April 5, 2013
Final Stats
Saturday Probable Pitchers
UTA - Chase Weaver (2-0, 3.10 ERA) vs. CSBU - Scott Brattvet (5-1, 1.95 ERA)
ARLINGTON, Texas - UT Arlington dropped the opener of its first Western Athletic Conference home series 3-2 to CSU Bakersfield on Friday night at Clay Gould Ballpark.
The Mavericks (15-13, 5-2) had their five-game conference winning streak snapped with the loss, while the Roadrunners (20-10, 5-2) ended a two-game skid.
The series continues Saturday with a 2 p.m. first pitch. Sunday's final game is set for 1 p.m.
CSUB trotted out one of the top pitchers in the WAC in Jeff McKenzie and the Mavericks countered with Brad Vachon. The two hurlers were solid, each working seven innings.
"In a game like that when you have two good pitchers going, it's going to be mistakes," UT Arlington coach Darin Thomas said. "We walked two people and they scored. That was the difference in the game."
The Roadrunners broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth by getting to the UT Arlington bullpen. Daniel Milliman (1-2) walked CSUB leadoff hitter Cael Brockmeyer, who eventually came around to score on Dylan Christensen's sinking drive to center.
The Mavericks scored all their runs in the fifth off McKenzie, who improved to 7-1. Junior catcher Greg McCall continued his torrid pace, belting a two-run home run to right that easily cleared the bushes beyond the fence and tied the score. Travis Sibley got aboard with an infield single off the third baseman before McCall's second homer of the season.
McKenzie was in some trouble in the sixth after Justin Copeland and Brandon Lawrence opened the inning with back-to-back singles. After a visit to the mound, McKenzie settled down and got the next three batters out.
The Roadrunners didn't waste any time getting to Vachon with two runs in the top of the first on two hits and a walk.
