ARLINGTON, Texas - After falling behind early, the UT Arlington baseball team (7-3) couldn't dig themselves out of the hole, falling 9-5 to the Utah Utes on Saturday afternoon at Clay Gould Ballpark.

Kody Bullard (2-1) picked up the start for the Mavs, giving up three earned runs in five innings pitched.  The Utes scored six total runs off of Bullard and struck out five times.  Brennan Smith and Riley Bost both pitched 2.0 innings to finish the game.  Bost allowed three runs off three hits, including a solo home run.

The Mavericks finished with seven hits, led by Zac Cook's 3-for-3 day at the plate.  Cook scored twice and drove in one run with his third home run of the season. Anthony Dominguez, Andrew Miller, Andrew Keefer and Wyatt Divis each finished with one hit. Dominguez also finished with a team-high two RBI.

The Utes jumped out on top in the second inning. Two walks and a single loaded the bases before Trey Clarkson drove in two runs with a single through the right side.  Two batters later, Chase Fernlund reached on an error by Cook, scoring the third run of the day before a sac bunt laid down by Briley Knight made it a 4-0 game.

UTA cut the lead in half in the third inning coming off back-to-back singles from Andrew Miller and Andrew Keefer.

In the bottom of the 5th, Cook blasted a solo shot to start the inning and make it a one-run ball game, but the Utes quickly slowed any momentum.

In the next half inning Utah scored two runs off singles to the outfield to push the score to 6-3.

The Mavericks put runners on the corners to start the seventh inning.  Dominguez grounded into a double play, but scored a run to make it a two-run game.

Just as the rest of the game had gone, the Utes turned the momentum in their favor. Utah plated two runs in the 8th to once again double the Maverick score, 8-4.

An inning later, the Utes would get a security run coming off a Trey Clarkson solo home run to make it a 9-5 game.

The Mavericks tried to rally in the 9th.  Three singles in the inning put runners on the corners and scored a run for the Mavs to make it 9-5 with two outs.  Miller narrowly missed a three-run home run, sailing into foul territory.  Two pitches later he would strike out swinging and end the game.

The Mavericks will be back for the rubber match tomorrow morning (March 1) at 11 a.m. against the Utes at Clay Gould Ballpark.