March 16, 2012
Final Stats
BEAUMONT, Texas - Collin Reynolds rebounded strong from a slow start, and Matt Shortall and Philip Incaviglia each drove in two runs to lead UT Arlington to Friday night's 7-5 victory over Lamar at Vincent-Beck Stadium.
The Mavericks improved to 12-7 overall and 2-2 in the Southland Conference with the win in the opener of the three-game weekend series. Lamar is 6-11 and 0-4.
"A big key to the game was Collin Reynolds hanging in there after the first innning," UT Arlington coach Darin Thomas said. "He threw a lot of pitches and then went out and hung a lot of zeroes.
"We could've taken advantage of a few more opportunities offensively and gotten a few more runs, but it's a Friday win on the road after traveling all day. We'll take it."
UTA jumped ahead 5-3 with three runs in the fourth. A pair of errors and Preston Beck being hit by a pitch aided the Mavericks' cause in taking back the lead.
Incaviglia's infield single, plus a throwing error by Lamar shortstop David Harris allowed Jordan Vaughn and Stewart Hill to score. Beck was plunked with the bases loaded, scoring Daniel Garcia.
Reynolds (3-0) started for the Mavericks and settled down after allowing three runs in the first. He departed leading 5-4 in the seventh, as Adam Boydston entered in relief.
UTA added two insurance runs in the eighth and needed them as Lamar mounted a rally in the bottom of the inning against Chad Nack. The Cardinals had runners at second and third with one out trailing 7-5.
Nack struck out David Harris after a long at-bat and pinch hitter Zach Luevanos to end the threat. Adam Westbrook came in with one on in the ninth and secured UTA's third win in the last four games.
The Mavericks grabbed an early lead with two runs in the top of the first. Incaviglia, in the leadoff spot for the first time this season, opened the game by drawing a walk off Lamar starter Jonathan Dziedzic.
Beck walked one batter later and, along with Incaviglia, moved up a base thanks to a double steal. Shortall brought both home with a two-out single to right.
The lead was short lived as Lamar's Brad Picha doubled past a diving Beck to score two Cardinals in the bottom of the inning. Garret Autry's RBI single two batters later gave Lamar a 3-2 edge.
The series resumes Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. The third game is Sunday at 1 p.m.
