University of Texas at Dallas Athletics

>>05.05.06
Comet Bullpen Unravels As UTD Drops Opening Game of ASC Championship Tourney
Seven-Run Inning Dooms UTD's Chances
TLU 12, UTD 7

SEGUIN, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team saw a chance to make a statement in its pursuit of an American Southwest Conference championship turn into a major uphill climb in the matter of just one inning Friday afternoon at the ASC Championship Tournament at Texas Lutheran University.

The Comets (30-13) saw a 5-3 lead with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning of the opening tournament game with host TLU turn into a nightmare as the UTD bullpen could not come up with the final out. Before the damage could be controlled, the Comets had given up six hits and two walks, gone through four pitchers, and seen seven runs come home. Down 10-5 with just two innings left, UTD could not recover and fell, 12-7, in the opening round game.

UTD will face familiar foe Mississippi College, a surprise 9-1 loser to HSU in the other opening round game, in an elimination game at 10 Saturday morning. To win the tournament and the automatic NCAA Division III national tournament berth it includes, both ASC East teams face the daunting task of winning twice Saturday and two games Sunday.

The winner of the Saturday morning game will face the loser of a 1 pm game between TLU and HSU for the right to advance to the championship game on Sunday. That semifinal game is set for 4 pm Saturday.

The opening game loss was particularly disappointing to the Comets, who had overcome some early problems by rallying from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game and then take the lead at 5-3.

After UTD took an early 1-0 lead, starter Troy Kiesling did not give up a base hit until the third inning. Unfortunately for the Comets, he gave up four straight hits with two outs in that inning and UTD was looking up at the Bulldogs (30-10-1) and their ace Kevin Newman (7-3, 1.86 ERA). But the Comets got one run back in the fourth when Brett Rosen doubled home Jeremy Reagan, who had reached on a bunt single.

UTD tied the game at 3-3 in the next inning, with Nick Bird scoring on a Matt Putman ground out. Mitche Elliott got the first of his two hits of the game with a solo homer in the sixth to give UTD a one-run advantage, then the Comets went up 5-3 in the seventh when Bird walked and moved to third on two wild pitches, chasing Newman. Jake Jackson then greeted reliever Brian Wallace (2.32 ERA) with a long sacrifice fly to score Bird.

Althought the Comets had the lead, the truth was that it could have been bigger. Through the first seven innings, the Comets had managed to produce five runs out of just six hits and stranded nine baserunners, including six in scoring position thanks to seven TLU walks and a hit batter.

The fateful bottom of the seventh started with an dribbling infield single that 3B Reagan just missed making a play on to put the leadoff hitter on. After a sacrifice bunt and a popup, Kiesling needed just one more out to get out of the inning. Leadoff hitter Casey Rehfeld worked a walk on a 3-2 pitch, then No. 2 hitter Jacob Kaase knocked Kiesling out of the game with an RBI single to pull TLU to within a run at 5-4.

The trouble was only beginnnig as the Comets went to the bullpen. ASC West Player of the Year Aaron Crais greeted Drew Waggoner with an RBI double just past a diving Reagan at third to tie the score. Then, cleanup hitter Brett Cannon came up with the clutch hit of the game, slapping another Waggoner offering right through the middle to give TLU a 7-5 advantage.

Waggoner gave way to Darius Wu, who lasted just three hitters after giving up a walk and another pair of RBI hits. Clint Zettle came in for the final out of the inning, but then gave up another pair of runs in the eighth as TLU stretched its hit total to 14 with three more hits and a 12-5 lead. The three Comet relievers gave up as many hits (6) in 2/3 of an inning as Kiesling allowed in the first 6-2/3 innings of the game.

The Comets did rally for a pair of runs in their final at-bat as Putman and Elliott delivered RBI hits, but it was too little, too late. 


>>05.06.06
Comets Bounce Back To
Advance To ASC Semi-Final
Black Allows 2 Hits , Rosen Homers Twice In 8-Run Inning

UTD 10, MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE 4

SEGUIN, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team bounced back from Friday's disappointing beginning to the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament Saturday with a 10-4 win over Mississippi College in a game that sent the Choctaws home for the season.

UTD starter Randy Black held the high-octane MC offense to just two hits through seven scoreless innings. The Comets got all the offense they needed with an 8-run third inning that featured a pair of home runs from 2B Brett Rosen in the same, 11-hitter inning.

UTD will now face the loser of Sunday's Hardin-Simmons/Texas Lutheran winner's bracket game, which is set to start at noon at TLU's Katt-Isbell Field. UTD will face the losing team approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of that game for the right to meet the winning team in Monday's championship game(s).

