SPOKANE, WA (05.20.18) - The UT Dallas baseball team's trip deep into the NCAA Division III Spokane Regional came to an end Sunday afternoon with an 10-3 loss to Willamette in the final elimination game at Avista Stadium.
The Comets, whose season ends with a 32-17 record and its first American Southwest Conference championship, pounded out 14 hits against the Bearcats, but left 13 runners stranded while Willamette earned a spot in the regional finals against Texas Lutheran.
Willamette (31-18) opened the scoring with a three-spot in the top of the 1st, but the Comets would rally with two runs in the bottom of the frame. UTD later knotted the contest with a single run in the 3rd, but the Bearcats plated four unearned runs with two outs in the top of the 5th and tacked on three final tallies in the top of the 9th to seal the win.
Down 3-0 in the bottom of the 1st, the Comets got on the scoreboard with an RBI double by
Connor Scruggs, scoring
Josh Covey.
Rodney Corbin then drew UTD within a run with a single to right center, plating
Barry Casey. Corbin would add his second RBI of the contest with two outs in the 3rd with he single in
Ryan Burciaga. The Comets would leave two runners on base in the inning and then not get a runner past second base until the 8th.
With the game still tied in the 5th, the Bearcats took advantage of the first UTD error of the afternoon with two outs and the bases loaded to plate the first of two runs in the inning. WU then added two more runs on a single wild pitch, with the final run coming home due to the second Comet error in the frame.
The Comets would load the bases in the bottom of the 8th, trailing 7-3, after a hit batter, walk and infield single by Covey, however could not cut into the Bearcat lead. Willamette used three hits in the top of the 9th to add three insurance runs.
After getting three dominant starting performances in the Comets' first three games at the regional, UTD head coach
Shane Shewmake called up the bullpen in Sunday's game.
Tyler Keegan started the contest and gave up three runs in the 1st with three strikeouts.
Logan McPherson took over with no outs and a runner on first base in the 2nd and tossed 3.2 innings, allowing four unearned runs, with two strikeouts.
Michael Deacon then tossed 2.1 scoreless innings with two strikeouts while
Tristin DerMargosian went 1.2 innings, giving up three runs with two strikeouts.
Garrett Hale, making his third appearance of the weekend, recorded the final out in the top of the 9th.
Corbin led the Comet offense by going 4-for-5 with two RBI. He would finish the four-game stretch in Spokane going 9-for-16. Scruggs was 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles while Casey, Covey and
Matt Mikusek each had multi-hit games.
The Comets were making their second-ever trip to the NCAA D-III postseason, first since 2007.
