RICHARDSON, TX (05.08.22) - Fighting its way through the elimination bracket of the American Southwest Conference Red Bracket Tournament and needing a pair of victories over arch-nemesis Belhaven University Sunday afternoon, a rejuvenated UT Dallas baseball team rallied to take a 13-8, and an 8-4 victory over the Blazers, earning the right to defend its ASC title next weekend.

The reigning champion Comets (32-13), who had lost three straight to the Blazers (28-16) over the last two weekends, bounced back with the pair of wins and will now advance to meet ASC regular season champion East Texas Baptist in the three game championship Gold Series next weekend in Marshall.

But earning that opportunity did not come easy. After falling to Belhaven, 7-1, in the Red Bracket winners bracket game Saturday and then surviving a 13-inning, 4-3 elimination win over Hardin-Simmons late Saturday evening, UTD had to figure out a way to win two from the Blazers Sunday afternoon.

And, they did just that.
 
The Comets rallied from behind in both games Sunday with an attack that put 21 runs on the board and featured 27 combined hits, including five for extra bases. Meanwhile, the Comets got solid, productive outings from a combination of 12 different pitchers in the two Sunday games, including Game 1 starter Carter Cochrane, who threw the final two innings in the finale.

Comet catcher Deylan Moreno had a five-hit day, driving in six runs, and was named the Red Bracket Most Valuable Player. He was joined by teammates Andrew Skivington (6-for-9 with 5 RBI) and pitchers Carter Cochrane, Trevor McGrath and Kenny Garza.
 
SUNDAY GAME 1: UTD 13, BELHAVEN 8
 
UTD was able to force the second "if necessary" game in the Sunday opener, pounding out 17 hits and taking advantage of a pair of Belhaven errors in a 13-8 win.
 
As they did on Saturday, the Blazers jumped on the Comets early to take a 2-0 lead in the 1^st, and regained a 4-3 advantage in the 3^rd. But each time, UTD answered immediately and broke open a 6-6 tie with six runs in the 6^th and 7^th to start pulling away.
 
To start the game, Jacob Perry worked a walk to lead off the 1^st, then scored on a passed ball. Ramon Garza and A.J. Liu then followed him home, scoring on a pair of ground outs to put UTD back in front, 3-2. After Belhaven reclaimed the lead at 4-3, Hunter Cheek tripled to score Skivington and he came home on a Zac Vorst single to put the Comets back in front, 5-4, after three frames.
 
UTD added a single run in the 4^th when Skivington scored ahead of a tag at third base for the final out of the inning. Belhaven tied it up, 6-6, in the 6^th, but UTD again answered right back with consecutive hits from Liu, Skivington and Deylan Moreno and led 8-6 going into the 7^th.
 
A walk, sacrifice bunt and RBI single from Keagan Vance opened the fateful 7^th. After the bases loaded up with Comets, A.J. Liu drove in a pair with a double and UTD led 12-6 following a sacrifice fly. UTD added another run in the 8^th before the Blazers got two meaningless runs back in the top of the 9^th.
 
Liu, Skivington and Moreno all had three-hit games in the opener while three others had multiple hits. The Comets used seven pitchers in the win with Derek Brieden picking up the win with two perfect frames late.
 
SUNDAY GAME 2: UTD 8, BELHAVEN 4
 
Moreno and Skivington were the heroes in the deciding game - each driving in four runs with a combined 5-for-7 performance. The duo, along with Vance, accounted for seven of UTD's 10 hits in the deciding game.
 
After Belhaven jumped out in front, 4-0, and held to Comets to just one hit through the first 3.5 innings, UTD came back to life in the bottom of the 4^th. An error, hit batter and walk started the rally, and Skivington delivered just the second Comet hit of the game, clearing the bases with a triple to deep left center field. When Moreno followed with a single through the left side, Skivington came home to tie the score at 4-4.
 
The Comets then took a 6-4 lead in the 5^th with a three-hit inning that included another Belhaven miscue. After Liu and Garza opened with singles, a booted ground ball at third base set up Skivington and Moreno to drive in two more runs with a hit and sacrifice fly. 
 
UTD tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the 7^th. Marcos Villegas and Skivington singled and Moreno delivered a single down the right field line that scored them both to put the score at its final margin. 
 
Meanwhile, Kenny Garza took to the mound in the 5^th and threw three scoreless innings, allowing just a single hit to the Blazers before giving way to Cochrane, who closed out the game with two no-hit innings. Garza (3-0) earned his second win in the tournament.