After UTD (31-13) took a 1-0 lead against MC with a two-out RBI single from Jeremy Reagan, Rosen led off the third inning onslaught by nailing a shot over the leftfield wall to make it 2-0. Nick Bird singled and was almost picked off, but beat a throw to second base before Mark Perez flew out for the second out of the inning. That's when the Comets turned on the scoring machine.

Matt Putman brought home Bird with a single, then Jake Jackson stepped up and drove another Calvin Triplett pitch over the leftfield wall for a two-run shot that made it 4-0. Reagan then got his second hit of the game, and Mitch Elliott and Nick Hand both drew walks to load up the bases for Rosen's second at-bat of the inning. The Comet second baseman cleared the bases with a hit to almost the same place over the left field wall and UTD had a 9-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Black was keeping the Choctaws (29-16) off balance and was really never threatened as MC never even got a runner in scoring position during the first seven innings. He left with seven strikeouts in seven innings. MC scored all its runs against the UTD bullpen.

Rosen led all UTD hitters with a 3-for-5 performance and 5 RBI. Reagan ended the game 3-for-4 while Bird, Putman and Jackson each had a pair of hits. Through the first four innings, the bottom four in the UTD order (Putman, Jackson, Reagan and Mitch Elliott) were a combined 8-for-11.

UTD actually had a chance to end the game with a 10-run mercy rule instituted for the tournament in the sixth inning when Perez led off with a towering shot to left field that was caught high against the wall. After MC cut into the Comet lead with a pair of runs in the 8th inning, UTD answered with a single run in the 8th, starting the inning with three straight singles and Bird driving home Rosen.


>>05.07.06
Comets Will Play For ASC Championship After Sending HSU Home In Semifinal Win
Schurr Goes Distance For First Complete Game Win of the Season 
UTD 5, HSU 2

SEGUIN, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team got a gutty pitching performance from junior Trey Schurr and cracked three home runs to propel themselves into the championship game of the American Southwest Conference Tournament with a 5-2 victory over Hardin-Simmons Sunday afternoon.

Schurr (7-3), normally the team's No. 3 starter, had averaged just 6.0 innings in his previous nine starts, but kept the Cowboys (28-17) off balance throughout the first portion of the game, and then dug a bit deeper to finish HSU off in the final three frames after pitching out of a seventh-inning jam.

UTD (32-13) will now play in its third ASC Tournament championship game in the last four years Monday when they meet host Texas Lutheran University in an 11 am game. The Comets, who lost 12-7 to the Bulldogs in the tournament opener on Friday, will have to defeat TLU twice to claim the title.

The Comets gave Schurr all the run support he would need in the top of the first inning Sunday, scoring three runs against HSU starter Brian Arnold (4-2) on an RBI single from Trent Elizondo and a two-run homer from Nick Bird. But it was too early to celebrate against HSU, which had lost to TLU in a winners' bracket finale earlier in the afternoon, 7-0.

While Schurr and a defense that turned three double plays kept the Cowboys from getting their offense rolling, UTD was able to strike for another run to go up, 4-0, on a solo home run by Elizondo in the third.

HSU finally managed its first run of the entire afternoon with an unearned run in the fifth after their leadoff hitter reached on a throwing error. Jake Jackson got the run back for the Comets, though, by leading off the fifth with a solo home run, the third Comet homer of the game.

But the big scare for Schurr came in the seventh when he struggled a bit with control. HSU got a leadoff single and a walk to open the inning, then Schurr loaded the bases with another walk and let the second Cowboy run of the game come home on a third walk in the inning, albiet on a borderline pitch.

The umpire's ball four call seemed to energize Schurr after that point as he got out of the bases loaded situation with a strikeout and a fly ball to end the threat. In the final two frames, he twice allowed a single, but got out of the jams with the third double-play ground out of the game and a strikeout and fly ball to end the game.


>>05.08.06
Comets Come Up Just One Miracle Short In ASC Championship Game
UTD Makes Incredible Run Before Falling
In Title Game To Defending Champs TLU 

SEGUIN, TX - After falling 12-7 to defending American Southwest Conference champion Texas Lutheran University in the opening game of the 2006 ASC Championship Tournament Friday, the University of Texas at Dallas baseball team needed a miracle to make it back to their third league title game in four years.

Combining some clutch hitting with gutty pitching performances from the team's three starters - Randy Black, Trey Schurr and Troy Kiesling - the Comets (33-14) got almost all the miracles they needed over the four-day, double-elimination tournament.

Almost.

After avoiding elimination the previous two days by sending home both Mississippi College (10-4) and Hardin-Simmons (5-2), the Comets pulled out another miraculous finish to edge TLU, 4-3, in 10 innings Monday in a game they had to have to force a winner-take-all title game immediately following. Unfortunately for UTD, the miracles ran out in the final three ininngs of the title game as TLU won its second consecutive ASC title with a 6-4 win.

