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ARLINGTON, Texas -- Omar Salinas belted a pair of home runs to help lead UTA to a 6-4 win at ULM in the series opener of the three-game series, on a steamy Friday night at Warhawk Stadium.

UTA (21-17, 11-5 Sun Belt Conference) rode the offensive fireworks of Salinas and a solid start from Kadon Simmons for the win. Salinas' two homers give him seven on the year and he is the first UTA player to belt two home runs in a game since Greg McCall in 2014 vs. Texas State.

The win improves the Mavs to 11-4 on the road and 6-1 in Sun Belt games on the road. Since March, the Mavs are 19-10, with two wins over ranked foes, and have vaulted into the race for the regular-season Sun Belt title. The Mavs, who sit in first place in the Western Division, have now won seven of their last eight and nine of their last 12 games.

ON THE MOUND
Simmons (6-2) worked finished just shy of a quality start. The native of Cut & Shoot, Texas, worked six innings, allowing 10 hits and four runs, walking two and striking out five.

The Mavs turned to senior Austin Gardner after a leadoff single opened the seventh inning. Gardner worked the seventh, allowing the inherited runner to score, but got the next five outs, walking one, allowing two hits and striking out three.

With two runners on, including the tying run on first base in the bottom of the eighth inning with two outs, Daniel James came on in relief. James got the final four outs of the game for his 10th save of the year, tops in the conference.

ULM starter Josh Leone (1-5) worked a quality start, tossing six innings, allowing seven hits and four runs - three earned - walking three and striking out three. Tyler Schwaner took over on the bump to open the seventh inning.

LEADING THE MAVS
The Mavs collected 10 hits in the game, including the three hits and four RBI from Salinas. Will Olson added three hits and a double, with Easton Johnson also ripping a two bagger. RJ Williams, Noah Vaughan and Christian Hollie each contributed hits, with Brady Cox scoring a run with a key walk.

HOW THEY SCORED
ULM got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning, getting a one-out walk from Spencer Hemphill and a single through the right side with two outs from Blake Buckman.

The Mavs answered in the top of the third inning, taking their first lead of the game. Johnson led off the inning with a double, painted down the leftfield line. Williams then singled up the middle, with Johnson scoring from second and Williams scampering to second on an ill-advised throw to the plate. After an out, Salinas pounded the ninth pitch of his at-bat inside the foul pole down the leftfield line, his sixth homer of the year. After an Olson walk, Rohrbaugh replaced him at first with a two-out fielder's choice, with a wild pitch moving Rohrbaugh to scoring position. Vaughan then spanked a two-out RBI single to centerfield, scoring Rohrbaugh for a 4-1 UTA lead.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, ULM cut into the UTA lead. Blake Buckman drew a leadoff walk, scoring from first on a double into the gap from Cade Stone.

ULM rallied again in the sixth inning, getting a leadoff single into shallow centerfield from Hemphill and Anthony Herrera followed with a single. After a popped up bunt attempt and a strikeout, Stone singled through the left side, scoring Hemphill from second, just ahead of the throw from leftfield.

The Mavs took a 6-3 lead in the top of the seventh as Brady Cox drew a walk to leadoff and Salinas belted his seventh homer of the year and the second of the game over the right-centerfield fence.

ULM got a run back in the seventh inning, chasing Simmons. Chad Bell led off with a single to centerfield and after a wild pitch and a pair of outs advanced him to third, Hemphill doubled to leftfield to score Bell.

NEXT
The series will resume on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT at Warhawk Stadium. UTA will turn to junior righty Trae Patterson (3-3, 3.28 ERA) for the start.