ARLINGTON, Texas - The UT Arlington Mavericks (1-3) were defeated at Clay Gould Ballpark by the University of Michigan Wolverines (2-2) 9-7 on Monday afternoon.
 
Redshirt-Freshman Cade Citelli (ND, 4.0 IP, 2 H, 4 K, 1 ER) pitched his first collegiate start for UTA. Tanner King (L, 0-2) worked three innings of relief with Jack Hagan (1.0 IP) and Connery Peters (1.0 IP, 0 H, 2 K, 0 BB, 0 ER) finishing the final two innings.
 
In the bottom of the first inning, David VanVooren collected his team-leading eighth hit of the season with an infield single. Two batters later, he would score from first when Oscar Ponce drove a ball to the right-center field gap for a double, giving the Mavs a 1-0 lead.
 
Michigan leveled the score at 1-1 in the top of the second when Jack VanRemortel doubled to the warning track in left field, plating Joe Stewart.
 
The score would remain even until the fifth inning when Stewart cleared the left field fence for a two-out, three-run home run lifting the Wolverines to a 4-1 lead.
 
UTA would answer in the bottom half of the fifth, quickly loading the bases with Boone Montgomery scoring on an infield ground ball cutting the deficit to 4-2.
 
The opposing bats would leadoff the sixth with consecutive singles before Tanner King (3.0 IP, 5 K) would lock the visitors down, recording three consecutive outs and keeping the game within striking distance. Sam Crowell would take advantage in the home half of the inning with a double to left-center field, followed by a first-pitch RBI single from Matt Cavanagh closing the gap to 4-3 for the Mavericks.
 
King would return for the seventh and retire the side in order before giving away a leadoff single in the eighth and turning the game over to Jack Hagan. The Wolverines added two runs on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single from Ted Burton and Matt Frey, respectively. Jimmy Obertop would then single to place runners at first and second with two outs. Tito Flores would then take a 1-0 offering over the left field fence to widen the Michigan lead to 9-3.
 
Sparked by a full-count, two-out walk to Zach Henry and an Oscar Ponce hit by pitch, the Mavericks refused to go away quietly in the ninth. Wilson Galvan sliced a double down the left field line to bring in Henry. Transfer Cade Sumbler stepped into the box as a pinch hitter for his first collegiate at bat, ultimately lifting a two-RBI single to left field pulling UTA closer. 
 
Jaden Brown then belted a double to the foot of the right field wall, scoring Sumbler to reduce the lead to 9-7 and putting the tying run at the plate. Freshman Tanner Rice stepped in as a pinch hitter and punched a ball into the left field gap that had just enough air under it to be recorded as the final out of the game.
 
"It's disappointing to go 1-3 but it's very early," head coach Darin Thomas said. "It's tough to play four on opening weekend but I was proud of our guys for sticking in there."
 
The Mavericks are set for their first road trip of the season beginning on Friday night (February 25) with a three-game set against the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks.

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