RICHARDSON, Texas - The UT Dallas baseball team overcame a two-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth, defeating West Texas A&M 7-6 in the first game of a Lone Star Conference series at home Friday.

Trailing 6-4, the Comets' (3-1 LSC) second baseman Albert Garza led off the ninth with a single in the right field corner, followed by a Jake Amoroso double to right center. After a strikeout, senior right fielder Trent McCown doubled to left center and tied the game with Garza and Amoroso scoring. 

McCown was lifted for pinch runner Peyton Peoples before the second out was made. Alex Miller followed with a walk, forcing the Buffaloes (1-3 LSC) to make a pitching change. On the fifth pitch of the at-bat, graduate student Korson Hastings hit a blooper to left field, driving in Peoples for the winning run.

WT took a 1-0 lead on a Daniel Castellanos sacrifice fly, scoring Brock Bunker in the top of the first. Will Franklin drove in Zac Rackham with a hit down the right field line in the second to give the Buffs a 2-0 advantage. Shortstop Luis Reyes drove a two-run homer over the left field fence for a 4-0 lead in the third.

UTD finally got on the board with two runs in the fourth after an RBI-double by Alex Miller and three errors committed by WT.

In the fifth, center fielder Austin Wallace led off with a walk and stole second base, then scored on an Amoroso double. Chris Benavidez drove in Amoroso with a base hit, knotting the game at 4-4.

The Buffaloes retook the lead in the top of the eighth after Anthony Picciono led off with a bunt single and was moved over on a sacrifice by Tristin Thomas. Bunker drove the ball up the middle to plate Picciono. Jonluke Hobdy hit a solo shot to deep left field to lead off the top of the ninth to give the visitors a 6-4 lead.

Both teams had 12 hits in the game, with WT hitting two runs and UTD connecting on five doubles.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by UT Dallas Baseball (@utdbaseball)

UT Dallas Performances
- Hastings drew a walk and drove in the game-winning run. 
- McCown drove in a pair of runs and went 3-for-5 with two doubles.
- Amoroso also went 3-for-5 with two doubles, a RBI and two runs scored. He is the only Comet with a hit in all four games this season.
- Benavdiez went 2-for-3 with a walk, hit by pitch and RBI.
- Senior Kasey Klyng (1-0) earned the win on the mound, throwing the final 1.1 innings.
- Luke Nielsen and Christian Robb each had scoreless outings in relief.

West Texas A&M Performances
- Kanon Welbourne (0-1) took the loss for the Buffs.
- Cade Griffin started and went six frames, allowing six hits, three arned runs and two walks with four strikeouts.
- Bunker was 3-for-4 with a run scored, RBI and a walk.
- Reyes had the two-run homer.
- Hobdy posted two hits, including the solo shot.
- Picciano went 2-for-5.

Up Next
The Comets and Buffaloes will play the second of a three-game series Saturday at noon.