UTD 4, TLU 3 (10 innings)

Working on just two days rest, senior Troy Kiesling (who was tagged with the Friday loss to TLU) gave the Comets all he had left in his tank, working seven strong innings and leaving with the score tied at 3-3.

The Comets then won the game, 4-3, in the top of the 10th inning with back-to-back hits to open the inning as Brett Rosen doubled and Trent Elizondo followed with an RBI single to drive him home.

Elizondo delivered even more in the bottom of the inning as TLU tried to rally for the third time in the game. Leadoff hitter Casey Rehfeld beat out an infield single and was moved into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Bulldog first baseman Ryan Baudoin then sent a single into right field and Rehfeld raced for the plate with what would have been the tying run. But Elizondo charged the ball and fired a perfect strike to catcher Mark Cox who tagged out Rehfeld to end the game.

The Comets opened the game by striking for two runs in the top of the first inning. Rosen singled and eventually scored on a pair of passed balls and a wild pitch. Nick Bird also drew a two-out walk and moved to second on the passed ball that scored Rosen. He came home with the second run on an RBI single up the middle by Mark Perez.

But TLU got right back in it in the third, putting together at three-hit inning to tie the game at 2-2. After Bird led off the sixth with a solo homerun, TLU catcher Aaron Crais (who was named the tournament MVP) matched him with a solo shot of his own to tie the score at 3-3.

With two outs and the go-ahead run on base in the eighth, Kiesling gave way to Darius Wu, who had given up a walk and two hits to the only batters he faced on Friday. But Wu worked out of a jam by coaxing a ground ball out of the first batter he faced to end the inning, then picked up the win when Elizondo came through with the big defensive play in the ninth.

TLU 6, UTD 3 (CHAMPIONSHIP GAME)

The Comets, who sent senior Randy Black to the mound on just a single day's rest, found themselves having to play catchup in the title game. Black, who gave up just two hits in 7.0 innings to Mississippi College on Saturday, was not at his best; yet he continually kept the Comets close by not letting TLU get things too far out of hand.

Playing catchup most of the game, the Comets found themselves trailing 1-0 after the first. But in the third, UTD briefly took a 2-1 lead when Nick Bird delivered a scorching 2-RBI double to right centerfield, scoring both Nick Hand and Rosen.

TLU didn't take long to answer, pushing across a single run on a walk and a sacrifice fly to tie the score at 2-2. Then, the Bulldogs took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the fifth. TLU chased Black from the game when the meat of the order hit a pair of doubles and another Crais home run to go up, 4-2. TLU added singl runs in the seventh and eighth and led, 6-2, going into UTD's final at-bat.

But the Comets were not done yet. Mark Perez led off the ninth inning with walk, and Matt Putman, Jake Jackson and Jeremy Reagan followed with three consecutive singles to bring home a run and leave the bases loaded for Mitch Elliott, who got Chase Whitehead (running for Putman) home with a sacrifice fly and left the tying runs still on the bases with just one out.

But leftfielder Nick Hand's final shot up the middle was grabbed by TLU shortstop Jacob Kaase, who turned the Bulldogs' second double play of the game and ended the Comets' championship bid two runs short.

Trey Schurr, who pitched a complete game victory over Hardin-Simmons on Sunday, was named to the ASC All-Tournament team along with 2B Brett Rosen, DH Nick Bird and OF Trent Elizondo.


>>05.23.06
UTD Trio Named To All-Region Squad

The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team had three players selected for the 2006 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) NCAA Division III All-West Region Team.

Second baseman Brett Rosen and outfielder/designated hitter Nick Bird were named second-team selections at their position while outfielder Trent Elizondo was a third-team selection.

A total of 50 players from the NCAA West Region, which includes both Texas and California, were chosen for the three different teams. The first team included 11 position players with four pitchers while the second team had 17 players, and the third team had 18. American Southwest Conference champion Texas Lutheran University, which defeated UTD in the championship game, had four selections while ASC members McMurry, Hardin-Simmons, Mississippi College and Austin College each had two selections apiece.
Rosen and Bird were both newcomers to the UTD program in 2006. Rosen, a junior from Plano, led the Comets (33-14) in hitting with a .391 average and 44 RBI. Bird, a senior from Dallas, hit .318 with 11 home runs and 53 RBI. Elizondo, a junior from The Woodlands, hit .333 with 41 RBI. He was a first-team selection last season.


>>05.02.06
Comets Have Four First-Team Selections On All-East Division Squad
Elizondo Honored For Second Straight Season 

RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team had four players named to the American Southwest Conference All-East Division team, including outfielder Trent Elizondo a two-time first-team selection.

Joining Elizondo on the first-team squad was senior first baseman Mark Perez, senior designated hitter Nick Bird and pitcher Kosuke Fujii.

