CLINTON, MS (03.19.11) - Thanks In part to some offensive firepower of their own, the UT Dallas baseball team was able to survive a pair of late-inning meltdowns Saturday and claim an American Southwest Conference East Division series from Mississippi College, two games to one.

The Comets (14-9, 4-2 ASC) rode the arm of staff ace Derek Dallas Friday night to open the series with a 6-3 victory, but the UTD pitching staff struggled late in both games Saturday and it cost the Comets a chance at the sweep. The Choctaws (9-11, 2-4 ASC) scored a pair of runs in their final at-bat of the Saturday doubleheader to earn a 4-3 win, then launched a late threat to a seemingly secure Comet lead in the second game, scoring 10 runs in the final inning before falling, 20-15.

UTD would not be denied the series, however, as they pushed across 29 games in the three-game set, pounding out 40 hits against Choctaw pitching. Matt Olszewski led the way with a 7-for-11 weekend while Joseph Killgore was right behind at 6-for-12.

GAME 1 (FRIDAY) - UTD 6, MC 3 (BOX SCORE)
The UT Dallas baseball team opened its weekend series at Mississippi College on a high note Friday night with a 6-3 win over the Choctaws in American Southwest Conference East Division play.

Sophomore right-hander Derek Dallas (5-0) kept his record spotless as he scattered 11 hits with six strikeouts in 8.0 innings of work. He gave up three earned runs and issued two walks.

The Comets (now 13-8, 3-1 ASC East) opened the scoring in the top of the first as UTD took advantage of a wild pitch sandwiched between two Choctaw errors to open the game. Junior Jacob Starnes led off the frame reaching base on an error by MC shortstop Mike Kerdock. After moving to second base on a wild pitch, Starnes scored from second base when Choctaw second baseman Kyle Ladner misplayed a ground ball by UTD junior Larry Bolding.

MC (now  ) scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the second to take the lead with four straight hits followed by a sacrifice fly, but the Choctaws left two runners on base as UTD avoided the big inning.

The Comets responded in the fourth frame with four singles and two more wild pitches by MC starter Stephen Byrd. Seniors Grant Friddell and Killgore kicked off the inning with back-to-back singles and then shuffled 90 feet on Byrd's first wild pitch of the inning. Two batters later, the duo advanced again on a Byrd wild pitch, this time scoring Friddell from third. Killgore would later score on a two-out single by freshman Matt Olszewski. After a walk drawn by senior Garet Norton, Olszewski would score from second base on a single up the middle by Starnes.

The host Choctaws got a run back in the fifth on an RBI double by Spencer Brunson. But, UTD answered with a single run in each the eighth and ninth frames to secure the win. In the eighth, Olszewski plated senior Clint Dunham from first base with a  two-out double to right centerfield. In the final inning, Friddell singled in Starnes for the final run of the game.

Olszewski ended the game going 4-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored while Killgore was 2-for-4 and Starnes and Friddell were both 2-fof-5. Junior right-hander Max Willard tossed a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his second save of the season.

GAME 2 (SATURDAY) - MC 4, UTD 3 (BOX SCORE)
The Choctaws scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to keep UTD from taking the series before the final game. MC scored two early runs, but the Comets scored a single run in each the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to grab a 3-2 lead.

Trailing 2-0 in the fourth, the Comets got on the scoreboard when Dunham singled in Killgore to cut the deficit in half. UTD knotted the game, 2-2, on a sacrific fly by senior Jason Diemer, scoring Norton. Dunham then gave the Comets the lead with a two-out solo home run, his first of the season.

However, the Choctaws would load the bases with just one out in the bottom of the seventh and used a two-run single by Shane Bennett.

Freshman right-hander Calvin Campbell (0-1) was handed the loss, taking over for the Comets to start the sixth and giving up two runs, one of which was earned, in the seventh.  Freshman right-hander Jason Fink did not factor into the decision, giving up two earned runs on four hits in 5.0 innings of work. Fink struck out two Choctaws and issued five walks. Dunham ended the game 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.

GAME 3 (SATURDAY) - UTD 20, MC 15 (BOX SCORE)
The Comets scored four runs in each the sixth and seventh innings and then exploded for eight runs in the eighth to down Mississippi College, 20-15, in the series finale. Unfortunately, they needed it all as MC rallied for a 10-run ninth against three UTD relievers before the Comets got the final out after 14 Choctaw hitters had come to the plate.

Still, the Comets had done all the damage they needed to do before MC came to the plate in the ninth. UTD scattered 20 hits and took advantage of seven MC errors through the first eight innings and seemingly had the game in the bag entering the 9th.

The Comets jumped on MC starter Scott Trousdale with two runs in the first when Dunham laced a two-out double to right field. The Comets added single runs in the fourth and fifth on an RBI single from Tyler Hobbs and a sacrifice fly from Chase Brown. Before the Choctaws came to bat in the sixth, UTD had upped the lead to 8-0 with a 4-run, 3-hit, 2-error turn. A single and throwing error set up Hobbs for a 2-RBI hit. He and Starnes later scored on another error and a Diemer RBI single.

MC finally cut the lead to 8-3 with a three-run sixth, starting the inning off with a solo home run, then taking advantage of a pair of hit batters and and just one other hit.

UTD answered immediately, getting four more in the seventh. The Comets opened the inning with a three straight singles, including a pair of bunts, to load the bases. A throwing error brought home a pair of runs, then Killgore delivered an RBI single.

After MC got one run back in starter Marvin Prestridge's final inning, the Comets got their 8-run outburst in the eighth to put the lead to 20-5. A walk, a hit batter and an error loaded the bases to open the inning, then UTD opened the flood gates with six hits and another MC error before the bleeding stopped. Fourteen Comets eventually came to the plate, and Diemer, Dunham and Hobbs all delivered RBI hits while UTD got sacrifice fly balls from Starnes and Norton.

The Choctaws made things interesting for the second time for the day in their final at-bat. MC pounded out six hits, including four straight to open the inning, capped by a three-run homer. A fielding error, a hit batter, walk and wild pitch also contributed to the late rally.

The Comets are off until next weekend when they host a three-game ASC East series with UT Tyler.