ARLINGTON, Texas – The UT Arlington baseball team (17-16, 7-5 WAC) earned their first series sweep of the season and capped off a perfect 4-0 week after downing Utah Tech (8-23, 3-9 WAC) 11-9 on Saturday afternoon at Clay Gould Ballpark.
This marks the first three-game series sweep for the Mavs since the 2021 season, back when UTA swept the Trojans of Little Rock from May 1-2. There was a doubleheader on May 2. The Mavs now hold a four-game winning streak, matching their season high and moving their home record to 7-5.
The UTA bats stayed hot, collecting 14 hits as a team and were led by
Tyce Armstrong who had a career day, finishing with four hits in four at-bats and driving in four runs. One of those hits came via a double and he also scored one run.
Sam Crowell continued his hot streak, going 2-4 with two doubles while driving in three runs, extending his hitting streak to four games. Crowell finishes the week with seven hits in 15 at-bats for a .467 batting average, hitting three doubles, smashing one home run and collecting seven RBIs while also scoring three runs himself.
Ryan Black,
Tyson Pointer and
Tanner Rice all finished with two hits and one run batted in. Black smashed his sixth home run of the year, a solo shot down the right field line in the bottom of the 5th. Rice collected his first double of the season during the bottom half of the 2nd inning.
Garrison Berkley finished with one hit and one RBI while
Tyler Rice capped off the hits for the Mavs with one for the game. Pointer and
Tyler Rice now hold a three-game hitting streak.
Caden Noah got the start on the mound for the Mavericks, going 1.1 innings in his shortest outing of the season.
Andrew Lucas picked up the victory on the mound for the Mavs, going a strong 2.1 innings while only giving up one hit, striking out one batter and walking two. The win moves Lucas' record to an even 1-1.
Zach Norris pitched the 9th for the Mavs, not allowing a hit and punching out one batter to pick up his second save of the season.
It was a back-and-forth game with five lead changes and one tie. The Trailblazers jumped on the Mavericks early, scoring two out the gate in the 1st inning. The Mavs responded with a four spot in the bottom of the 2nd inning to take a two-run lead, 4-2.
Utah Tech plated four runs in the top of the 4th inning to take a 6-4 lead. UTA chipped away in the bottom half of the inning, scoring one run to make it 6-5.
A big four run 5th inning for the Mavericks put them up 9-6 before the Trailblazers tied it up in the top of the 6th with a three-run inning, 9-9. The Mavs responded, regaining the lead in the bottom of the 7th inning, and plating an insurance run in the bottom of the 8th to claim the victory.
It was a very impressive week for the Mavericks, picking up the four wins but hitting .299 as a team for the week with a .480 slugging percentage while opponents hit .250 and slugged .407. In those four games, UTA had 38 hits, 12 of the double variety with one triple and three home runs. The pitching staff held a 4.75 ERA through the four-game stretch while opponents posted an 8.16 ERA. The staff also mowed down 36 batters during the stretch.
With the win, the Mavs match their total conference wins from a season ago.
NEXT UP
The Mavs travel out west to take on Sacramento State in the Mavs fifth WAC series. Game one is on Friday, April 14, with an 8 p.m. central start time. Game two will be Saturday, April 15, with a 4 p.m. start time and the series will conclude on Sunday, April 16, with first pitch slated for 2 p.m.
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