March 24, 2017
Box Score | Notes
ARLINGTON, Texas -- After working a complete-game shutout in a win over Georgia Southern a year ago, UTA starting pitcher Kadon Simmons carried a shutout into the seventh inning on Friday, lifting the Mavericks to a 3-2 win over the Eagles in the series opener at Clay Gould Ballpark.
UTA (12-11) rode the right arm of Simmons and a first-inning solo homer from Quintin Rohrbaugh to the series-opening win. UTA got single runs in the first, fifth and sixth innings and fought off a late GS rally to post the win, which marked the 12th time UTA's 23 game season that the Mavs have played a game decided by two runs or less.
ON THE MOUND
A native of Cut & Shoot, Texas, Simmons (2-2) worked 7.2 innings, allowing just five hits and two runs, walking four and throwing 93 pitches. He rolled up two double plays, surrendering just the five singles. It marked the 16th time in 21 career starts he worked into at least the seventh inning, including in 11 of his last 13 starts.
After throwing a complete-game shutout in a win vs. GS in 2016, Simmons extended his personal scoreless streak vs. the Eagles to 15.2 innings, before allowing a RBI groundout in the seventh inning. Overall in his career, Simmons has worked 16.2 innings vs. GS in two starts, allowing only seven hits and two runs.
The Mavs turned to lefty Adam Meyer to face three lefties in the GSU order in the eighth inning. Meyer worked around a two-out walk to strand the tying run on second base to end the eighth.
In the ninth inning, UTA turned to Daniel James - the reigning Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week - for his third save chance. A native of Lubbock, Texas, James retired all three hitters he faced - using just eight pitches - for his third save of the year and the fifth of his career.
GS (12-9, 1-2 Sun Belt) starter Evan Challenger (0-4) took the hard-luck loss despite working a complete game. Challenger allowed seven hits and three runs in eight innings, striking out seven.
AT THE DISH
The Mavs collected seven hits in the game, getting a 2-for-3 outing from Rohrbaugh and a two-hit game from Easton Johnson. The Mavs also got two hits from senior Brady Cox and a knock from Will Olson, with RJ Williams driving in a run with a sacrifice fly.
HOW THEY SCORED
Rohrbaugh got the Mavs on the board in the bottom of the first inning, sending a 1-2 offering over the leftfield fence for a two-out, solo homer. It was Rohrbaugh's third homer of the year and the fifth of his career.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, UTA got a run to take a 2-0 lead. Cox led off with a ringing single through the left side and after Noah Vaughan reached on an error while laying down a sacrifice bunt, Colton Turner moved the pair into scoring position with his first career sac bunt. Williams followed with a sac fly to center, scoring Cox.
The Mavs tacked on with two outs in the sixth inning as Johnson singled to shallow leftfield and Rohrbaugh ripped a single into centerfield. Olson followed with a single into center, allowing Johnson to motor around to score.
NEXT
The series will resume on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT at Clay Gould Ballpark. The Mavs will start junior righty Trae Patterson (1-2, 2.51 ERA) vs. GS sophomore right-hander Brian Eichhorn (1-2, 4.15 ERA). The game will be broadcast live on the UTA Radio Network, available on UTAMavs.com with the Voice of UTA Baseball, Josh Sours, calling the action.
