ARLINGTON, Texas – UTA scored three runs in the eighth to take down Coastal Carolina, 6-3, in Sunday's series finale at Clay Gould Ballpark.
"It's never going to be easy, but I was proud of our guys for putting four runs up late," said head coach
Darin Thomas. "(David) Moffat pitched outstanding today, he was really good against a really good offensive club. We pitched it well and had some timely hits. I'm glad we won, because it just makes Senior Day even better."
With the win, the Mavericks improve to 30-21 overall and 16-10 in Sun Belt play, while the 2016 NCAA National Champs fall to 28-21-1 on the season and 13-12 in SBC action.
Anthony Dominguez (3-for-4, BB, 2 RBIs, run),
Zac Cook (2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBIs, 2 runs) and
Will Olson (1-for-2, SF, BB, 2 RBIs) all had two RBIs on the day.
UTA starter
David Moffat had a solid outing for the Mavericks. He tossed 6.1 innings, gave up five hits with one earned run and racked up eight Ks. Reliever
Wyatt Divis (4-0) pitched a clean eighth inning and picked up the win, while closer
Andrew Gross secured his nation-leading 17th save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth. Gross is now just one save away from tying the Sun Belt single-season saves record. The SBC record for saves in a season is 18 (Hugh Adams - FAU, 2013).
Just like in the series opener on Friday, the Mavericks got on the board first on a base hit from Dominguez, who slapped a single through the left side to score
Connor Aube (1-0).
The Mavs got a two-out RBI single from Olson in the bottom of the fifth to double their lead (2-0).
CCU finally broke through in the top of the seventh. A two-run single through the right side of the infield tied the game at 2-2. On the very next pitch, a wild pitch allowed another run to cross and the visitors took their first lead of the day (3-2).
UTA responded quickly in the bottom of the frame as a lead-off walk and a double to left field set up a sac fly for Olson to even the score at 3-3.
After Divis pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the eighth, the Mavs retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run double by Cook to put the home team in front at 5-3. Dominguez followed with an RBI-single to plate Cook and give the Mavs a 6-3 advantage heading into the ninth inning.
The Mavs called on the NCAA's leader in saves in Gross who sent the Chants down in order in the ninth in the win.
The Mavericks will now hit the road for the final four games of the 2019 regular season. UTA head to Waco to face No. 14 Baylor (May 14), before making the trip to San Marcos to face Texas State (May 16-18).
