ALPINE, TX (05.04.18) - The UT Dallas baseball team scored five runs on three of its first four hits, then exploded for eight runs late in winning a 13-2, "run rule"-shortened decision over LeTourneau in the opening game of the American Southwest Conference Red Bracket tournament at Sul Ross State's Kokernot Field Friday afternoon.

UTD (26-15) advances in the double-elimination bracket to meet Hardin-Simmons, a 9-2 winner over Sul Ross, at 3 pm Saturday. LETU faces the loser of that game in an elimination contest at 11 am Saturday.

COACH SHANE SHEWMAKE/JAMIE ANDRIOT POST-GAME INTERVIEW

ASC TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

The top five hitters in the Comet batting order were a combined 9-for-14 with four doubles and 12 runs scored as UTD jumped on Yellowjacket starter Luke Ludwig for five runs on four hits and a pair of walks in the first two innings to build a 5-0 lead. UTD then sent 16 hitters to the plate to put the game out of reach in the 5th and 6th innings, tacking on eight more runs on six hits and three LETU errors.
 

Senior Jamie Andriot (10-2) won his 10th game of the season, going the distance with five strikeouts and just two runs allowed. The Yellowjackets scattered eight hits, but had two runners picked off on the base paths and another runner thrown out at the plate to end a 5th inning rally.

Connor Scruggs drove in Josh Covey with the first run of the game, then senior Rodney Corbin (3-for-5, 5 RBIs) brought home Barry Casey and Scruggs with a double down the left field line on the first pitch he saw to give UTD an early 3-0 advantage. Covey then beat out a two-out bunt to reach in the 2nd and Ryan Burciaga followed with a two-run home run over the left field wall.

LETU finally scored with a four-hit 5th inning to cut the lead to 5-1, but UTD came roaring back in the bottom of the frame. The first four hitters in the inning - Covey, Burciaga, Casey and Scruggs all had base hits and Casey brought two home with a double to right center. A Corbin sacrifice fly scored Casey to make it 8-1 UTD.

After the Yellowjackets went three-up, three-down in the 6th, UTD cashed in again with five more runs. An errant throw on a sacrice bunt scored Mike Mikusek and Covey. Casey was intentionally walked to load the bases before Scruggs delivered a sacrifice fly for the first out of the inning. Corbin then singled to right field and the ball was misplayed into a bases-clearing error. Luke Richter singled to score Corbin with the 13th and final run.