RICHARDSON, TX (03.26.21) - The UT Dallas baseball team belted three home runs for the second straight game as the Comets rolled over Mary Hardin-Baylor, 8-1, to kick off a three-game American Southwest Conference series Friday afternoon.

The Comets (now 9-5, 7-3 ASC) scored their first six runs on the long ball and gave all the offense starter Blake Birdwell needed in the 4th inning thanks to a Daniel Zamora grand slam. UTD added solo shots by Ramon Garza and Hunter Cheek to snag a 6-0 lead before tacking on two final insurance runs in the 8th.

Birdwell (1-1) collected his first victory of the season on the mound for the Comets as he scattered nine hits with two strikeouts and limited the Cru to just a single earned run, that not coming until the top of the 8th. Ryan Vera would pitch a scoreless 9th for the Comets.

Zamora's second home run of the spring was a rocket to left field to open the scoring with two outs in the bottom of the 4th. Garza long ball came with one out in the 5th while Check went yard to lead off the Comets' half of the 6th. The home runs were also Garza's and Cheek's second of the season.

The Comets completed the scoring with a two-out, two-bases loaded single up the middle by Nick Balley in the 8th, scoring Marcos Villegas and Deylan Moreno.

UTD managed just seven hits with Zamora leading the charge with a 2-for-4 performance with four RBI. Check was also 2-for-4.

The two teams return to the field for a 12 p.m. doubleheader Saturday.