BROWNWOOD, Texas - The UT Dallas baseball team exploded for 45 runs and 29 hits on Saturday as they finished off an American Southwest Conference series sweep of Howard Payne at Don Shepard Park.

The Comets (21-7, 11-4 ASC) earned its third three-game conference series sweep and fifth overall this season by taking down the Yellow Jackets (9-19, 5-13 ASC) 23-5 and 22-10 in a pair of seven-inning contests.

Game 1
UTD led 5-2 going into the fifth where they put up nine runs on five hits and four walks followed by another nine-run frame in the sixth with seven hits, an error and two more bases on balls. HPU managed three more runs in the final two innings.

The Comets outhit the Yellow Jackets 17-10 in the opener and drew nine walks, while allowing just one. They also registered four doubles and home runs from Jaeger Self and Lucas Rexin.

Ryan Vera (4-2) earned the win on the mound and Brendan Read (2-2) was tagged with the loss.

Game 2
UTD recorded a season-best 22 hits, including seven doubles and a triple. They also scored in each inning, including a seven-spot in the second. The Comets had built an 18-3 lead going into the bottom of the fifth before the game ended in a 22-10 run-rule decision.

HPU managed 13 hits in the game and both teams drew seven walks.

Dylan Hugley (4-1) was the winner on the mound for the Comets, while Brayden Ferrie took the loss.

UT Dallas Notes
- With the win in game one, Vera tied Carter Cochrane for the Comet career victories record with 22. He also struck out eight and remains in second place on the all-time list with 219. 
- Self and third baseman Dylan Bivins each extended their hitting streaks to nine games.
- Self now has four homers on the year and went 4-for-9 with six RBI, three runs scored, a double and a stolen base on the day.
- Bivins crossed the plate and astonishing nine times Saturday, hitting 5-for-9 with six driven in, two walks, a double and a triple.
- Rexin hit his first home run of the season, a three-run shot in the sixth of the opener, while going 3-for-3 with three runs scored, five RBI, a walk and a sac fly.
- First baseman Zach Landry went 7-for-9, scored five times, knocked in six runs and had a double on Saturday.
- Efren Munoz went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, three RBI, two walks, a double and a steal in the nightcap.
- Left fielder Brayshon Savage was 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and three runs scored in game two.
- Catcher Nico Fernandez was also 3-for-5 with two doubles, three runs and two driven in in the second game.
- Payton Taylor had a pair of hits, including a double and drove in four runs in game one.
- Senior Diego Longoria made his season debut, while four players made their first appearances as Comets - Diego Martinez, Dom Dechant, Noah Burton and Carson Frezon.

Howard Payne Notes
- Right fielder Tanner Benson went 4-for-4 with two runs scored, a double and a RBI in game one.
- Seth Bowan hit three doubles on the day and knocked in three.
- William Burford had a three-run homer in the second of game two. He finished that game 3-for-5 with a double and five driven in.

Up Next
UTD will play at Southwestern (Texas) in Georgetown at 6 p.m. Tuesday.