Box Score CEDAR HILL, TX (03.19.13) – The offensive woes continued for the UT Dallas baseball team Tuesday afternoon as the Comets could not come up with key hits in a 2-1 non-conference loss to NAIA power Northwood University.
The Comets outhit the 23-2 Knights, but left nine baserunners stranded during the nine-inning game. UTD (12-13) dropped below .500 with the loss. The Comets have dropped four of their last six games, and have scored just nine runs (and been shutout twice) during that stretch.
The lack of hitting with runners in scoring position cost a group of UTD pitchers, who turned in a solid performance, scattering eight hits and limiting Northwood to just one scoring inning. The Comet pitchers were able to strand eight Knights on the basepaths as well.
UTD missed a golden opportunity to avenge a 16-8 loss to Northwood earlier this season.
UTD's
Chase Knight opened the game with four strong innings, giving up just two hits.
Michael Ward,
Ryan Lynch and
Jason Fink gave up just two hits over the final three innings, striking out six Northwood hitters.
The Knights' fifth inning, however, proved to be the difference. With two outs, Northwood strung together four straight singles and stole five bases against
Alex Kuhn, who took the loss for UTD. Both Knights' runs scored on RBI infield singles during the inning.
UTD had two opportunities to strike first in a 0-0 game early. In the third,
Micah Easterling and
Tyler Hobbs reached second and third with no outs, but Northwood starter (and winning pitcher) Jason Gareri got a popup, strikeout and ground ball to get out of the jam unscathed.
In the top of the fifth,
Jake Wyand and Hobbs got in scoring position again with one out, but a sacrifice squeeze play failed when Wyand was thrown out at home.
After Northwood went up 2-0, UTD got a run back with an unearned run in the sixth. A throwing error and single down the rightfield line put
Jacob Price and
Brandon Clounch aboard. Wyand brought home Price to make it a one-run game. With the tying and go-ahead runners in scoring position, Easterling lined hard to the gap in left centerfield, but Northwood's Herb Romero chased the ball down for the final out.
The Comets again had chances in the final two frames. Back-to-back singles from
Daniel Saxon and Price to lead off the inning were wasted when Saxon got called for leaving too early on a tag play, and UTD failed to bring the tying run home. In the ninth, Easterling and
Zak Anderson reached, but with two outs and Northwood closer Keaton Parcell picked up the save.
Wyand and Easterling both ended the day with a pair of base hits to lead UTD at the plate..
The Comets return to American Southwest Conference East Division play this Friday and Saturday with a three-game series in Longview against LeTourneau.
