ARLINGTON, Texas – The 2021 UT Arlington baseball team features an experienced squad in all facets of the game, but none more than the battery.  The Mavericks return over 90 percent of their innings pitched from a season ago, while also returning their main catchers.
 
"Pitching is going to be one of our strengths because of pure depth," said head coach Darin Thomas. "We only lost one pitcher and brought in ten. The freshman class is as good as we've had talent wise."
 
All three weekend starters return after a successful 2020 season that only saw two losses coming from them. Carlos Tavera finished the season as the ace for the Mavs. He went 3-1 with an ERA of 1.71 and a team-high 31 strikeouts. 
 
Left-handed Kody Bullard will look to continue his upward momentum after his 3-1 2020 campaign. Bullard finished with a 2.95 ERA, while striking out 18 batters.
 
Finally, David Moffat returns to the mound after a 2020 season that ranked him as the 21^st ranked Junior pitcher in the country according to D1Baseball.  Moffat put together an outstanding season with an ERA of 0.67.  He allowed just two earned runs over his 27.0 innings pitched, while also striking out 16 batters compared to his four walks.
 
The Mavericks will need to replace Cesar Gomez – UDFA Houston Astros – who was the primary closer for UTA a season ago.  Wyatt Divis and Tanner King will look to replace Gomez in the late innings.  Divis was one of just eight qualifying pitchers in the NCAA in 2020 with a 0.00 ERA, not allowing an earned run in 16.0 innings pitched.  King, meanwhile, led the Mavericks in strikeouts per nine innings (14.3).
 
Altogether, the Mavericks return 95 percent of their strikeouts from a season ago.
 
Newcomers Matt Novis (Tempe, Ariz.; Yavapi College) and Zach Norris (Paris, Texas; Paris Junior College) will both look to make an impact with their arms.
 
Behind the plate, the Mavericks return Sam Gotlieb (Cypress, Texas), Cole Solomon (Coppell, Texas) and Andrew Miller (Frisco, Texas), while also adding freshman Sam Crowell.
 
"We are very fortunate to have multiple guys behind the plate that we can trust to get the job done," said Thomas.
 
Either Gotlieb or Solomon started in all 16 games a season ago, gunning down six runners with just one passed balled.
 
The Mavericks are set to open the season next Friday (Feb. 19) with a three-game series at Corpus Christi. Mav fans will then have an opportunity to see UTA take on Tarleton State (Feb. 23) and Oklahoma (Feb. 24) at Globe Life Field the following week.

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