ABILENE, Texas - The UT Dallas baseball team outslugged Hardin-Simmons in a double-header sweep at Hunter Field Thursday afternoon. The Comets (29-4) took the seven-inning opener 12-6, then defeated the Cowboys (7-23) 14-4 in the nightcap.

Game 1
UTD started the game by loading the bases and freshman Kole Kinnison doubling in a pair of runs with a third coming on a throwing error for an early 3-0 lead. HSU tied it up in the fourth on four hits and an error. 

The Comets exploded for nine runs on five hits, an error, six walks and a hit batter in the sixth. Lucas Rexin had three runs batted in during the frame on a two-run double and a bases-loaded walk. Kinnison hit a two-run homer over the right center field fence as well. 

The Cowboys finished with another run in the sixth and two more in the seventh for the final 12-6 score.

HSU outhit UTD 11-9, but allowed 10 Comets to walk.

Senior starter Apollo Cassimatis (5-0) earned the win with one strikeout and allowing eight hits and three earned runs over 5.1 innings. Alex Carte (2-7) gave up four hits, five runs, five walks and three hit batters with a pair of strikeouts over five-plus innings.

Rexin was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, two doubles and three RBI. Kinnison knocked in four runs while recording a double and a home run. Freshman third baseman Jackson Montee was 2-for-2 with a run scored, RBI and a walk. 

Baylan Vaughan led HSU at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a run scored, double and a triple. Brock Calvillo was 2-for-3 with a RBI and run scored and Jacob Hollingsworth went 3-for-3 with a double, run scored and run driven in.

Game 2
The Comets continued the slugfest in game two, outhitting the Cowboys 16-11 with four home runs.

Junior catcher Nico Fernandez picked off a runner at first base in the bottom of the first, then hit a two-run homer in the top of the second to give UTD an early lead. Second baseman Albert Garza led the third off with a home run to right field. 

The Comets put up a five-spot in the fifth. Garza walked and scored on a Rexin triple, followed by a Trent McCown base hit, plating Rexin. Jayden Chatman rocketed a three-run homer over the left field fence to go up 8-0. 

Karson Leatherwood put HSU on the board in the seventh with an RBI-single. Garza knocked in Montee with a single up the middle in the eighth to give the Comets a 9-1 advantage. HSU added two more runs in the bottom of the inning.

Montee recorded a two-run double in the ninth, followed by an RBI-single from Jaeger Self and a two-run home by Garza. The Cowboys scored one more run in the bottom of the ninth on an error for the final 14-4 tally.

Garza was 3-for-5 with two home runs - his first two as a Comet - and four RBI. Kinnison was 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Fernandez recorded his first home run of the season and Montee was 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Luke Kirkbride went 3-for-4 with a double and Vaughan had two more hits, including a double. Leatherwood went 2-for-4 with a run scored and RBI.

Trevor McGrath (5-1) picked up the win, lasting seven innings, allowing seven hits, one run and three strikeouts. Jace Martinez (0-4) gave up eight hits, eight runs and three walks over five innings in the loss.

The final contest of the four-game series will begin at noon Friday.