HOUSTON - The UT Dallas baseball team suffered its first loss of the year, falling to St. Thomas (Texas) 10-9 at John Ray Harrison Field Tuesday night.

The Comets (3-1) overcame a Celts' (4-3) lead twice and eventually took the lead in the top off the eighth, before the home team scored three runs in the bottom of the inning to claim the victory.

UST scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the first and went up 3-0 in the second. UTD tied it up at 3-3 in the top of the third with three runs on six hits. Second baseman Albert Garza had a RBI-double, while Dylan Bivins and Nico Fernandez drove runs in via singles.

The Celts answered with four runs on two hits, a walk and an error to gain a 7-3 advantage. Sophomore shortstop Garrett Neeley led the fourth off by drawing a walk and later scored on a ground out. Luke Finn singled and scored on a passed ball to make the game 7-5.

Fernandez led the fifth off with single to left, advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third after Josh Johnson reached on an error. Fernandez then scored on a balk and Johnson crossed the plate on a ground out to tie the game at 7-7. Zach Landry led off the seventh with a walk and later scored on a Neeley sacrifice fly to give UTD its first lead of the game. The eighth was similar as Finn led off with a base on balls, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored after an error to go up 9-7.

UST catcher Mason Seay had a RBI-single and Dillon McKee hit a two-run double to give the Celts the final lead. Closer Kameron Craig ended the game with a 1-2-3 inning to earn a save.

UT Dallas Notes
- Finn extended his hitting streak to eight games, dating back to last season by going 2-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored.
- Fernandez was also 2-for-4 with a run, RBI and walk.
- Neeley drove in a pair of runs.
- Bivins had one hit, two walks and knocked in two.
- Landry and Johnson each recorded a run and a base hit.
- Garza had the only extra-base hit for UTD, a double, and stole a base.
- Kasey Klyng threw a perfect fifth inning.
- Caleb Vuono extended his perfect inning streak to four to start the season, shutting down UST in the sixth. 
- Reliever Ben Price took the loss, but struck out three batters over two innings.

St. Thomas Notes
- Walker Holzhausen recorded the win by throwing the eighth inning. He allowed an unearned run and two walks with one strikeout.
- Craig earned his first ave of the season.
- McKee went 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, two RBI and two runs scored.
- Timothy Mansell was 1-for-3 with a run scored, walk and two RBI.
- Both teams had eight hits on the evening.

Up Next
UTD will open American Southwest Conference play with a three-game series at Hardin-Simmons Friday and Saturday. The first game will be 6 p.m. in Friday in Abilene.