March 14, 2018

Box Score | Notes

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Noah Vaughan collected two triples and UTA got homers from Christian Hollie and Jakob Nunez in a 13-5 win over Minnesota, on Wednesday night at Clay Gould Ballpark.

UTA (6-9) pounded out a season high 13 runs in the win over Minnesota (12-7), getting it second multi-homer game of the year. The win came hours after the Mavericks posted an 18-inning win at No. 6 Texas A&M on Tuesday night, returning to campus after 4 a.m. CT. UTA played Minnesota later in the day on Wednesday, using a two-run homer in the second from Nunez and a seven-run fourth inning to bust open the win.

LEADING THE MAVS
UTA outhit its opponent for the second consecutive game, collecting 11 knocks, including the homers from Nunez and Hollie. UTA also got a pair of triples from Vaughan, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI.

Vaughan now has five triples on the year - the sixth most in UTA single-season history - and tied Hunter Pence for seventh with 11 career triples.

Hollie and Nunez each drive in three, with RJ Williams and Omar Salinas each adding two hits. Aaron Funk had a hit and Zac Cook drew a pair of walks.

ON THE MOUND
UTA started redshirt freshman Cody Wernli for his first career start. Wernli worked two innings, allowing a pair of hits and an unearned run, striking out one. With a 2-1 lead to open the third, Drew Gooch came on in relief.

Gooch worked his longest outing since tossing 2.1 innings vs. Texas Tech as a member of TCU, working two innings, allowing three hits and three runs. David Moffat (1-4) escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth and worked four innings, allowig a run and a walk, striking out four. Ryan Buss worked the ninth.

Minnesota starter Joshua Culliver (1-2) worked 3.2 innings, allowing three hits and five runs, walking three and striking out two. The Gophers also used Sam Bridges, Fred Manke, Jackson Rose, Danny Kapala and Drew Hmielewski in relief.

NEXT
The Mavs will return to action on Friday, opening a three-game series with Georgia State at 6:30 p.m. CT at Clay Gould Ballpark.

HOW THEY SCORED
Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, getting a leadoff single from Luke Petterson. After a dropped fly ball and a groundout pushed Petterson to third base with one out, Toby Hanson hung a sac fly to score the first run of the game.

The Mavs took their first lead in the second inning, getting a leadoff single from Salinas up the middle. Nunez then pulled his first career homer, a two-run blast on a 2-0 offering down the leftfield line to put the Mavs up 2-1.

The Gophers evened it up in the top of the third inning, getting a leadoff walk from Petterson, who took second on a single and stole third base with one out. Hanson's second sac fly of the game scored Petterson.

The Mavs regained the lead in the fourth inning, getting a leadoff walk from Salinas, who took second on a wild pitch. Nunez then chopped a grounder up the middle, with the all-or-nothing scoop attempt at shortstop allowing the ball to skid into the outfield, with Salinas scoring from second. After advancing to third with two outs, Nunez scored on a wild pitch. Williams then spanked an RBI single through the right side, scoring Zac Cook. Vaughan scored a pair with a one-hop triple off the wall in leftfield. Hollie followed with a no-doubt, two-run homer over the leftfield fence.

Minnesota answered in the top of the fifth inning, as the Mavs walked in a run with the bases loaded and then turned a bases-loaded double play.

The Gophers cut into the lead in the sixth inning, getting a triple from Ben Messenga, who score on a single fro Alex Boxwell through the right side.

UTA rallied in the bottom of the sixth, getting leadoff knocks from Funk and Williams. Vaughan was then plunked by a pitch to load the bases for Hollie, who drew a five-pitch walk to score Funk for a 10-5 lead. Olson greeted a new reliever with a sac fly to deep centerfield, scoring Funk.

The Mavs added on in the eighth inning, getting a one-run triple from Vaughan, scoring Williams from first base. Vaughan then scored on a wild pitch.

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