LONGVIEW, TX (02.13.22) - The defending American Southwest Conference champion UT Dallas baseball team picked up right where they left off to open the 2022 campaign, sweeping a season-opening road series at LeTourneau.
 
The Comets (3-0, 3-0 ASC) edged the YellowJackets (0-3, 0-3 ASC), 3-2 in the series opener Friday night; then finished off the sweep with a 4-2 and 16-8 win in the Sunday doubleheader. The Saturday doubleheader was pushed back a day due to inclimate weather in Longview Saturday morning.
 
The Comets will open their home schedule and put their unbeaten record on the line next weekend in a three-game, non-conference set with national power Texas Lutheran. The first game is set for 2 pm Friday, followed by a noon doubleheader Saturday at the UTD baseball complex.
 
 A trio of returners from the championship team set the pace offensively for the Comets this weekend. Ramon Garza and Zac Vorst each finished the series 6-for-14 with a home run and three doubles between them. Second-year freshman Marcos Villegas had five hits in 11 plate appearances. 
 
Junior hurler Carter Cochrane, who went undefeated in 10 ASC starts last season, picked up his first win of 2022. Reliever Orion Drymond earned saves in the first two games.
 
FRIDAY OPENER: UTD 3, LETU 2
Villegas scored the game-winning run in the 8th inning of the Friday opener on a sacrifice fly to right field from newcomer Brayshon Savage, breaking up a 2-2 tie. Villegas singled to open the inning and moved around the bases on a pair of passed balls before Savage brought him home.

Villegas was one of five UTD hitters with a multi-hit game for the Comets as UTD combined for 12 hits - all singles - and left 11 runners stranded on the basepaths in the opener. All three of UTD's runs were unearned thanks to two LETU errors and the pair of passed balls.

Returning bullpen mates Ben Soule (W, 1-0) and Drymond nailed down the victory final two innings for UTD with a pair of no-hit innings late to finish out the game. Transfer Trevor McGrath gave up just one unearned run in a 3.1-inning start as the Comet staff gave up just five base hits and a single earned run, striking out nine LETU batters.

An error in the 2nd inning opened the door for the YellowJackets to take an early 1-0 lead. LETU held that slim margin until the 6th, when UTD scored twice. Savage opened the frame with a walk and scored all the way from first when Keagan Vance attempted to move him along with a sacrifice bunt toward third base, and the errant throw sailed down the line. With two outs, Garza hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Vance for a 2-1 UTD lead.

But the 'Jackets answered immediately, tying the game with a 2-out RBI triple in their half of the 6th. Soule then got the Comets out of a bases-loaded jam in the 7th; and followed that with a 1-2-3 8th before giving way to Drymond in the 9th, who surrendered just one baserunner on a UTD fielding error.
 
SUNDAY DH GAME 1: UTD 4, LETU 2
 
Cochrane (W, 1-0) went four innings in his first start of the year, scattering six hits, striking out five YellowJacket hitters and did not allow a run. After LETU cut the lead down to 3-2, Drymond came in for his second save of the year, finishing the game with a 1-2-3 7^th, striking out the last two hitters he faced.
 
The Comets went four innings before Savage doubled to open the 5^th. After an infield single by catcher Lucas Abbott, UT-Tyler transfer Zach Sanchez picked up his first RBI of the season with a single to right, scoring Savage. Liu followed with a two-out single to center, scoring Abbott for a 2-0 lead. UTD added to its lead in the 6^th. Andrew Skivington opened the inning with a single, then scored on a fielder's choice for a 3-0 advantage.
 
A pair of LETU doubles in the LETU 6^th cut the lead to 3-2, but Liu doubled and came home on a Villegas RBI single to left in the 7^th to add cushion to the win.
 
SUNDAY DH GAME 2: UTD 16, LETU 8
 
The Comet bats came to life just in time in the series finale. Down 8-5 going into the 8^th, UTD erupted for 11 runs with nine hits over the final two frames to finish off the sweep. After tying the game, 8-8, with a three-run 8^th, UTD sent 12 hitters to the plate in the 9^th, tacking on eight more runs to put the game out of reach.
 
Freshman Logan Murray (W, 1-0) allowed just one hit in a two-inning relief appearance to claim the win.
 
Garza gave the Comets an early lead in the 1st, picking up UTD's first extra base hit with a two-run home run over the left centerfield wall. A.J. Liu drew a walk, then scored on a Andrew Skivington ground out to make it 3-0.
 
But LETU answered immediately, loading the bases for a 2RBI double. Garza responded in the UTD 3^rd, opening with a double, then coming home on a wild pitch to make it 4-2. 
 
The YellowJackets pulled to within one in their half of the 3^rd, then took a 7-4 lead with a 4^th inning grand slam. A Vorst home run trimmed the lead to 7-5 in the 7^th, but again LETU answered and was up 8-5 entering the 8^th.
 
Pinch hitter Lucas Abbot started the comeback with a two-out, 2-RBI double that scored Villegas and Deylan Moreno. A Garza single brought home pinch runner Kaiden Lubojacky to tie the score at 8-8.
 
After Murray shut down the 'Jackets in the 8^th, UTD took the lead on a squeeze bunt, scoring Skyvington. Savage and Vance followed with RBI singles before Garza picked up another RBI on a sacrifice fly. Liu then delivered a 2-RBI double and Skyvington reached on an error to allow the eighth run of the inning to score.