Final Stats

By Paul Watley | @WatP7

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - UT Arlington dropped its second game of the season at the SFA Tipton Ford Baseball Classic, falling to Washington State 8-2 at Jaycees Field.

The Mavericks (0-2) recorded just five hits while allowing the Cougars (1-1) to put up 11 hits in the game that lasted just under three hours.

"Five hits isn't going to get it done," UT Arlington coach Darin Thomas said. "We have to get something out of our older guys offensively to give us a chance to win. We're going to have to drive some guys in eventually and the fact that it's early is no excuse because we've been outside a lot."

The Mavericks got out to a great start in the first inning when Jackson Morris hit a two-out single to right field that allowed Levi Scott to advance to third and then score of off an error by the Cougars right fielder. UTA came close to putting more runs on the board as the bases were loaded after Will Olson was walked, but a fly out by Cody Farrell in the next at bat ended the top half of the inning with UTA on top 1-0.

The bottom half of the first inning brought more scoring as Washington State used a single to left field to bring in a pair of runs. Freshman pitcher Brad Vassar then faced a jam with the bases loaded and two outs before he struck out Washington State's Jack Strunc to end the inning. Vassar ended the day with three strikeouts in 3.1 innings pitched while allowing six hits and three earned runs as he was charged with the loss.

The Cougars extended their lead again in the 4th when a single brought in one unearned run. The Mavericks then made their first pitching change of the day when they brought in freshman RHP Reid Petty for his first collegiate action with one out and runners on the corners. After nearly turning a double play while facing his first batter and having one run cross the plate, Petty got some help from catcher Will Olson who caught Washington State attempting to steal second base. UTA ended the 4th inning trailing 4-1.

Looking to cut down the lead in the top of the 5th, junior DH Jackson Morris hit a double to left field for his second hit of the day. Will Olson came up big while seeking his first career hit as the Sherman native registered a single that brought in Morris to cut Washington State's lead to two runs at 4-2.

Washington State grew its lead in the bottom of the eighth when Strunc sent the ball over the left field wall to push the score to 5-2. After making its second pitching change of the day in the 8th inning by bringing in Keenan Hall to replace Petty, the Cougars increased their lead to four runs at 6-2 due to a wild pitch by Hall. After substituting Jacob Moreland in at pitcher, Eric Tate committed an error that allowed one run while a WSU single extended the Cougars final margin of victory to six runs at 8-2. Petty ended his day with three strikeouts in 4.1 innings pitched while giving up four hits and two earned runs.

"We've got to play defense and swing the bat a little bit and throw it over the plate," Thomas added. "It's things we can control, but until we can do that we don't have a chance."

UT Arlington scored its two runs off of five hits with two errors while Washington State put up eight runs on 11 hits with one error.

The Mavericks will wrap up their opening weekend action in the SFA Tipton Ford Baseball Classic tomorrow when they take on host Stephen F. Austin at 3 p.m. in Nacogdoches.

Game Notes

-The Mavericks started four freshman, including starting pitcher Brad Vassar.

-Seven players made their career debut for UT Arlington in Tanner Houston, Will Olson, Jerame Littell, Dalton DeLeon, Brad Vassar, Reid Petty and Keenan Hall.