RICHARDSON, Texas - The UT Dallas opened its American Southwest Conference series with a 12-10 victory over Howard Payne at UTD Baseball Field Thursday afternoon.
The Comets (17-10, 10-6) started off with a two-run home run to center field by designated
Grayson Coltharp in the bottom of the first. They went up 3-0 in the second when
Luke Finn led off with a base hit and later scored on a
Keagan Vance ground ball. An
Andrew Skivington two-run blast down the right field line and a RBI-single from
Robert Hines gave UTD a 6-0 advantage after seven frames.
Comet started
Ryan Vera took a shutout into the eighth before the Yellow Jackets (12-15, 6-10 ASC) were able to get on the board. HPU managed four runs on four hits and an error in the frame, including a two-run double from Landon Prestage.Â
Despite only coming up with two hits, UTD doubled its run total to take a 12-4 lead in the eighth. The home team also drew four walks and took advantage of a pair of errors. Center fielder
Jaeger Self recorded a two-run single in the eighth for the Comets.
The Yellow Jackets threatened with six runs on five hits, two walks and a hit batter in the top of the ninth. After giving up a two-run single to Carson Wert,
Jake Jennings earned his third save of the season by ending the game with a fly out to right.
UT Dallas Notes
- Vera (4-2) recorded the longest outing of his career, going 7.2 innings and tying his career-best of eight strikeouts. He also allowed seven hits, three runs and two walks.
- Hines extended his hitting streak to 11 games with the two-run single.
- Skivington now leads the team with six home runs, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI.
- Coltharp was 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, the home run and a double. He now has five homers on the season.
- Funn was 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI.
- Vance went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two batted in.
Howard Payne Notes
- The Yellow Jackets led in hits 14-11.
- Tanner Benson had a RBI-pinch hit double and a sac fly for two runs batted in.
- Catcher Kayden Kelley was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and two RBI.
- Carson Wert went 3-for-5 with a run and two RBI.
- Shortstop Joey Villarreal also had two hits with two runs scored.
- Prestage recorded a pair of doubles.
- Brendan Read (1-5) took the loss allowing eight hits, six runs and a walk with three strikeouts over 6.2 innings.
Up Next
The Comets and Yellow Jackets will wrap up the series with a noon double-header on Friday.
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