March 4, 2018

Box Score | Notes

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Wright State used a four-run first inning to build an early lead and hold off UTA baseball to post a 7-2 win over the Mavericks to claim the rubber match of the three-game series, on a cloudy Sunday afternoon at Clay Gould Ballpark.

UTA (4-5) fell behind to Wright State (5-6) after allowing a four-run first inning and a two-run fifth, with the Mavs getting single runs in the third and sixth innings.

The series win for the Raiders marks their second consecutive. Last weekend, Wright State became the first time in six years to win a series at Louisiana, taking two of three from the Ragin' Cajuns.

ON THE MOUND
UTA starter Trae Patterson (0-1) worked five innings, allowing seven hits and six runs - five earned - walking three and striking out two.

He was relieved in the sixth inning by junior right-hander Tristan Tom. Tom worked the sixth and Carlos Tavera worked a shutout seventh. Jake Wilcox and Andrew Gross combined to work the eighth and Parker Schkade worked the ninth.

Wright State starter Caleb Sampen worked two shutout innings, allowing a hit and striking out two but suffered an injury in between the top of the third and bottom of the inning. Bear Bellomy (1-1) took over to open the bottom of the third. Bellomy worked 3.2 innings, allowing two hits and two runs, walking two and striking out three. Daniel Kreuzer came on in relief and worked the final 3.1 innings for the save.

LEADING THE MAVS
UTA was held to five hits in the game, getting a solo homer from RJ Williams, his first of the year, and hits from Noah Vaugha, Omar Salinas, Christian Hollie and Will Olson. Salinas added a pair of walks.

NEXT
The Mavs will return to action on Tuesday, hosting Baylor at 7 p.m. CT at Globe Life Ballpark. Tickets are available on UTAtickets.com. The game will be broadcast live on UTAMavs.com, with the Voice of the Mavericks, Josh Sours, calling the action.

HOW THEY SCORED
Wright State opened the game with a run in the top of the first inning, getting a one-out single from Damon Dues to spark a rally. With Dues in motion at first, Peyton Burdick doubled down the rightfield line, scoring Dues. After a groundout, JD Orr ripped a RBI double into the gap to score Burdick from second and Burdick was plated on an RBI single to left from Zach Weatherford. Orr was able to score on a wild pitch to give the Raiders a 4-0 lead.

The Mavs got a run back in the bottom of the third inning, as Williams smashed a 1-2 offering over the leftfield fence for his first homer of the year and the fourth of his career.

Wright State opened up the game in the fifth inning, taking a five-run lead. Matt Morrow led off with a single and Dues drew a walk. After a pop out and a hard-hit lineout put two runners in scoring position with two outs, Orr pulled a two-run single into rightfield to score Morrow and Dues.

UTA chased Bellomy with a run in the sixth inning, with Salinas drawing a four-pitch, two-out walk. After Hollie fought to get the count to 3-2, he pulled a double down the leftfield line, scoring a motoring Salinas from first.

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