RICHARDSON, TEXAS (04.09.22) -- For only the 10th time in UT Dallas' 20-year baseball history, and the first time since 2017, a Comet pitcher surrendered just one hit in a seven-inning start as freshman transfer Trevor McGrath shut out the University of the Ozarks, 18-0, to cap off a three-game, American Southwest Conference sweep of the Eagles.

UTD (23-6, 16-5 ASC) won the opener of the doubleheader, 4-2, after winning Friday's series opener, 18-3.

The win kept the nationally-ranked Comets within reach of the top spot in the ASC standings with three more ASC series to play before the post-season. UTD hosts Howard Payne in a three-game set next Thursday and Friday after a non-conference tilt with Southwestern Tuesday in Georgetown.

DH GAME 1: UTD 4, OZARKS 2

The Comets made a four-run 1st inning stand up in the seven-inning opener Saturday, making a winner of Carter Cochrane (4-2), who kept the Eagles at bay with five strong innings, striking out six. But Ozarks threatened in the 6th with a pair of doubles and a sacrifice fly before reliever Andrew Vorst put out the fire. Closer Orion Drymond stopped another threat in the 7th by getting a pair of strikeouts after the Eagles had put the tying runs on base.

After taking a 2-0 lead on a Marcos Villegas single and a Zac Vorst sacrifice fly in the 1st, first baseman Hunter Cheek blasted his first home run of the season over the left field wall to give UTD its' 4-0 advantage. UTD continued its attack in both the 2nd and 3rd innings, but failed to plate another runner as Ozarks turned inning-ending double plays in each frame. The Comets got out of a jam with their own double play, ending the Ozarks 4th.

Twice, the Comets erased Ozarks threats with plays at the plate. A spectacular relay throw by shortstop Keagan Vance nailed the Eagles' Alex Ray at home to end a 1st-inning threat. Then, Villegas gunned down pinch runner William Rawls trying to score from second base to end a 6th-inning threat

Cheek was the only Comet with multiple hits against Ozarks' Grant Cross (2-3), the reigning ASC Pitcher of the Week. 

DH GAME 2: UTD 18, OZARKS 0

The finale of the series didn't have near the drama of the opener as UTD scored at will from the outset. The Comets scored three times in each of the first three innings to go up 9-0 after three innings, then put the capper on a seven-inning, "run rule" victory with nine runs in their final two at-bats.

Leadoff hitter Brayshon Savage led the team with a 3-for-5 game, but Ramon Garza, A.J. Liu, Villegas, Deylan Moreno and Keagan Vance all had a pair of hits as UTD added 15 hits to its stat sheet. Villegas led the team with 5 RBI, including a base-clearing triple in the 3rd inning.

Meanwhile, McGrath really didn't need all this offense as he shut down the Eagles with his complete-game start. Over seven innings, McGrath recorded eight strikeouts while only allowing a clean single through the left side in the 3rd after one of three walks he surrendered. But even then, McGrath ended that threat with a pair of fly-ball outs.

UTD knocked Ozarks starter Dylan Kuester out of the game after just 2.1 innings and nine runs on the board - all earned. Kuester had given up just five hits, but was responsible for six walks, a pair of hit batters and four wild pitches.

The Comets jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the 1st after a Garza RBI single and two sacrifice flies. In the 2nd, a single and two passed balls set the stage for RBI hits by Villegas and Vorst and another run scoring on a wild pitch to make it 6-0. A pair of hit batters and a Savage single loaded up the bases in the 3rd before Villegas brought everyone home with a triple to right center. 

UTD then got what it would need for the 10-advantage in the 5th with a pair of RBI hits from Cheek and Moreno. The Comets then sent 12 hitters to the plate in a seven-run 6th inning to erase any doubt.