Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ABILENE, TX (03.12.13) - The UT Dallas baseball team took a short break form divisional play Tuesday for a road trip to Hardin-Simmons, earning a split with the Cowboys. HSU blanked the Comets, 2-0, before UT Dallas bounced back for a 3-2 win in the nightcap.

In the opener, the host Cowboys collected both their runs in the bottom of the 5th when Marcus Uechi blasted a two-run homer to left field off Comet reliever Micah Eastering (1-1). Starter Brandon Clounch tossed the first four scoreless innings, scattering four hits with a strikeout. The Comets tallied four hits, all singles, in their second straight shutout loss.

The Comets threatened to score first in the top of the 2nd when Clounch singled to right and then moved to second on an HSU wild pitch. A single to left by Trevor Clifton gave UTD runners at the corners, but an inning-ending double play kept the Comets off the scoreboard. UTD again got a runner to third base in the 3rd when Hobs was hit by a pitch, moved to second base on a bunt by Zak Anderson and got 90 feet away on two-out passed ball, but was stranded on third after a fly out to end the frame.

Trailing 2-0 in the 6th, the Comets had one late chance to tally a run when Daniel Saxon reached on a two-out single to right and then moved around on a wild pitch followed by a Cowboy throwing error. However, a groundout ended UTD's rally. HSU's Tyler Brunnemann then tossed a perfect 7th frame with a strikeout for his sixth save of the season.

In the second game, UTD opened the scoring after the first three Comets to the plate reached safely. With the bases-loaded, Clifton grounded into a double play, allowing Daniel Saxon to scamper home and give UTD a 1-0 lead. In the 6th, Clifton picked up an RBI with a single to centerfield, scoring Jacob Price. The next batter, Easterling, then plated Clounch with a single. Hardin-Simmons scored a run each in the 7th and 8th and had the tying run on second base in the 8th.

Calvin Campbell tossed the first four innings and did not factor in the decision, scattering three hits with a pair of strikeouts. Alex Kuhn (1-1) earned the victory in relief, tossed two scoreless frames with one hit. Corey Hall tossed the 7th, giving up on run on hit a pair of walks, while Ryan Lynch picked up the two-inning save, his second of the season, allowing an unearned run on two hits with two strikeouts. Price was 2-for-3 with a run scored as the only Comets with multiple hits.

The Comets (now 11-10) return to American Southwest Conference East Division play this weekend as they host rival Texas-Tyler. The two teams play a single game at 2 p.m. Friday before a 12 p.m. Saturday doubleheader.