April 12, 2016
Box Score | Photo Gallery
By Cassie Logan | @c4ssielogan
ARLINGTON, Texas - Matt Michalski only allowed two hits in five shutout innings to silence Houston Baptist, 10-0, in a midweek run-rule win for UT Arlington on Tuesday night at Clay Gould Ballpark.
UTA (19-15) evened the all-time series with Houston Baptist (16-16) at seven games each. The Mavericks now control meetings in Arlington with a 6-5 record.
"That's two straight Tuesdays we've pitched it well and any time you can get a shutout on a Tuesday, it's a big deal," UT Arlington coach Darin Thomas said. "Jacob [Moreland] has done it all year and we need Matt [Michalski] to be good for us and he was tonight."
Michalski earned his first win as a Maverick, retiring 11 in a row at one point with one punch out for the game, evening his record at 1-1. Jacob Moreland earned his second save of the season in three innings, allowing four hits with a walk and two strikeouts. He lowered his league-leading ERA to 1.64 with his outing.
Matt McLean stayed hot at the plate with two leadoff knocks, two walks, three runs and an RBI to push his hit streak to a career-high 16 games. The Mavericks capitalized on seven hits and two Husky errors, including a six-run eighth inning on one hit to force an early ending.
"They've been pitching it well against me with a lot of changeups, hard sliders, but I'm just making adjustments," McLean said. "I'm not the flashiest player in the world, but I just try to do my job and get on base."
The Mavericks scratched the scoreboard in the first inning and sent two across on a pair of singles and a stand-up triple by Quintin Rohrbaugh. McLean led the action off with a single pounded up the middle. McLemore then singled through to the right side before McLean scored UTA's first run on a throwing error. McLemore scored two batters later on Colton Turner's groundout.
McLean's second leadoff hit of the night came in the third inning and paved the way for another pair of UTA runs to double its lead 4-0. McLean and McLemore were both plated quickly by Turner's single to center field with no outs.
Houston Baptist threatened in the top of the sixth with its first base runners since the second inning. With Moreland taking over on the mound, HBU pinch hitters Brandon Morones and Zane Otten singled and Austin Zillweger walked to load up the bases; however, Moreland coaxed a fielder's choice to silence Houston Baptist once more.
UTA then erupted for six runs in the eighth inning with minimal effort, running through three HBU arms with one hit, a hit-by-pitch and five walks.
Jerame Littell laced a single to right with bases loaded to score two runs before McLean and McLemore walked in another pair of runs. Pinch hitter Aaron Funk reached on a fielder's choice and a throwing error sent two more runs across to put the run-rule into effect.
The Mavericks return to Sun Belt Conference play against Georgia Southern this weekend at Clay Gould Ballpark. The first pitch for the series opener is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday.
