced. The only real trouble he faced came in the seventh when the Mavs had two on and one out. Kimbrel induced a groundball double play to end the threat.
Kimbrel held the Mavericks to four hits over his 8.0 innings, marking the first time in eight games UTA failed to reach the 10-hit mark.
Michael Oberto lasted 4.2 innings, giving up two earned runs on five hits. Thomas lifted him in the fifth after he hit Greg Olson with two outs.
Reynolds earned his first win of the season by throwing 4.1 scoreless innings, holding the Bearkats without a hit. He walked four, one intentionally, and had two strikeouts.
"He was outstanding," Thomas said. "First of all, I thought Oberto competed. He did a good job of limiting it to two runs. Collin, obviously, was unbelievable. Then Mo (Michael Morales) and (Adam) Boydston did their jobs. The bullpen depth, once again, came through for us."
Walker and Comer led the Mavs offensively with two hits apiece.
UTA returns home Tuesday when it hosts No. 7 TCU to start a five-game homestand. First pitch for Tuesday's game is set for 6:30 p.m.
