May 18, 2013
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WAC Tournament | WAC Tournament Central
QuikTrip Park | Grand Prairie, Texas
No. 2 UTA vs. No. 7 Dallas Baptist, Wednesday, 3 p.m.*
No. 2 UTA vs. No. 6 New Mexico State, Friday, 3 p.m.*
No. 2 UTA vs. No. 3 Texas State, Saturday, 7 p.m.*
*Times subject to change
Final Stats
SACRAMENTO, California - UT Arlington swept Sacramento State and kept its hopes for a Western Athletic Conference regular-season championship with Saturday afternoon's 6-5 victory at John Smith Field.
The Mavericks finished the regular season at 30-25 overall and 18-9 in their lone season in the WAC. Should CSU Bakersfield (35-20, 18-8) lose Sunday at San Jose State, UT Arlington shares the title with CSUB.
The Mavericks are assured of the No. 2 seed at the Western Conference Tournament, which opens Wednesday at QuikTrip Ballpark in Grand Prairie. Even if UT Arlington ties CSUB, the Roadrunners are the top seed on the basis of winning the season series 2-1.
The Mavericks once again took an early lead, getting on the board in the second on Darien McLemore's two-out, run-scoring single to right. Justin Copeland beat out an infield single with one out for UTA's first base runner.
Copeland moved to third on a single by John Mitchell Twichell and Brandon Lawrence's fielder's choice. McLemore hit a sharp ground between the first and second basemen to bring Copeland home.
The Hornets tied the score 1-1 on Rhys Hoskins' solo in the bottom of the second off UT Arlington starter Keegan Hucul.
The Mavericks jumped back on top 3-1 with two runs in the fourth. Greg McCall walked to lead off the inning and reached third on a hit-and-run single from Justin Copeland. Twichell's sac fly to center scored McCall and Copeland raced home not long after on a wild pitch.
Sacramento State chased Hucul with a run in the fourth, as the Mavericks turned to reliever Chad Nack. The Hornets stranded runners at second and third to end the inning.
The Mavericks opened up some breathing room in the seventh with a three-run outburst. Derek Miller's two-run double down the left-field with the bases loaded was the key blow. Copeland walked with the bases full to force in another run for a 6-2 lead.
The Hornets got those three runs back off Nack and John Beck with four hits, including two run-scoring doubles, in the bottom of the inning.
Nack earned the win, improving to 5-4. Kennedy Winn picked up his first save of the season by getting the final two outs.
