Box Score | Notes

ARLINGTON, Texas -- In a battle of the top two teams in the standings in the Sun Belt Conference, UTA posted wins in each of the first two contests, including a 10-2 win over No. 20 Louisiana on Sunday to clinch the series in the first game of a series-concluding doubleheader at Clay Gould Ballpark.

UTA (25-17, 15-5 Sun Belt) improved its lead in the Sun Belt Conference regular-season race with the pair of wins over Louisiana (27-16-1, 13-6-1 Sun Belt) to open the series. The Mavs have now won seven straight games, their longest streak since 2014, have won nine of their last 10 and 13 of their last 16 games.

The series win marked UTAs first three-game series win over Louisiana since 1976.

The Mavs opened the scoring with a four-run third inning, with Louisiana getting two runs back with a homer in the sixth. The Mavs then scored the next six runs, with two-run innings in each the sixth, seventh and eighth.

ON THE MOUND
UTA junior Trae Patterson (4-3) made his 11th start of the year. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Patterson tossed his seventh quality start of the year, working seven innings, allowing five hits and two runs, walking two and striking out six. He allowed only damage in the sixth inning, a two-run homer with one out. He started 21 of 30 hitters with first-pitch strikes working in and out of trouble throughout the game to strand seven runners on base.

With a six-run lead entering the eighth inning, UTA turned to senior Austin Gardner in relief. Gardner worked the final two innings in his team-leading 21st relief appearance.

Leger (8-1) was on a limited pitch count after he was scrapped from his scheduled Friday-night start. A leading candidate for national pitcher of the year awards, Leger worked 2.2 innings, allowing six hits and four runs - three earned - walking two and striking out two on 54 pitches. His started upped the conference-leading ERA total for the lefty to 1.63.

Leger didn't allow damage until a two-out rally for the Mavs in the third and was replaced by Evan Guillory in relief. Guillory turned in 4.1 innings, allowing three hits and four runs - one earned - walking three and striking out two.

LEADING THE MAVS
Senior Brady Cox had a two-hit game at the plate for the Mavs, with RJ Williams driving in three and charting three hits. UTA also got two-hit games from Quintin Rohrbaugh and Christian Hollie. UTA also got hits from Omar Salinas, Noah Vaughan and Easton Johnson.

HOW THEY SCORED
The Mavs got on the board in the bottom of the third inning, chasing Leger. Salinas drew a one-out, full-count walk to open the rally and after the second out, Rohrbaugh reached on an infield knock, with the throw from shallow leftfield skidding by at first base to allow Salinas to motor to third. Vaughan then singled on a 0-1 offering from Leger to score Salinas from third and give the Mavs a 1-0 lead. Williams followed with a hard-hit double through the right side, rolling into the gap in right-centerfield to score Rohrbaugh with an aware Vaughan plating all the way from first on a ball that bounced through the infield. Hollie then scored Vaughan with a fly ball to rightfield that was dropped.

The Cajuns cut the UTA lead in half in the top of the sixth inning, getting a leadoff single to rightfield from Keenon Fontenot. After a strikeout, Alex Pinero lifted his fourth home run of the year over the leftfield fence.

UTA got the two runs back in the bottom of the sixth inning, with Williams reaching on a misfired throw to leadoff the frame, taking second on a sac bunt, with Johnson getting plunked by a one-out pitch to put a pair of runners on. Cox then pushed a two-run double inside the first-base bag, scoring Williams and Johnson for a 6-2 lead.

The Mavs added to their lead in the seventh inning, getting a one-out HBP from Rohrbaugh and a walk from Vaughan. A throwing error allowed UTA to load the bases with one out. Hollie scored Rohrbaugh with a shallow single into no-man's land in rightfield. Johnson then drew a five-pitch walk with the bases juiced to force home Vaughan for an 8-2 UTA lead.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, UTA got a leadoff single from Salinas and Rohrbaugh was hit by a one-out pitch. After Vaughan replaced Rohrbaugh on a fielder's choice, Williams fought off a 2-2 offering for a RBI single, scoring Salinas. Hollie then lofted his second hit of the game into leftfield to score Rohrbaugh for a 10-2 lead.

NEXT
The series will conclude later on Sunday at Clay Gould Ballpark.