UTD also place a trio of players on the second-team squad, which was voted on by the division's eight coaches. Second-team All-East Division selections included junior second baseman Brett Rosen, junior shortstop Jake Jackson and senior starting pitcher Randy Black.

Five other players were named to the division's honorable mention squad. These included sophomore third baseman Jeremy Reagan, junior catcher Matt Putman, pitchers Troy Kiesling, a senior, and sophomore Sam Harrison; and junior outfielder Nick Hand.

East Division champion Mississippi College topped the first-team squad with six selections. The Comets, who finished second in the division along with UT-Tyler, each had four players on the first-team squad.


>>05.01.06
Comets To Face Host TLU In Opening Game Of ASC Championship Tourney
UTD Takes 4th Straight Shot at Conference Title, NCAA Bid

SEGUIN, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team will take its fourth straight trip to the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament this weekend at Texas Lutheran University's Katt-Isbell Field with a chance at winning its first conference title and an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III national tournament.

UTD (30-12) will face host TLU (29-10) in an opening round game of the double-elimination tournament at 3 pm Friday at TLU's Katt-Isbell Field. ASC East Division top seed Mississippi College (29-14) will face Hardin-Simmons (27-15) in the other opening round game at 11 am Friday.

UTD, which began its baseball program in 2002, has qualified for the ASC post-season Championship Tournament every season it has been eligible since 2003.

UTD advanced to the tournament with a two-game sweep of Concordia-Austin in the opening round series last weekend. The Comets rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning in the first game to claim a 7-6 win; then held off CUA for a 9-8 win in the second game.

PHOTO: Mark Perez sparked the first-game rally with a two-run homerun in the bottom of the ninth inning.

TLU advanced past the first round with a 4-1 and 11-10 sweep of Austin College. Hardin-Simmons whipped Louisiana College, 8-3 and 8-7; and Mississippi College survived a scare from McMurry in a series that went three games. McMurry won the opener, 9-2; but let MC rally for a 20-15 win in the second game. The Choctaws then went to extra innings in the final game before pulling out a 7-6 win.

To win the ASC tournament and earn the automatic bid into the tournament, a team must survive as many as five games in three days. The two losing teams from the opening day will play an elimination game at 10:00 am Saturday while the winners meet at 1:00 pm for a spot into the championship game. The two other remaining teams then play at 4:00 pm in a second elimination game with the winner of that contest moving into the championship game. The tournament title will be decided with one or two games, beginnig at 1 pm Sunday.


>>04.29.06: ASC FIRST-ROUND PLAYOFF SERIES
Comets Advance To ASC Championship Tournament With Dramatic Sweep
GAME 1: UTD 7, Concordia 6
GAME 2: UTD 9, Concordia 8

RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team advanced to next weekend's American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament Saturday by pulling out a pair of dramatic, one-run wins over Concordia-Austin to sweep its opening round series.

Mark Perez (right) sparked a three-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning in the first game with an opposite field home run as the Comets (30-12) pulled out a 7-6 win. In the second game, the Comet defense performed the drama with a game-ending double play that involved catching two CUA (21-17) runners in rundowns on the same play to ice a 9-8 win.

UTD advances to next weekend's double-elimination ASC Tournament, where they will face host Texas Lutheran in the opening game Friday, May 5. TLU, the ASC West's No. 1 seed, eliminated Austin College with a 4-1 and 11-10 sweep. Game times will be announced later.

UTD 7, CUA 6

Through 8 innings of the opener, the Comets looked to be heading for a frustrating defeat. They had stranded 11 baserunners, struggling to find a clutch hit as CUA's Jonathan Miller had thrown three innings of one-hit relief. UTD had held an early 2-1 lead, but the Tornados greeted Comet starter Troy Kiesling with four straight hits to take a 5-2 lead after the fifth.
The Comets staged somewhat of a rally in the bottom of the inning, but had leadoff runner Nick Hand picked off, which ultimately cost them the tying run in a two-run rally.

The Tornados stretched their lead out to 6-4 with a single run in the eighth, and - after a Brett Rosen single and Trent Elizondo fly out - were two outs away from victory in the bottom of the ninth when Perez lifted an high fly that the wind pushed over the left field wall for a game-tying home run. Jake Jackson and Nick Bird then both followed with singles before Matt Putman delivered the game-winning RBI hit.

Darius Wu earned the win in relief.

UTD 9, CUA 8

The UTD offense came to life in the second game, pounding out 16 hits, but had to hold off a consistent CUA attack, which had 13 hits of its own against Comet pitchers Randy Black and Drew Waggoner.

In addition, the Comets had to overcome nine runners left on base and three CUA double play combinations. But UTD got a three-run first, a three-run fifth and a two-run sixth to eventually build up a 9-6 lead. Nick Hand, Jake Jackson, Nick Bird and Jeremy Reagan all had three hits and Bird delivered three RBI.

