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By Paul Watley | @WatP7

TROY, Ala. - A 93-minute rain delay may have put the brakes on the start of UT Arlington's opening round game in the Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championship against Troy, but it failed to slow down the Mavericks as they took a 13-5 victory over the Trojans at Riddle-Pace Field.

"Obviously we swung the bat really well and we needed that," UT Arlington coach Darin Thomas said. "We've been up and down in that department and tonight we were up and it paid off. I thought Chad Nack did what he usually does which is battle and gives us all he's got on the mound. I'm just glad we were able to get an opening round win."

The Maverick bats were alive and well on Wednesday night as they registered a season-high 19 hits and three home runs. UTA (24-30) also hit an astounding 8-for-16 in the box with two outs in the game that lasted just over three hours.

Eight Mavs registered a multi-hit outing, with Matt McLean and Brady Cox leading the way with three hits each. Levi Scott also came up big as the senior infielder went 2-for-5 on the night with five RBI, four of which came off of his grand slam in the fifth inning.

"I just had a feeling that we'd come out and play hard," Scott said. "Having the night game was kind of in our favor and even though there was a rain delay, I feel like we came out on top and with the most energy. I just had that feeling that we'd come out and play hard which is what we did."

A three-run opening inning spurred the Mavericks to a fast start. With McLean on first after he reached on a single, Scott delivered with a RBI double that bounced off the scoreboard in right field to score the first run of the day. Singles by Cox and Darien McLemore later in the inning pushed across two more runs for UTA.

Troy cut the Maverick lead to one run with single-run innings in the first and second, but UT Arlington responded with a three-run third inning to go on top 6-2. A single by McLemore through the left side brought in Jackson Morris and put one runner on with no outs. The Mavs looked as though they would be limited to just one run in the inning as a double play put Cox on third with two outs, but RJ Williams stepped into the box and sent the first pitch of his at-bat out of the park for a two-run home run, his second of the year.

With the Trojans cutting the Mavs lead to two runs entering the fifth inning, UTA widened the gap with a five-run inning that was highlighted by Scott's grand slam. Troy scored once more in the sixth with a RBI single up the middle, but the relief pitching of the Mavericks helped seal the victory.

Nack picked up his sixth win of the season, allowing 10 hits and four earned runs in six innings on the hill. Daniel James and Jacob Moreland were solid in relief, as the duo gave up four hits and struck out three in a combined three innings of action.

"We talked about it at practice when we came down here that we don't have a whole lot to lose," Thomas added. "I don't think anybody's picking us, so just winning the first one was our goal. Then get to the next day where anything can happen, and we'll play a hot Texas State team."

No. 7 UTA will return to action Thursday as they take on No. 6 Texas State at 7:30 p.m. The Bobcats took the final series of the regular season against the Mavericks, as they picked up two out of three games.