ABILENE, TX (04.14.19) - The UT Dallas baseball team extended its winning streak to eight straight games Sunday afternoon after a 15-11 win over McMurry to wrap up a three-game American Southwest Conference road series.
The Comets improved to 17-16 with Sunday's win, moving above .500 for the first time this season, and currently sit in a tie for sixth place in the ASC with a 9-6 league mark with just six games left in the regular season. The top eight teams in the ASC at the close of the regular season will qualify for the conference tournament, starting May 2.
UTD exploded for a six-run 1st frame but soon and extended its lead to 7-0 midway through the 2nd before the host War Hawks clawed back with a five-run inning of their own. The Comets would then add multiple runs in the 4th, 6th and 8th innings to pull away and complete the sweep.
The Comets opened the scoring with no outs in the top of the 1st on a two-run double by
Thomas Craig, scoring both
Matt Mikusek and
Jacob Perry. Two batters later,
Dylan Palmer pushed the UTD lead to 3-0 with a single to right, plating Craig. With the bases loaded and two outs,
Austin Adams doubled the lead with one swing of the bat, plating three on a double to left. Craig would add a solo home run, his team leading eighth of the year.
Leading just 7-5 in heading to the 4th, the Comets got back on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly by Palmer followed soon after by runs on a McMurry error and an
Aaron Fanning RBI double to push the lead back to five runs.
The War Hawks answered with two runs in the bottom of the 4th to draw back to three runs down, but UTD got another RBI double from Fanning with two outs in the top of the 6th. Fanning later came home on a passed ball to give UTD a 12-8 cushion midway through the 6th.
Up 12-10 after seven, the Comets completed their scoring with three runs in the top of the 8th frame. Adams picked up his fourth RBI of the afternoon with a one-out double to left, scoring
Zach Jordan, before Fanning came home on a War Hawk wild pitch. Craig then pushed across a final run with a two-out single up the middle, scoring Mikusek.
McMurry (7-26, 0-18 ASC) added two late runs with two runs in the bottom of the 9th.
Adams led the attack with a 3-for-4 performance from the nine hole with four RBI. Craig finished the game 3-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored while Fanning was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI.
Comet starter
Brett Bihm did not factor in the decision, lasting just 1.2 innings and giving up three earned runs on seven hits.
Orion Drymond (2-4) earned the win as one of three UTD relievers, tossing 3.0 innings and giving up two runs on four hits.
UTD returns home next weekend for a three-game ASC home series against Sul Ross State. Due to Easter weekend, the two teams will open with a 2 p.m. single game Thursday followed by a 12 p.m. doubleheader Friday at the UTD Baseball Field. Prior to Saturday's games, the Comets will recognize members of their senior class.
