Box Score | Notes

ARLINGTON, Texas -- A two-out, two-run home run in the eighth inning from Troy's Mason Rogers erased UTA's lead, minimalized a two-homer game from UTA's Omar Salinas and handed the Mavs a 13-5 loss, with Troy avoiding the sweep, on a cloudy Saturday afternoon at Clay Gould Ballpark.

UTA (14-15, 5-4 Sun Belt Conference) rolled into the top of the seventh inning with a 5-1 lead on the strength of two homers from Salinas, who cranked three homers during the week and drove in 11 runs.

Troy (14-12, 4-5 Sun Belt) rallied with a pair of runs in the seventh and got the two-out, two-run homer from Rogers, lined the opposite way just inside the foul pole in the eighth inning to take the lead. Troy continued to score in the ninth, getting seven across to take a commanding lead, finishing with 11 unanswered runs over the final three frames against a traditionally stout UTA bullpen.

The loss for UTA kept the Mavs from their first series sweep in Sun Belt play. UTA opened the series with a 5-2 win in the first game of a doubleheader and clinched the series win with a 9-6 win in the nightcap on Friday.

ON THE MOUND
Hernandez worked his third straight quality start, bouncing back after allowing single runs - just one earned - in the second and third innings to fire a strong outing. Hernandez worked six innings, allowing five hits and three walks, striking out three over 110 pitches.

UTA turned to southpaw Brad Vassar to start the seventh inning with a 5-2 lead. Vassar faced two hitters, hitting the leadoff hitter with a 3-0 offering and allowing a RBI double. Austin Gardner replaced Vassar with the tying run at the plate in the seventh inning. Gardner was able to get through the seventh with the tying run stranded at third.

Adam Meyer (0-3) took over in the eighth inning and allowed a pair of runs in the inning for the loss. Matt Michalski, Dylan Schneider and Jordon West combined to work the ninth.

Troy starter Austin Crook suffered his first loss of the season, as the fifth-year senior right-hander allowed seven hits and five runs over five innings, not walking a hitter or issuing a strikeout. Crook, the defending Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week, was coming off an outing that saw him throw 158 pitches and strike out 14 over 8.2 innings vs. No. 14 Louisiana. Troy also used Corey Childress (2-2), who worked two shutout innings for the win. Marc Skinner got the final six outs for his league-leading seventh save of the year.

AT THE DISH
The Mavs collected seven hits in the game, with Salinas driving in all five runs with his pair of homers. UTA also got a two-hit game from RJ Williams, with Quintin Rohrbaugh and Will Olson each adding hits.

HOW THEY SCORED
Troy got on the board in the top of the second as Trevor Davis led off with a rocket single up the middle and Justin Friend followed with a shallow bloop down the rightfield line to put runners on the corners with no outs. Hernandez then induced a double play ball, with Davis scoring on the play.

The Trojans added a run in the third inning with Drew Fredric working a full-count walk to leadoff, taking second on a passed ball and third on a steal. Davis then scored him with an infield single on the left side.

UTA got on the board and took the lead in the bottom of the third inning, plating three runs on four hits. Williams led off with an opposite-field double and Hollie reached on hard-hit infield single that bounced off the wickets of the third baseman. Salinas then smashed a laser home run over the rightfield fence, his fourth of the year and his second straight game with a blast.

In the bottom of the fifth, Salinas struck again, as Hollie was plunked to leadoff the inning and Salinas hooked his second homer of the year inside the foul pole down the rightfield line.

Troy answered in the seventh inning as Steven Whitaker was plunked on a 3-0 pitch and Mason Rogers smashed the second pitch he saw down the leftfield line to score Whitaker. Matt Sanders then scored Rogers with a single into shallow leftfield.

In the eighth, Troy took its first lead of the game on a two-run homer from Rogers, scoring Justin Friend, who opened the inning with a two-strike single.

Troy added on in the ninth, loading the bases on a walk and hit batter to open the inning, before a bunt single juiced the bags for Brandon Lockridge. Lockridge doubled into the gap to score a pair. UTA then walked in a run to make it 9-5.

NEXT
The Mavs will return to action on Tuesday, hosting No. 3 TCU at 6:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday at Clay Gould Ballpark.