TYLER, TX (03.17.18) - The UT Dallas baseball team was handed two walk-off defeats Saturday afternoon as the Comets completed a three-game American Southwest Conference with No. 23 Texas-Tyler with a twin bill at Irwin Field.
The Comets dropped the first game of the day, 2-1, before giving up three runs in the bottom of the 9th in the series finale, an 8-7 loss.
GAME 1 - UTT 2, UTD 1
The two teams battled through a pitchers' duel in Saturday's opener as both starters went the distance in a 2-1 win by the host Patriots.
UTT opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st on a passed ball and would hold a 1-0 lead until the 5th when
Michael Deacon would plate
Rodney Corbin with a one-out single through the right side to knot the game at a run a piece.
The Patriots would end the game with a one-out single to right by Zach Pavelock, scoring pinch runner Tanner Roach.
Ruben Renteria (2-2) suffered the tough loss, giving up just one earned run on six hits in 6.1 innings of effort. He struck out one and walked two Patriots. The Comets managed just three hits off of UTT starter Simon Sedillo (3-1).
GAME 2 - UTT 8, UTD 7
The Comets scored three runs in the top of the 8th to break open a tied game, but UTT would use an RBI double followed by a walk-off home run to hand UTD its second loss of the day and give the Patriots to the series, 2-1.
UTD scored a run in the 1st on an RBI single by
Connor Scruggs and would take an early 2-0 lead after a run-scoring single by
Dylan Palmer in the 3rd inning. However, the Patriots would plate four runs in the bottom of the 5th to snag a 4-2 advantage.
The Comets quickly responded with two runs in the top of the 6th, thanks to an RBI triple by
Rodney Corbin followed by a sac fly by
Peyton Becker. In the 8th, the Comets regained the lead on a two-out error by UTT and extended their cushion to 7-4 on a two-run single by
Barry Casey.
UTT got a run back in the bottom of the 8th, bringing on Comet closer
Garrett Hale, who earned a six-out save Friday night, in the 9th with a 7-5 advantage. Hale got the first two outs before Josh Burns hit a 2-2 offering down the right field line to draw the Patriots within a run. On the very next pitch, UTT's Bowie Farris ended the game with a long ball to left, his first of the season.
Comet starter
Cole Hanson lasted 7.1 innings, giving up four earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. Hale (0-2) suffered his second loss of the season, giving up three earned runs with one strikeout in the 9th.
UTD collected 12 hits off of four Patriots hurlers with five different players going 2-for-5. Casey led the bunch with two RBI and a run scored.
NEXT GAME
The Comets (11-10, 6-3 ASC) will take a break from ASC play next week and return to action Tuesday with a 3 p.m. home game with NAIA-foe Texas Wesleyan.
