Box Score | Notes

BOONE, N.C. -- UTA got a season-high 18 runs on 18 hits and a strong start from Kadon Simmons, leading the Mavs to an 18-1 win over Appalachian State in the series opener on Friday, on a brutally cold and windy Friday night at Beaver Field at Smith Stadium.

UTA (15-16, 6-4 Sun Belt Conference) set season highs in runs and hits in an offensive explosion on a wind-blown evening. The Mavs got five run innings in the second and fourth, adding a four-run second and single runs in the seventh and eighth.

ON THE MOUND
A native of Cut & Shoot, Texas, Simmons (4-2) won his 13th career game, coming in rugged wind conditions that saw the Mavs plate nine runs in the first two innings. Simmons worked seven innings, allowing six hits and one run, not issuing a walk and striking out four. It marked the fifth quality start of the year for Simmons and the 13th of his career. He has worked into at least the seventh inning in 17 of 23 career starts and in 12 of his last 15 starts.

Jud Kinzy took over to start the eighth inning, working a shutout inning and Logan Austin pitched the ninth.

Appalachian State junior right-handed starter Travis Holden (1-5) worked 3.1 innings, allowing 12 hits and 11 runs, walking one and striking out three. Appalachian State also used Dallas DeVrieze, Thomas Young and Seth Hardin in relief.

AT THE DISH
UTA got hits from each starter in the lineup, with Phil Berthiaume also adding a two-run homer and Zac Cook a single off the bench. Aaron Funk and Noah Vaughan each had three-hit games and Will Olson cranked his second homer of the week and year, driving in a career high five. RJ Williams and Christian each had two hits, with Easton Johnson, Omar Salinas, Quintin Rohrbaugh and Brady Cox each adding knocks.

HOW THEY SCORED
The Mavs opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, plating five runs on six hits. Williams led off with a double to left-centerfield and Salinas reached on a wind-blown base hit into shallow left-centerfield. Rohrbaugh then drew a full-count walk and Olson followed with a two-run single up the middle. Cox forced in Rohrbaugh with a ground-ball double play and Vaughan followed with an infield single. Hollie then drove in Vaughan with a double down the rightfield line. Funk then tripled to left-centerfield, scoring Vaughan.

In the top of the second, UTA got Williams and Salinas on courtesy of a pair of fielding errors. Rohrbaugh then singled up the middle to score Williams. Olson followed with a three-run homer to centerfield, giving UTA a 9-0 lead.

Appalachian State got on the board in the second, with Drake Zupcic doubling to leadoff, scoring on Conner Leonard's RBI single.

UTA added five runs on five hits in the top of the fourth inning, taking a 14-1 lead. Cox reached one a one-out single, scoring on Vaughan's triple to deep centerfield. Hollie then scored Vaughan with a RBI single to leftfield and Funk reached on a fielding error. The duo then scored on Johnson's double, painted down the rightfield line. Williams singled to leftfield to score Johnson.

In the seventh inning, Cox reached on a dropped third strike, scoring on Funk's sac fly.

Berthiaume got the Mavs a two-run homer in the eighth inning.

In the ninth inning, Cook singled home Vaughan, who had reached on an error to open the frame.

NEXT
The series will resume on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT at Smith Stadium. The Mavs will start junior righty Trae Patterson (2-0, 2.74 ERA).