ABILENE, TX (04.03.18) - The UT Dallas baseball team jumped out to a big early lead, but had to hold on late for a 13-9 midweek win at McMurry Tuesday afternoon.

The Comets plated five runs in the top of the 1st and secured a 7-0 lead by the middle of the second, but found themselves with just a three-run cushion heading into the 6th. UTD added three insurance runs in the top of the 7th to pull away and secure the non-conference win.

Josh Covey opened the contest with his first long ball of the season as he started a 4-for-5 day with three runs scored. The Comets used four hits in the 1st to grab a 5-0 advantage, including a two-run single by Rodney Corbin as UTD sent nine batters to the plate in the frame.

The Comets then added two more runs in the 2nd on a single by Barry Casey.

Up 7-2 in the 4th, UTD would send eight hitters to the plate in its half of the inning as the squad added three more runs. The Comets opened the scoring in the inning on a double play and then added a run on a War Hawk error followed by a Thomas Craig RBI single.

McMurry would then plate five runs in the bottom of the 5th to draw within three runs, 10-7. In the 7th,  Matt Mikusek opened the Comets' half with a double to right and later scored on a wild pitch. Later in the inning, Connor Scruggs would belt his team-leading fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot to left, to put UTD up 13-7. The War Hawks got two runs back in the bottom of the inning and neither team would score over the final two frames.

In addition to Covey's multi-hit game from the lead-off spot, Casey, Craig and Mikusek would each go 3-for-5 as the Comets tallied a season-high 22 hits in the game. All nine UTD batters collected at least one hit with eight finishing with multi-hit performances.

Comet starter Drew Thompson (1-1) earned the victory, going a pre-determined 4.0 innings, giving up two earned runs on just one hit with four strikeouts.

NEXT GAME
The Comets (14-12) return to American Southwest Conference play this weekend with a three-game home series with Concordia Texas. The two teams will play a 2 p.m. single game Friday before a 12 p.m. doubleheader Saturday at the UTD Baseball Field.