The game, however, was not on ice until the final play of the game as CUA (the home team in the second game) pulled within a run with a solo shot to lead off the ninth. The Tornados got the tying run into scoring position with one out. Waggoner, who had kept the Tornado batters off balance throughout his three-inning stint then coaxed Bryan Jacobs into a strange game-ending double play. Jacobs hit a chopper right up the middle that Waggoner was able to snag and fire to third base to get the lead Tornado runner into a rundown. After a series of back-and-forth tosses, Jeremy Reagan tagged that runner for the second out, and then smartly fired a shot to Brett Rosen at second to tage out Jacobs, who was attempting to advance on the previous rundown.

The double play ended the game and the series for CUA, and made a winner out of UTD starter Randy Black, who went six innings. Waggoner not only started the game-ending play, but got the save.


>>04.23.06
Opening Day Sweep Wipes Out
UTD Bid For ASC East Division Title
LeTourneau 4, UTD 0
LeTourneau 7, UTD 6
UTD 12, LeTourneau 4

LONGVIEW, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team saw its bid to claim only the second American Southwest Conference East Division title in program history go by the wayside in the final regular season weekend after dropping two of three games to LeTourneau.

LETU, which entered the weekend in last place in the division, got a three-hit shutout in the opening game, winning 4-0; then rallied past the Comets, 7-6, in the second game. On Sunday (a makeup after the Friday games were rained out), UTD bounced back and finished its regular season with a convincing 12-4 win.

Nick Bird was one of three Comets to blast three hits in the final game, including a three-hit home run to get the scoring started as UTD pounded out 18 hits to improve to 28-12 on the season and finishe their ASC schedule at 13-8.

UTD had entered the weekend in sole possession of first place in the East Division, but needed a sweep of LETU to hold off Mississippi College, which won the division at 14-7 after sweeping three straight conference series.

The Comets had already clinched a post-season berth, and locked up home field advantage in the opening round with the second-place finish. UTD will host Concordia-Austin, the ASC West No. 3 seed, on April. 28-29 in a best-of-three series with the winner advancing to the Conference Championship Tournament May 2-4 at the homefield of the highest remaining seed.

LETU 4, UTD 0

The Comets' bats went completely silent in the opening game of the series, tallying just three hits against LETU starter Wolfers. The loss wasted an equally-impressive performance from UTD senior Randy Black, who limited LETU to just four hits. The Comets committed a pair of errors, as well, leading to two unearned runs.

LETU 7, UTD 6

UTD struggled to get its offense rolling again in the second game, but managed to take a 5-0 lead into the fourth inning. LETU then solved the puzzle that senior Troy Kiesling was pitching and got a four-run fourth to pull within a run, then knocked him out of the game with three more runs in the seventh. The Comets, who stranded 8 runners, managed just another single run in the final five innings.

UTD 12, LETU 4

Using a reshuffled lineup, UTD pounded a pair of LETU pitchers for 18 hits, including three home runs (Bird, Brett Rosen and Mark Perez). The Comets were up 9-0 for starter Trey Schurr before LETU came to life with a three-run sixth. UTD, which got hits from all but one slot in the lineup, finished LETU off with three more runs in the final two frames


>>03.18.05
Uninspired Effort Leads To
Non-Conference Loss To TWU
Texas Wesleyan 7, UTD 4

RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team showed almost none of the swagger that put it on top of the American Southwest Conference East Division and earned itself a No. 6 regional ranking in the latest coaching poll Tuesday, dropping a non-conference matchup, 7-4, to Texas Wesleyan.

UTD (27-10) had 10 hits, but pushed across just four single runs as TWU (22-19) turned three double plays to quash Comet rallies. Meanwhile, the Rams exploded for a three-run fifth and four runs in the final two frames to snuff out any UTD rally plans.

Mark Perez, who was named ASC East Hitter of the Week on Monday, continued his hot hitting, as he and shortstop Jake Jackson both went 3-for-4 wth a run scored. Rightfielder Chase Whitehead, getting his first start in relief of an ill Trent Elizondo, had his first career home run as the only other UTD player to finish with multiple hits.

The Comets' group pitching effort left much to be desired as three relievers surrendered 11 of TWU's 13 hits and gave up all the runs in just six innings of work. Only starter Ryan Hellen (1 hit in one inning) and reliever Darius Wu (1 hit in 2 innings) escaped unscathed as TWU belted four extra-base hits.

UTD took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Perez and Jackson started the inning with back-to-back doubles. TWU almost hit for the cycle as a team in the fifth to go up, 3-1, when they opened the inning with a single, a double and bases-clearing triple. Meanwhile, the Comets couldn't get anyone else home until the fifth, when Mark Cox scored on a Nick Hand single to pull UTD to within a run at 3-2. But four hits and a wild pitch in the eighth netted the Rams two more runs and stretched the lead back to 5-2. After Whitehead homered in the bottom of the inning, TWU put two more on the board with three hits in the ninth.

