Box Score LAFAYETTE, La. -- Easton Johnson smacked a one-out walk-off single up the middle to score Boone Montgomery with the walk-off run in the bottom of the 10th inning, lifting UTA baseball to a 5-4 win over Arkansas State, in the first round of the 2018 Sun Belt Conference Championships, on Tuesday evening at Louisiana's M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.
UTA (22-33) saw its early 2-1 lead evaporate after allowing three runs on four hits in the seventh inning. The Mavs managed to fight back in the eighth inning to tie the game at 4-4 before Johnson's heroics in the bottom of the 10th inning. The rally started after Josh Minjarez was plunked by a one-out pitch in the face, with Mongtomery replacing him as a pinch runner. Pinch hitter Aaron Funk then drew a walk to put a pair on base for Johnson.
Johnson drilled an RBI single up the middle, skidding off the edge of the glove of Arkansas State (20-32) pitcher Peyton Culbertson (2-5), allowing Montgomery to motor home from second.
The Mavs opened the scoring with a solo shot in the second inning and reclaimed the lead in the fifth inning after a 50-minute lightening delay. The RedWolves answered with a three-run seventh before UTA responded with two in the bottom of the eighth.
LEADING THE MAVS
The Mavs were highlighted by the 14th homer of the year from junior centerfielder Noah Vaughan. Vaughan's 14 homers ranks fifth in UTA single season history and his 23 career blasts is seventh best. Senior Christian Hollie went 3-for-4 and Vaughan was 2-for-3 with two walks. Johnson went 2-for-4 with a walk, with Zac Cook and Omar Salinas adding knocks.
ON THE MOUND
Ka'ikpeono Anderson worked four innings, allowing three hits and one run, walking four and striking out four. In a 1-1 game, UTA turned to Logan Austin to open the fifth inning. Austin worked 2.2 innings, allowing four hits and two runs, walking three and striking out four. Andrew Gross took over for Austin and escaped the seventh-inning jam. Gross retired all four hitters he faced with one strikeout before giving way to Daniel James (2-5) in a tie game to open the ninth. James earned the win with two perfect inning in relief, fanning three.
Bradey Welsh worked 4.2 innings, allowing four this and two runs, walking three and striking out three. After the near-hour delay in the fifth, Bo Ritter took over in relief. Ritter worked three innings, allowing two runs before Culbertson replaced him in the eighth. Culberton worked 1.2 innings, allowing a run on two hits and two walks.
NEXT
UTA faces No. 15 Coastal Carolina on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. CT in a game broadcast live on ESPN+.
HOW THEY SCORED
Vaughan opened the scoring for the Mavs in the bottom of the second inning, leading off with an opposite-field homer, lined over the leftfield fence. It marked his 14th homer of the year, the fifth-most in UTA single-season history.
Arkansas State evened the scoring in the top of the fourth inning, getting a two-out RBI single from Casey Vaughan into leftfield.
After a 50-minute lightening delay, the game resumed in the bottom of the fifth inning, with the Mavs rallying to take the lead after the delay. Williams reached on a one-out fielder's choice and Olson followed with a walk to take it to the delay. Hollie walked to open the resumption, loading the bases for Vaughan. A wild pitch allowed Williams to scamper home from third with a head-first slide to give UTA a 2-1 lead.
A-State immediately threatened in the top of the sixth inning but Austin responded after a leadoff triple to strikeout the side to keep the Mavs in front.
In the top of the seventh inning, Arkansas State loaded the bases with two outs. Winston Welch scored a pair with a two-run single up the middle. Tobias Johnson then followed with a run-scoring single through the right side.
UTA rallied in the bottom of the eighth inning, getting leadoff hits from Hollie and Vaughan. After a wild pitch forced both runners into scoring position, Salinas scored Hollie with an RBI groundout. Minjarez then tied the game with a sac fly to leftfield.
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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 @UTAMavs and Facebook at UTArlingtonAthletics. Follow UTA baseball on Twitter @UTArlingtonBSB and on Facebook at UTArlingtonBaseball.
