RICHARDSON, TX (04.27.21) - The UT Dallas baseball team scored 20 runs for the third time this season as the Comets rolled past Hardin-Simmons, 21-8, Tuesday afternoon in non-conference play.
The Comets (22-10) blasted a pair of grand slam home runs in the lop-sided victory as
Ramon Garza and
Keagan Vance each accomplished the feat Tuesday afternoon. UTD would score 11 runs off of three home runs in the contest as
Daniel Zamora added a three-run blast, his team-leading eighth of the season.
UTD plated three runs in the bottom of the 1st before exploding for seven in the 3rd off of Garza's and Zamora's long balls to take a 10-0 lead. The visiting Cowboys (9-25) scored two runs in the top of the 4th, but the Comets countered with two more runs in the bottom of the frame on RBI doubles by
Hunter Cheek and Vance.
The Comets later plated five runs in the 5th, including Vance's grand slam, and tacked on two more runs each in the 6th and 7th innings.
A.J. Liu and
Luke Richter each had RBI hits in the 6th while UTD added an RBI infield single by
Nick Williby and a sacrifice fly by Richter in the 7th.
UTD finished with 22 hits in the contest, one shy of its season high, while finishing with 20 RBI. Vance was 3-for-6 with five RBI and two runs scored while Garza finished 2-for-5 with five RBI and four runs scored. Liu was 3-for-3 with four runs scored an an RBI, reaching base five times in the win.
The Comets sent seven pitchers to the mound in the mid-week contest with starter
Ryan Vera tossing the first 4.0 innings. Vera gave up just one earned run on three hits with two strikeouts before his exit.
Joshua Wood (2-1) was the most effective of the six relievers, holding the Cowboys scoreless with just two hits over two innings with one strikeout.
UTD will close American Southwest Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Ozarks, starting Friday. The Comets are currently tied for second place in the ASC with the top two teams after this weekend's round of games earning the right to host the opening round of the league championship tournament.