The Comets, who learned Tuesday that they finally cracked into the Top 6 of the American Baseball Coaches Association West Region poll, will finish up their regular season ASC East Division schedule this weekend with three games on the road at LeTourneau.


>>04.18.06
Comets Crack Into Regional Poll
UTD Only ASC Team To Be Nationally-Ranked

RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team cracked into the American Baseball Coaches Association West Region poll for the first time last week, earning a No. 6 ranking in the West Region poll.

The Comets, who were 27-9 at the end of the week, were the only American Southwest Conference team to be included in the regional poll, which includes teams from Texas and the Pacific Coast (California, Washington, Oregon) Trinity University (29-9) was the only other Texas school in the poll, ranked No. 2 in the region and No. 11 nationally.

Chapman College (22-7) of California is the region's top-ranked team and is No. 6 in the national poll.

National rankings are important at the end of the season for teams who hope to receive an at-large invitation to the NCAA Division III national playoffs. The team that wins the ASC Championship Tournament receives an automatic bid to the tournament, but at-large selections are more diffictult to come by.


>>04.18.06
UTD Sluggers Pick Up ASC
Hitter of the Week Awards
Perez, Griffin Win Weekly ASC East Honors
RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball and softball teams both had players honored as the American Southwest Conference East Division Hitters of the Week for their performances in conference sweeps last week.

First baseman Mark Perez of the baseball team and shortstop Amber Griffin of the softball team both lead their teams to important ASC East wins last week. The baseball team swept Austin College to take over sole possession of first place in the division. The softball team swept doubleheaders from UT-Tyler and LeTourneau to fight its way back into a battle for a post-season berth going into the final week of the regular season

Perez, a senior from Dallas Sunset HS, hit safely in all four UTD games (including a three-game divisional sweep of Austin College) during the week. He drove in six runs while batting .466 (7-for-15). The biggest hit of Perez's week was a game-winning two-RBI single in the middle game of the weekend Austin College conference series to break a 1-1 tie on the way to a 4-1 UTD win and a sweep of the 'Roos. Perez added a pair of doubles and scored a run over the 4-0 stretch.

Griffin, a sophomore from Richmond, Texas sparked a UTD offense that scored 40 runs over a 4-0 week to get back into the ASC postseason playoff race. The Needville HS graduate added to a seven-game, multi-hit streak by going 10-for-16 (.625) with eight RBI, knocking-three doubles and stealing a pair of bases. The sophomore raised her team-best batting average to .421.


>>04.14.06
Comets Alone In First, Clinch Post-Season With Series Sweep of Austin College
GAME 1: UTD 6, AC 5 (10 inn.)
GAME 2: UTD 4, AC 1
GAME 3: UTD 13, AC 8
RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team took over sole possession of first place in the American Southwest Conference East Division, and clinched a spot in the post-season ASC playoffs, with a three-game sweep of a divisional series with Austin College.

UTD rallied from a 5-2 deficit to win the Thursday opener in 10 innings, 6-5; then swept a Friday doubleheader, 4-1 and 13-8.

First baseman Mark Perez who had six hits, two doubles and 5 RBI in the series, led a Comet offense that took advantage of most of its opportunities. UTD hit .367 (18-for-49) with runners on base and delivered 11-of-13 times that runners reached third base.

The Comets also got some outstanding starting pitching in the first two games of the series from seniors Troy Kiesling and Randy Black. Keisling gave up just five hits and two runs in the first nine innings of the Thursday opener. Black limited AC to just four hits in a complete game, seven-inning victory Friday.

The victories put UTD at 27-9 on the season and 12-9 in the ASC East Division standings with just one weekend left in the regular season. The Comets lead second-place Mississippi College (24-12, 11-7) by a single game, and will need to win at least one more game than the Choctaws this weekend to hold on to the top spot. (The Choctaws hold the tiebreaker edge on UTD since they won two games in the three-game series between the two teams a couple of weeks ago).

UTD, which assured itself of a post-season berth with the sweep, plays at last-place LeTourneau (11-22-1, 6-12-0) while MC travels to meet the University of the Ozarks (19-18-0, 9-9-0). Ozarks will have their hands full with the surging Choctaws, who have won seven straight conference games. But UO also needs at least one win itself to wrap up a post-season berth.

One victory this weekend for the Comets should, at the very least, wrap up a host's position in the opening round of the ASC playoffs, which start April 28-29 at the top two seeded schools in the East and West Division. The winners of the opening round advance to a four-team, double-elimination tournament the following weekend, hosted by the highest seeded remaining team, starting with the West Division.

UTD 6, AC 5 (10 inn.)

