CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The UT Arlington baseball team dropped a tough season opener on the road to Texas A&M – Corpus Christi by a final score of 11-6.
 
Four pitchers took the mound in the loss. Gabe Starks started for the Mavericks, tossing 2.2 innings while giving up five runs off 4 hits, striking out 4 and walking 3. Matt Novis tossed 2.2 innings, giving up 4 runs, 2 of them earned, off 6 hits, no walks and 2 strikeouts. Novis was tabbed with the loss. Colby Diduch went 1.2 innings, surrendering 2 runs, 1 earned, off 2 hits while walking 1 and punching out 2. Gray Bailey tossed the final inning, surrendering no runs and no hits.
 
Offensively, the Mavericks scored 6 runs on 8 hits, led by senior Steven Saunders' 2 doubles and 2 RBIs. Tyson Pointer and Matt Cavanagh each chipped in with 2 hits, with Cavanagh driving in 1 run. Freshman Ben Lumsden started off his career with an RBI triple in his first collegiate plate appearance. Transfer Garrison Berkley scored twice for the Mavs. 
 
As a team, UTA drew 7 walks while only striking out 6 times. The Mavericks left 11 runners stranded on base compared to the Islanders 5, came back to haunt UTA in the end.
 
The Mavericks jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the top of the 2nd, with Corpus following up with a 2-run bottom of the 2nd. 
 
The Islanders went on to plate 3 in the bottom of the 3rd to take a 5-4 lead. UTA answered back with a run in the top of the 4th to tie the game at 5 runs apiece. 
 
The Islanders would score 2 in the bottom of the 4th and subsequently take the lead for the remainder of the game, scoring a run in each inning besides the bottom of the 8th where they were held scoreless.
 
Game two of the series and of the year will be tomorrow, February 18, at Chapman Field. First pitch is slated for 2 pm.
 
FOLLOW THE MAVS
For the latest news on UTA Baseball, log on to UTAMavs.com or stay connected to the Mavs on social media. Follow the Mavericks on Twitter @UTAMavsBSB, on Instagram @UTAMavsBSB and on Facebook at Facebook.com/UTAMavsBSB.