RICHARDSON, TX (04.03.15) - After a quick 1-0 pitcher's duel in the series opener Thursdsay, the UT Dallas baseball team erupted for 25 hits and 27 combined runs in a doubleheader sweep of The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in American Southwest Conference play Friday afternoon. UTD took Friday's opener, 11-3, before hitting four home runs in a 16-9 win in the series finale.

The Comets (now 14-3, 11-7 ASC) have now climbed to third in the ASC standings with just three series left to play. But first, UTD will take a break from ASC play with a 3 p.m. game at the University of Dallas Tuesday before travelling to The University of the Ozarks next weekend.

A day after struggling with runners in scoring position and eeking out one run on six hits, UTD had seven multi-run innings in the two Friday wins. 

Senior cleanup hitter Brandon Clounch, who came into the series hitting just .208, led the way with a 5-for-7 weekend with five runs scored, 7 RBIs and two home runs in the second game. Brandon George finished the afternoon 4-for-7 with five runs scored.

GAME 1: UTD 11, UMHB 3

The Comets made a winner out of starter Brandon Lee (3-2) in the seven-inning opener, breaking open a 3-3 game with a four-run 4th inning and adding four more in the 6th to nail down the win. The Comets pounded out 13 hits in the game, but also benefitted from 10 walks, two hit batters and one UMHB error to push 11 runs across the board against six UMHB pitchers.

Five straight UTD runners reached base to start the 4th, chasing reliever Joe Franz after a single and three walks, then tallying three more runs off a Kaleb Robinson sacrifice fly and a 2-RBI single from Pierce Fly up the middle as 10 hitters came to the plate. In the 6th, the Comets tallied four more with a leadoff hit batter and walk followed by a 2-RBI single by Tim Cole, who then scored on a wild pitch and back-to-back doubles by Brandon George and Brandon Clounch. 

Down 1-0 after the top of the 1st, UTD loaded the bases in their half of the frame, but came up empty. They started the 2nd, though, with a Robinson single, Fly RBI double and Jimmy Norris walk. George's sacrifice fly to left scored Fly, then Clounch drove in Norris with another single to give UTD a 3-1 lead. UMHB did touch up Lee to tie the game with a two-run 3rd on three hits, but the Comets answered an inning later to nail down the win, assuring the series sweep.

In addition to Clounch (3-for-3), Cole finished 4-for-5 with two runs scored and 2 RBI. George was 3-for-3 in the game with two runs and an RBI.

GAME 2: UTD 16, UMHB 9

In an almost mirror image from the first game, the Comets took the series sweep by scoring 13 runs after trailing 4-3 midway through the game. UTD belted four home runs in the game - including two from Clounch. Michael Ward (1-0), who tossed three shutout innings in relief of starter Aaron Bach, picked up the win.

Down 4-3 after a two-run UMHB 4th inning, Wesley Gill followed a Clounch walk with his first career home run to put UTD back out front at 5-4 in the bottom of the 4th. The game remained a one-run affair until the Cru unravelled in a six-run 6th when the Comets scored six on three hits, two UMHB errors, two walks and a hit batter. UTD again sent 10 men to the plate against three Cru hurlers.

The Comets took an early 3-1 lead in the 1st. After Norris scored with a single, stolen base, error and sac fly from Cole, George doubled and Clounch followed with his first home run of the season. 

UMHB made things interesting, cutting UTD's lead down to 11-8 with four runs in the top of the 8th, chasing Ward from the game. But the Comets responded with a five-run answer in the bottom of the frame as six straight hitters reached and Clounch and Kaleb Robinson each delivered two-run homers.