Box Score

By Ben Rikard | UTAMavs.com

RUSTON, La. - The UT Arlington Mavericks committed four errors, leading to six unearned runs, as the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs picked up an 8-3 win in the opener of a three-game series on Friday at J.C. Love Field.

The Mavs (3-3) committed all four of their miscues between the fifth and seventh innings with every run in that span being of the unearned variety. The Bulldogs (4-1) compounded things with a program-record 11 stolen bases on the night, in addition to 10 hits.

That spoiled an otherwise solid start from UTA pitcher Joel Kuhnel, who took the loss, despite allowing four runs - two earned - in 5.2 innings with five strikeouts. Bulldog lefty Phillip Diehl picked up his second win of the season, fanning seven hitters in his 6.0 innings of work while allowing just a single run.

Caleb Koedyker picked up a pair of RBI and Colton Turner hit his first career home run, but despite 11 hits as a team the Mavs finished the evening just 1-for-11 in two-out situations and left nine runners on base.

After the Mavs stranded a pair of runners in the top of the second, the Bulldogs plated a pair of runs of their own in the bottom half to go ahead 2-0. Taylor Love and Sean Ullrich started the rally with consecutive singles to open the inning, then after Kuhnel retired the next two hitters, Chandler Hall plated Love with a sure single to right field. The 'Dogs then got their second run by executing a double steal as Ullrich crossed home plate from third as Hall swiped second.

UTA had a golden chance to score in the top of the fourth after Christian Hollie and Turner drew consecutive walks to open the inning, but a double-play and fly out by the next two UTA hitters got Diehl out of the inning without any damage done.

An inning later the Mavs scratched the scoring column on a sacrifice fly from Koedyker to score Jerame Littell after three consecutive singles loaded the bases with one out. But that one-run deficit did not last long as the Bulldogs scored twice in the bottom half of the inning, aided by a balk and a throwing error for the Mavs to up the lead to 4-1 after five frames.

Louisiana Tech put two more up in the bottom of the sixth with a rally that started when Hall with two outs on the second Maverick error of the night. After a walk to Bryce Stark and a double steal, Gladu lined a single to left field to give the 'Dogs a 6-1 advantage.

Koedyker picked up his second RBI of the night on an RBI groundout in the top of the seventh, scoring Williams, and Turner slammed a solo home run to lead off the eighth; however, a pair of errors in the bottom of the seventh aided in two more Louisiana Tech runs to negate the effort.

The Mavs will resume their series with the Bulldogs on Saturday. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. with sophomore Jake Wilcox scheduled to get his second start of the season.