The series opener, the most exciting matchup of the series, was actually three games in one before the Comets rallied to overcome a three-run deficit in their last at-bat. The first portion of the contest was a 2-2 pitching dual between Kiesling and AC starter Justin Frost, who scattered seven hits over eight innings. UTD got a 1-0 lead early, only to see the Kangaroos tie the game on a solo home run in the fourth.

The Comets seemed to have the game won in the eighth when Perez drove home Trent Elizondo with a double. But AC rallied with two outs in the top of the ninth to tie the score. Then, the wild finish began.

First, the 'Roos got a couple of base runners off walks with two outs in the 10th, and then used a pair of back-to-back hits to bring home three runs and take a 5-2 advantage. But the Comets returned the favor. A hit batter, a walk and a single loaded the bases before three different AC pitchers walked in the tying runs. Jeremy Reagan then delivered the game-winning single, scoring Nick Bird.

UTD 4, AC 1

Black kept the 'Roos off-balance all game long, never giving up more than one hit in an inning. The only blemish was a solo homerun in the fourth that temporarily tied the score at 1-1.

Perez delivered the game-winning RBI with two outs and the bases full in the fifth, singling to score both Nick Hand and Brett Rosen. In the sixth, pinchrunner Chase Whitehead stole second base and scored on an RBI single by Jake Jackson.

UTD 13, AC 8
The 'Roos waited too long in this one to replace starter starter Cory Stevens, who was charged with nine earned runs in just the first 1.2 innings of the contest. Nick Bird made Stevens pay for a walk and a basehit in the first by belting a three-run home run over the leftfield wall, giving UTD a 3-0 lead. Then, in the second, the Comets started the inning with four straight singles, followed by a pair of walks and two more hits to push across six runs before a change was made.

Although Comet starter Trey Schurr gave up eight hits and five runs in 8.0 innings of work, only two of the runs were earned as UTD committed four errors. The Comets put the game out of reach in the eighth when a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases for a 2-RBI single from Perez and a sacrifice fly from Matt Putman to make it 13-8. AC rallied with a 3-run homer in the top of the ninth, but Clint Zettle finally finished the 'Roos off with a ground out to end the game.


>>04.11.06
Comets Tackle Possible Playoff Foe
UTD 5, McMurry 3
ABILENE, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team is tuning up for what it hopes is a fifth consecutive post-season appearance, and made an impression on possible playoff opponent McMurry University Tuesday with a 5-3 non-conference win.

UTD improved to 23-9 with the victory while McMurry slipped back to 21-11. Both teams are in contention in their respective divisions for a spot in the American Southwest Conference Championship Playoffs, which start in two weeks.

Jake Jackson had a pair of clutch RBI hits for the Comets in both the first and seventh inning as UTD scored all its runs. Matt Putman was 3-for-5 and scored twice. Trent Elizondo also had a multi-hit day and scored twice.

UTD got on the board before the Indians ever got a chance to bat. With two outs in the first, Elizondo and Putman singled to set the stage for RBI singles from Mark Perez and Jackson. Holding a precarious 2-1 lead in the seventh, Elizondo and Putman again got things started with hits and were brought home by Jackson and Jayson Garcia.

The Comets used five pitchers, including Clint Zettle and Drew Waggoner, who combined for four hits of no-hit pitching to start the game. Waggoner got the win to improve to 3-0.


>>04.08.06
Comets Get Their Offense Back To Take Series From UTT
UTD 9, UT-Tyler 7
UTD 12, UT-Tyler 7
UT-Tyler 9, UTD 4 

TYLER, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team returned to its early-season offensive form this weekend, taking two-of-three ASC East Divison games from The University of Texas at Tyler while belting out a combined total of 45 hits over the weekend.

The Comets rallied from a pair of early deficits in the opener and put together a five-run ninth inning to take the first game, 9-7. Then on Saturday, UTD erupted for 19 hits in just seven innings to win the first game of the doubleheader, 12-7. The Comets got 10 hits in the series finale, but were hurt by three UTT double plays and left eight runners on base.

With the series win, UTD kept pace with Louisiana College in the ASC East Division with a 23-9, 9-6 record. UT-Tyler, which is not eligible for post-season play, dropped a game back in the standings at 21-10, 8-7.

Brett Rosen was one of several hitting stars for the Comets, going 9-for-13 over the three-game stretch, with three doubles. Matt Putman was 7-for-10 in the first two games of the series.

UTD 9, UTT 7

The Comets came up with four runs in the fourth to erase an early UT-Tyler lead. Mark Perez, who also had three hits on the night, delivered an RBI double, then Bird followed with one of his own to give the Comets a 4-3 lead.

