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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Little Rock plated two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to erase a one-run UTA lead and post a 5-4 win over the Mavericks in the series rubber match, on Sunday afternoon at Clay Gould Ballpark.

UTA (11-11, 4-2 Sun Belt) took a one-run lead into the eighth inning but Little Rock (13-10, 4-2 Sun Belt) rallied with a game-tying homer and a two-out run to take a 5-4 lead into the ninth.

It marked the first series loss of conference play for the Mavs, who won the middle game of the series, 15-12 after a six-RBI, four-hit game from Zac Cook.

LEADING THE MAVS
The Mavs collected 10 hits in the game, getting two-hit outings from Noah Vaughan, Omar Salinas and Boone Montgomery. Salinas and Christian Hollie extended their hitting streaks to 10 games, with UTA also getting a knock from RJ Williams, Will Olson and David Renning. Cook drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

ON THE MOUND
UTA starter Ka'ikepono Anderson worked 4.1 innings, allowing three hits and three runs, walking two and striking out three. After retiring the leadoff hitter to open the fifth, UTA called on senior southpaw Ryan Buss in relief. Buss escaped the jam and tied his career long with 3.1 innings, allowing two hits - including the game-tying homer in the eighth - not issuing a walk and equaling his career best with three strikeouts.

Senior righty Daniel James (0-2) came on in the eighth inning with two outs and got one out on two hits, allowing the decisive run to score.

Little Rock starter Ethan Dailly worked three-plus innings, allowing six hits and three runs, walking two and striking out four. Little Rock also used Hayden Arnold, Donavin Buck and Justin Garcia in relief. Garcia (2-1) earned the win with two perfect innings in relief, fanning three.

NEXT
The Mavs return to action on Tuesday, opening a four-game homestand with No. 22 Sam Houston State at 6:30 p.m. CT at Clay Gould Ballpark.

HOW THEY SCORED
In the top of the third inning, the Mavs mounted a run-scoring rally. Renning led off with a full-count walk and Montgomery ripped a double into the gap in left-centerfield, his first career hit. With the infield in, Williams chopped a one-out grounder in the hole, allowing Renning to score from third. Vaughan then grounded a single in the hole, allowing Montgomery to score from third on the infield single.

UTA added on in the fourth inning to chase Dailly, getting a leadoff walk from Olson on four pitches and Salinas pushed Olson to third with a single to rightfield. Minjarez then greated the new reliever with a groundout to third, allowing Olson to score.

Little Rock tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, loading the bases with two outs after an infield hit, walk and single to right. James Gann then cleared the bases with a double, painted down the leftfield line.

One-out singles from Salinas, Renning and Montgomery loaded the bases in the top of the sixth inning. Cook then lined a sac fly to leftfield, allowing Salinas to score for a 4-3 UTA lead.

Matt Merino tied it up in the eighth inning belting his fifth homer of the year over the leftfield fence. Kale Emshoff doubled with two outs and scored on an RBI single from Chase Coker for a 5-4 lead.

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