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JONESBORO, Ark. -- Trae Patterson worked six innings without allowing an earned run and Will Olson went 4-for-4 with six RBI, leading No. 23 UTA to a 15-3 rout at Arkansas State to clinch the series win, on Saturday night at Tomlinson Stadium.

UTA (28-18, 18-5 Sun Belt) improved its overall lead in the Sun Belt by two games. The Mavs have now won nine consecutive conference games, are 10-1 on the road in league action and set a new program record with its 15th win on the road in 2017. UTA has now won seven of its eight conference series and own a two-game lead over Eastern Division leader South Alabama (16-7).

The Mavs exploded for the first 10 runs of the game over the first five innings, allowing just three unearned runs to Arkansas State in the fifth inning.

UTA's 21-hit attack marked a season-best as the Mavs have outscored the Red Wolves 26-10 over the first two games in the series. UTA has now scored in double-digit runs in six of its last 11 games.

ON THE MOUND
A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Patterson (6-3) earned his team-leading ninth quality start of the year, working six strong innings, allowing seven hits and no earned runs, not issuing a walk and striking out eight. He started 18 of the 27 hitters he faced with first-pitch strikes and exited the game with a 13-3 lead in the seventh inning.

Logan Austin took over for Patterson to open the seventh inning, tossing a shutout frame before Adam Meyer took over to open the eighth, working around a leadoff error. Jordon West worked the ninth inning.

Arkansas State (22-23, 10-13 Sun Belt) starter Bradey Welsh (3-2) worked four innings, allowing 11 hits and eight runs - seven earned - walking two and striking out two. Collin Cahill, Zachary Patterson and Derek Birginske each worked in relief.

LEADING THE MAVS
Olson set new career highs in hits and RBI, ripping a pair of doubles. Omar Salinas also added a productive game, going 3-for-4 with a two-run homer - his eighth of the year. UTA also got a three-hit outing from Aaron Funk, who doubled twice. Noah Vaughan and RJ Williams each had two-hit games and Zac Cook, Brady Cox, Colton Turner and Quintin Rohrbaugh helped each UTA starter earn a hit.

HOW THEY SCORED
UTA opened the scoring in the top of the second inning, plating five runs on five hits. Vaughan and Williams led off with singles and Hollie scored Vaughan with a single, spanked off the top of the mound and sailing up the middle. Funk then scored Williams with a chopping infield single. After a pair of outs, Salinas drew a walk to load the bases for Olson. Olson lofted a deep fly ball into the left-centerfield gap that fell for his second double of the game, scoring all three runs for a 5-0 UTA lead.

Hollie added to UTA's lead with his third homer of the year with two outs in the third inning, a no-doubt blast over the leftfield fence.

UTA stretched its advantage in the top of the fourth inning, getting one-out singles from Salinas and Olson. Rohrbaugh then drew a walk to load the bases with one out for Vaughan, who hung a deep sac fly to centerfield to score Salinas. With two outs, Williams reached on a throwing error, allowing Olson to score.

In the top of the fifth, UTA plated two runs on two hits to take a 10-0 lead. Funk doubled to leadoff the inning and Cook singled him home with a knock up the middle. After Cook scampered to third with one out, Olson hung a sac fly to centerfield to give the Mavs a 10-run lead.

Arkansas State plated a run in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Drew Tipton reached on a leadoff error and scored on an RBI single from Joe Schrimpf. After the second out, Garrett Rucker doubled home a pair to cut the UTA lead to 10-3.

The Mavs added three runs in the seventh inning, getting a two-run homer from Salinas and a two-out RBI knock from Williams for a 13-3 lead.

NEXT
The series will conclude on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT at Tomlinson Stadium. UTA will start junior southpaw Jakob Hernandez (5-0, 3.38 ERA) vs. Arkansas State sophomore righty Peyton Culbertson (4-5, 7.22 ERA).