Feb. 17, 2015 Final Stats
By Paul Watley | @WatP7
FORT WORTH, Texas - Despite a difficult night in the box for UT Arlington against top-ranked TCU, the Mavericks brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning before a ground out ended the game with UTA on the wrong end of a 4-1 decision.
"We had our chances," UT Arlington coach Darin Thomas said. "We were just one hit away, but when you're facing a good club with good pitching, sometimes if you don't take advantage of those opportunities you won't get them again, but I was proud of the way we battled even into the ninth."
Trailing 4-1 entering the ninth inning, the Mavs kept their hopes alive when the Horned Frogs pitcher committed a balk that advanced Travis Sibley and Darien McLemore to second and third base respectively with one out. A strikeout by Will Olson brought the Mavericks down to their last chance to extend the game, a wild pitch by TCU made room for McLemore to cross the plate for UTA's first run of the day. Right after Matt McLean advanced to first on a walk, Eric Tate came up to bat as the tying run in the game that lasted just over two and a half hours. Tate fought off the pitcher with a 1-2 count before grounding out to the pitcher in the game's last at bat.
Kyle Laberge got the start against the Horned Frogs, throwing five strikeouts while giving up six hits and three earned runs in 4.1 innings on the mound. Laberge was charged with the loss in his first career start for the Mavs.
TCU got on the board early when a single and a walk put runners on first and second with no outs in the bottom of the first. After a double steal by the two runners, Laberge looked to pitch his way out of the jam as he laid down the third batter of the night. The Horned Frogs brought in a pair of runs during the next at bat thanks to a single through the right side of the field.
The Mavericks looked to shake off the offensive rust in the top of the fifth inning as Jerame Littell led off with a single to the pitcher. Sibley, who finished the day 2-of-3 at the plate, then advanced Littell to second with a powerful single through the left side, putting two runners on. After McLean reached on a fielder's choice that sent Littell to third, Christian Hollie grounded out to third base to end the inning with the Mavericks trailing 2-0.
A Blake Korthauer walk with the bases loaded in the fifth inning forced the Mavericks second pitching change of the day, Justin Schnedler came in and had an excellent showing in his season debut on the mound, striking out a pair of Horned Frogs' batters with the bases loaded to end the inning with UTA trailing by three runs. Schnedler ended the day with four strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched while allowing only two hits and no earned runs.
The final run of the day for TCU came in the seventh when a double down the left field line brought in one unearned run.
UT Arlington scored its one run on six hits with one error while TCU registered its four runs on eight hits with no errors.
The Mavericks will return to action this weekend as they host the UTA Hilton Invitational at Clay Gould Ballpark. UTA will start the invitational by taking on Southeastern Louisiana on Friday, Feb. 20 with first pitch slated for 3 p.m.
"We're going to face some good clubs this weekend," Thomas said. "Southeastern won the Southland last year and Michigan State beat TCU two out of three here last year. They're a good club and are off to a good start. Houston Baptist always gives us trouble. We've got our hands full no matter who we play all year long. Every night we have to strap it on and use these games to get ready for conference play."
Games Notes:
- The start time of the game was delayed for 25 minutes due to heavy rain.
- Attendance of 3,005.
- Two UTA players made their season debut in tonight's game in Blake Korthauer and Justin Schnedler. Korthauer's appearance marked his first action in a Maverick jersey.
