Box Score | Notes

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- UTA plated five runs in the top of the 18th inning to post a 5-1 win at No. 6 Texas A&M, in the longest game in Aggie baseball history on Tuesday night in front of 5,553 at Blue Bell Park.

UTA (5-9) handed Texas A&M (16-2) just its second loss of the year, coming in the longest game played in Aggie baseball history. UTA's 18-inning win was its longest since playing 19 innings vs. McNeese State in 2014. A total of 151 hitters came to the plate during the game that lasted five hours and 41 minutes, ending after 12 a.m. CT.

After the teams traded scoreless innings for the first 17 frames, the Mavs took advantage of a three-base error after a leadoff knock in the 18th. UTA added five runs in the top of the 18th and was able to secure the historic win in the bottom of the inning despite balking in a run with two outs.

It marked the first top-25 win of the year for the Mavericks, who have bested a top-25 opponent in five consecutive seasons after a school-record five top-25 wins in 2017. It marked UTA's second consecutive season beating Texas A&M, topping the Aggies in 2017 at Clay Gould Ballpark.

The win was led by a bevy of dynamic pitching performances for the Mavericks, who entered the game with a 6.38 team ERA and faced off with an Aggie team hitting .328. Carlos Tavera, Logan Austin and Andrew Gross each fired at least 4.2 shutout innings in relief. Tavera entered the game with a 12.20 ERA, Austin a 14.70 ERA and Gross a 9.00 ERA early in the year. After a Dylan Schneider inning in the 18th, he was joined by lefty Jake Wilcox, who retired a lefty in the fifth, as the Mavs used five pitchers to combined to throw a one-run, 18-inning gem, issuing 11 walks and striking out 11.

LEADING THE MAVS
UTA outhit an opponent for the first time in 2018, collecting 13 hits in the marathon game. Zac Cook came off the bench to go 3-for-4 with an RBI and two steals, with Omar Salinas, Aaron Funk and Josh Minjarez each collecting multi-hit games. RJ Williams, Noah Vaughan, Christian Hollie and Jakob Nunez each added hits.

ON THE MOUND
Tavera made his first career start in his fifth career outing. Tavera spun a gem, allowing three hits and four walks, striking out three without allowing an earned run. With two on and one out, Wilcox came on in relief in the fifth inning, retiring a lefty before Logan Austin escaped the jam to strand runners on the corners in a scoreless game.

Austin fired the best outing of his career, working a career-long 5.2 innings, allowing two hits - both in the 11th inning - and walking one, striking out three. With a pair of one-out singles in the 11th, the Mavs turned to Gross in relief.

Gross, a native of Chandler, Ariz., worked 6.2 shutout innings to earn his first career win, allowing four hits and five walks, striking out four. Schneider worked the 18th inning to finish off the win.

TAMU starter Chandler Jozwiak worked four-plus innings, allowing two hits and one walk, striking out five before exiting with after a leadoff walk started the fifth. Nolan Hoffman was summoned in the fifth inning in relief of Jozwiak and worked out of the jam. Hoffman got five outs, allowing just a one-out walk and was replaced for a lefty-lefty matchup in the sixth inning by Kaylor Chafin. Chafin got a pair of outs before Cason Sherrod came on with two on and one out in the seventh. Sherrod matched Austin throughout the late innings, working a dynamite 5.2 innings, allowing five hits and no runs, walking one and striking out three. Asa Lacy opened the 13th inning and turned in a dynamic outing, working 4.2 innings, allowing two hits and one walk, striking out five.

Jason Ruffcorn (0-1) came on in the 17th inning with two outs and escaped the jam and after a leadoff single in the 18th, Kyle Richardson took over in relief. Richardson allowed a pair of unearned runs to score before Dustin Saenz and Mason Cole worked in the 18th.

NEXT
The Mavericks will return to action on Wednesday, hosting Minnesota at 6:30 p.m. CT at Clay Gould Ballpark. The game will be broadcast live on UTAMavs.com, with the Voice of the Mavs, Josh Sours, calling the action. UTA will start freshman right-hander Cody Wernli (0-0, 0.00 ERA) and Minnesota will start freshman righty Joshua Culliver (1-1, 4.61 ERA).

HOW THEY SCORED
The scoring finally happened in the 18th inning as Williams led off with a single into rightfield. After a pitching chance, Vaughan lined to rightfield, with the ball skidding under the glove of the outfielder for a three-base error, allowing Williams to motor home with a 1-0 lead. Cook then followed with a ringing single to rightfield to score Vaughan. UTA then loaded the bases behind a walk from Funk and Olson, with Minjarez chopping a grounder to the right side with the throw to the plate sailing wide to allow Funk and Salinas to score.

The Aggies got a runner to third with two outs after a leadoff walk in the bottom of the 18th inning, with a balk called to force in the lone rune of the game.

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.