TUCSON, AZ (02.09.19) - The UT Dallas baseball team pounded out 15 hits and had as many runs cross the plate to claim its first win of the season Saturday afternoon - a 15-5 decision over Pacific Lutheran - in the Cactus Classic.

The Comets (1-2), who dropped their first two games in the Classic, jumped out to a 5-0 lead before the Lutes (2-2) ever came to the plate and pulled away for the double-digit win. UTD will meet La Verne at 11 am Sunday in their final game of the tournament. 

Senior Thomas Craig, who also had a triple, and sophomore Patch Healy both homered in the game as the Comets had six players finish with multiple hits. Junior Austin Adams and Healy both drove in three runs. Freshman Ryan Vera threw the first 5.0 innings for UTD, scattering 10 hits and striking out five, to pick up his first collegiate win.

The Comets put five runs on the board in the top of the 1st as Adams scored on a ground out, then Ryan Burciaga delivered a two-RBI double to make it 3-0 five batters in. Matt Mikusek scored Burciaga on a squeeze bunt and Edmundo Ojeda brought Healy home for the 5-0 lead in the first frame.

PLU came back with a five-hit, four-run 3rd inning to cut the Comet lead down to 5-4; but UTD wasted no time in responding. Healy's first home run of the season scored Burciaga in the 5th, and stretched the lead to 7-4. Then, the Comets sent 10 batters to the plate in a six-run explosion in the 6th inning. Craig drove home a pair with a triple, then scored on a wild pitch. Dylan Palmer made it 11-4 when he scored on a fielding error. Mikusek brought home Healy with an RBI single, then scored to make it 13-4 on another error.

The Lutes got one run back in their half of the 6th, scoring a single run on a bases-loaded walk. But Adams walked and Craig followed with his first home run of the season for the final two runs.