TYLER, TX (02.06.10) – The UT Dallas baseball team finally got its offense going in the opening day of the 2010 season Saturday at the Easton Classic Tournament at UT-Tyler. In the opener against the host UT-Tyler Patriots, the offensive outburst came a little late in a 9-5 loss, but the Comets were able to rally late in the nightcap to knock off Mary Hardin-Baylor, 8-7.

UTD rallied from an early deficit in the UT-Tyler game to get within 7-5 in the late innings. Then, against UMHB, the two American Southwest Conference powers duked it out until the Comets (1-1) were able to rally for one last run in the bottom of the 9th to pull out the win.

It was the first games in UTD uniforms for several newcomers to Coach Shane Shewmake's program. but only a couple of players had more than one hit in either game.

UTD 8, UMHB 7 (boxscore)

After falling behind 7-5 in the top of the 7th inning, UTD senior reliever Adam Spinn came in and pitched the final 2-2/3 innings of shutout relief, long enough for the Comets to rally to tie and then finally win the game in the 9th. Newcomer Colton Wood scored the winning run on a clutch, one-out single by Larry Bolding up the middle.

Until then, UTD was having to play catch-up after giving up an early 4-1 advantage. UTD put four runs on the board in the first inning, scoring after a couple of walks, two hits, a passed ball and an error. Meanwhile, junior Marvin Prestridge was putting up a strong start (5.2 innings, 6 hits, 1 earned run).

But the Crusaders tied the game in the  6th inning, scoring a pair of unearned runs in the 5th, both off Prestridge errors, then getting three extra-base hits in the sixth against reliever Max Willard.

UTD went back on top in the 6th on a pinch-hit RBI single by Joseph Killgore, but UMHB scored three in the 7th on a home run, two other hits and a couple of walks. That's when Spinn came to the rescue, shutting down the Crusaders the rest of the way to pick up the win.

With Spinn on the mound, UTD loaded the bases to open the 8th and got an RBI single from Jacob Starnes and another run when the Crusaders turned a double play. Wood opened the 9h with a walk, moved to second on a Kyle Guest (2-for-5) single, then came home with the game-winner on Bolden's hit.

UTT 9, UTD 5 (boxscore)

After four innings, UTD trailed the Patriots, 4-0, before finally getting on the board. Newcomers Clint Dunham and Jason Diemer opened the 5th with back-to-back singles (UTD) and Bolding brought Dunham home with a sacrifice fly.

Senior Mason Thompson didn't fare much better than starting pitcher Jonathan Reeder, who gave up the first four runs. Thompson was tagged for single runs in each of the next three frames, putting Tyler ahead 7-1 entering the eighth. That's when the Comet bats finally came to life against UTT starter Chase Willard, who had given up just four hits in the first six innings.

Returners Starnesr, Randy Lorber and Adam Hudec led off the 8th with three straight hits and chased Willard with one run home and two men on base. Grant Friddell greeted reliever Cody Jones with another RBI double and  then Diemer belted the fifth straight hit, scoring Friddell to pull the Comets to within two, 7-5. Diemer paced all Comets with a 3-for-4 game.

Unfortunately, newcomer Andrew Noble couldn't hold the Patriots down, giving up a two-run home run in the eighth that put the game at its final margin.