Box Score | Notes

ARLINGTON, Texas -- A ninth-inning grand slam broke open a tie game and lifted Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to a 9-7 win over UTA in the season opener, on Friday afternoon at Clay Gould Ballpark.

UTA (0-1) fell in a 5-0 home after the top of the fifth inning, allowing a three-run first and a two-run fifth. The Mavs, who didn't get a runner into scoring position until the third inning, crawled back with three in the bottom of the fifth inning and tied the game with two in the bottom of the eighth inning.

With the game locked at 5-5 in the top of the ninth inning, after an infield single off the pitching mound kept the inning alive, Harrison Dinicola belted a grand slam over the rightfield fence for a 9-5 lead.

The Mavs didn't quit, plating two runs and getting the tying run into scoring position with two outs for Josh Minjarez. The Islanders escaped with the win after a nifty play on a roller down the third-base line, with TAMU-CC's Jackson Owens fielding the short hop and Dinicola digging the throw out of the dirt at first base.

ON THE MOUND
UTA senior Trae Patterson made his 16th career start in the season opener. The Fort Worth, Texas, native worked five innings, allowing eight hits and five runs, walking one and striking out five. He allowed a three-run first inning and a two-run fifth before giving way to senior Daniekl James to start the sixth inning.

James, a member of the watch list for the national reliever of the year award presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, worked four innings, allowing the decisive four runs on four hits, not issuing a walk and striking out five. He retired the first 10 hitters he faced before allowing the damage in the ninth inning.

Texas A&M-CC starter Dustin Lacaze worked five innings, allowing eight hits and three runs, walking one and striking out four. Cole Carter earned the win with four outs and Chris Cooper worked around the damage in the ninth to finish the win.

LEADING THE MAVS
Omar Salinas led UTA at the plate with three RBI on a 2-for-5 outing, ripping a double. Zac Cook went 2-for-4 with his first career triple, with Minjarez, Phil Berthiaume, RJ Williams and Phil Berthiaume each notching multiple hits. Noah Vaughan and Will Olson each charted knocks as eight of nine position starters reached base safely.

NEXT
The series will resume on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT at Clay Gould Ballpark. UTA will turn to junior right-hander Ka'ikepono Anderson for his UTA debut on the mound.

HOW THEY SCORED
Top first: The Islanders struck first to open the game as Luke Marbach worked a full-count walk to lead off. After a strikeout, Nick Anderson reached on an infield single, with Marbach just beating the throw as the lead runner in an attempted force out. Dalton Stark then dropped a single into shallow rightfield to load the bases with one out. Jackson Owens beat out the back end of a double play to allow Marbach to score and put runners on the corners with one out. Thomas Jeffries doubled down the leftfield line to score a pair and give TAMU-CC a 3-0 lead.

Top fifth: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi added on in the fifth inning, taking a 5-0 lead. Drake Osborn led off with a double into the right-centerfield gap, scoring on Dinicola's RBI double, with Anderson scoring Dinicola with a RBI knock to rightfield.

Bottom fifth: UTA got on the board to cut the lead to 5-3. Cook, Minjarez and Berthiaume each led off with singles, with Berthiaume's scoring Cook from second base. After a pair of outs, UTA loaded the bases for Salinas, who snuck a two-run single through the right side to score Minjarez and Berthiaume.

Bottom eighth: The Mavs rallied from behind to tie the game at 5-5. Olson led off with a full-count walk and scored after Cook ripped his first career triple into the right-centerfield gap. Minjarez then evened up the game after hanging a sac fly to rightfield, with Cook sliding in ahead of the tag.

Top ninth: After the leadoff hitter was retired, Steven Rivera-Chijin singled to centerfield, Drake Osborn singled to left and Luke Marbach bounced a grounder off the mound and James to keep the frame alive and load the bases for Dinicola, who turned on a pitch and hit it over the rightfield fence for a grand slam.

Bottom ninth: The Mavs greeted Cooper with a leadoff single and walk to open the inning, with the runners taking a base on a passed ball and Williams scoring on a wild pitch. Salinas then scored Vaughan with a double into the gap.

FOLLOW THE MAVS SOCIALLY
For up-to-date news, photos, videos and updates you can follow UTA sports program online at UTAMavs.com or via any of several social media accounts on Twitter @UTAMavs, Instagram @UTAMavs, Snapchat @UTAMavsand Facebook at UTArlingtonAthletics. Follow UTA baseball on Twitter @UTArlingtonBSB and on Facebook at UTArlingtonBaseball.