Box Score

By Cassie Logan | @c4ssielogan

ARLINGTON, Texas - Deadlocked at three apiece in the top of the 12th inning, Texas State's Mickey Scott delivered an RBI single to cap a 4-3 victory over UT Arlington in the series opener Thursday night at Clay Could Ballpark.

UTA (28-25, 14-14 SBC) scraped up just five hits on the night, three coming from Brady Cox, as Texas State (29-25, 15-13) needed just eight knocks to take Game 1. The Bobcat pitching staff finished with a season-high 15 strikeouts in ending UTA's season-high five-game winning streak.

"We pitched really well and I thought the disappointing thing tonight was we didn't put the ball in play," UT Arlington coach Darin Thomas said. "We struck out 15 times and they threw good arms at us."

"We have to do a better job of putting it in play and finding something early in the count. Hopefully we'll come out tomorrow with better execution."

Cox was the catalyst for UTA's offensive production as he went 3-for-4 with a triple, run and two RBI. His RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the Mavs a 3-2 lead heading into the ninth, but the Bobcats managed to tie it up on an RBI sacrifice bunt from Luke Sherley to force extra frames.

Jacob Moreland (5-1) took his first loss of the season in four relief innings, dealing two earned runs on two hits, two walks and three strikeouts.

Chase Hodson improved to 4-2 on the year with just one hit and four strikeouts in three frames. Pasquale Mazzoccoli allowed a Darien McLemore single and a two-out walk to pinch hitter Christian Hollie in the 12th, but managed to close out the inning to earn his 13th save.

Back-to-back singles in the opening inning set up Granger Studdard's sacrifice fly to plate the first run of the night for Texas State.

But the Mavs responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the opening inning to go immediately out in front. A one-out walk to RJ Williams was followed by Cox's first triple of the season, tying things at 1-1. Cox then came home to give UTA a 2-1 advantage on an RBI groundout by Quintin Rohrbaugh.

After having six of its seven batters retired in the second and third innings, Texas State opened fire and tied the ballgame at two as Studdard touched home on a one-out RBI single to right field.

Kadon Simmons retired 10 Bobcats in a row following a single that loaded up the bases in the fourth inning. The starter was responsible for two earned runs on six hits, with three punch outs and one walk in taking a no-decision.

Bobcat starter Lucas Humpal yielded to Cory Geisler in the bottom of the fifth after tossing four frames. The righty allowed a pair of earned runs on two hits, four strikeouts and three walks. Geisler tossed one run on one hit, a walk and five strikeouts.

Moreland took the mound in the ninth and was able force a strike out, but gave up the tying run in the form of a sac bunt to tie it up at three. However, Moreland was able to sit Nick Perez down and strand a runner at second.

Cox was the only batter to record a base hit through the 11th and 12th innings until Texas State capitalized on a leadoff walk that plated the go-ahead run on an RBI single to center field.

The Mavs and Bobcats will square off in Game 2 of the conference series at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Clay Could Ballpark.