The Patriots would not let that hold, however, as they pushed four runs across in the eighth with a pair of walks and a pair of base hits - all with two outs in the inning - and led 7-4 before the Comets came to bat. After Brett Rosen and Mitch Elliott reached, Matt Putman had a 2-RBI single to pull UTD to within a run. Perez followed with a single to tie the score, then Bird got the game-winning home run.

UTD 12, UTT 7

The Comets found themselves in an early 3-1 hole, but didn't let it last long, scoring six unanswered runs before the Patriots could get back on the board. Randy Black went the distance to pick up the win, giving up just three hits in UTT's non-scoring innings.

Putman went 5-for-5 in the game, driving in five runs, including a two-RBI single in a three-run fourth, and an RBI single in a four-run seventh. Rosen was 4-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI.

UTT 9, UTD 4

UTD had a chance to earn the series sweep, rallying to take a 4-3 lead in the fourth on a pair of unearned runs that Rosen drove in. The Patriots, however, answered immediately, pushing across six runs over the next two innings to put the game out of reach.

UTD had its chances, leaving eight runners on base; but the Comets were shut down three times by inning-ending double plays. Starter Trey Schurr was tagged with seven of the runs, but reliever Darius Wu finished the game with two innings of one-hit relief.


>>03.31.06
Hitting Slump Hurts Comet In Weekend
Series With Mississippi College
MC 17, UTD 2
UTD 7, MC 3
MC 8, UTD 5

RICHARDSON, TX - The UTD baseball team managed to win just one of three games in a weekend American Southwest Conference East Division series with Mississippi College. After an embarrassing 17-2 loss in the opener Friday night, the two teams split the Saturday doubleheader, 7-3 and 5-8, mainly because the Comets came up with clutch hits in the first game, and did not in the finale.

UTD, which slipped to 20-7 and 7-5 in ASC play with the 1-for-3 weekend, hit just .247 (23-for-93) for the weekend, and stranded 24 runners over the three games (20 in the two losses). MC had their post-season hopes revived by improving to 14-12 and 5-7 in ASC play.

MC 17, UTD 2

In the opener, a crucial fourth-inning throwing error turned what had been 2-0 UTD lead in a pitcher's dual into a runaway win for the Choctaws. After the mistake allowed MC to tie the game, the Choctaws took advantage of four more Comet errors and five different UTD pitchers, who combined to give up 16 hits, three hit batters, two wild pitches and four home runs on their way to UTD's most one-sided loss of the season.

Up until the fourth, UTD had taken control of the game, touching MC ace Jonathan Russell (who had entered the game with a 5-1 record and impressive 1.37 ERA) for four hits and a pair of runs in the second inning. Meanwhile, UTD starter Troy Kiesling had cruised through the first three innings without allowing a baserunner.

The error led to four unearned runs for MC in that inning; and the Choctaws followed that up, scoring in every other inning the rest of the way. Meanwhile, UTD managed just two more hits and never threatened again.

UTD 7, MC 3

The first game of Saturday's doubleheader again looked like it might end up another MC win as the Comets trailed 3-1 going into the fifth, and had managed just two hits in the first four innings. But UTD finally got its offensive game rolling, combining for three hits in the fifth innin and pushing across four runs to take a 5-3 lead. The Comets then wrapped up the win in the sixth on a two-run Nick Hand home run.

After Jeremy Reagan and Hand worked walks off MC starters Calvin Triplett, Brett Rosen delivered an RBI double, and Mitch Elliott followed a batter later with a two-out, 2-RBI single. Nick Bird followed that up with an RBI single to score Rosen.

Randy Black(3-2) snapped a two-start losing streak with the win, and Sam Harrison pitched 1.2 innings of two-hit relief.

MC 8 UTD 5

Mississippi won the rubber game of the series only because the Comets' offense again went south. After the Choctaws scored three runs in the first on a base hit that got to the wall when Elliott slipped on wet turf in centerfield, UTD chipped away and tied the game up in the second.

But after Hand reached on an error to load the bases with one out, UTD left the bases loaded and then did it again in the third. After that, the Comets went four innings without a hit while MC built up an 8-4 lead. In the meantime, UTD stranded 11 baserunners and were 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

UTD did get a run back in the ninth on an RBI single from Jake Jackson, but left him stranded as well.


>>03.28.06
Comets Offense Comes To Life In Time
To Sweep DH From Paul Quinn
GAME 1: UTD 3, PQC 2
GAME 2: UTD 8, PQC 4

RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team got its offense back in gear Tuesday afternoon just long enough to avoid a setback against 4-22 Paul Quinn College in a non-conference doubleheader.

UTD got just enough offense with a seven-hit showing in the first of two seven-inning games to eek out a 3-2 win, holding off a late PQC rally. In the second game, the Comets (19-6) bounced back with a seven-run third inning after falling behind early and took the series with an 8-4 win.

Brett Rosen was 3-for-4 in the opener, driving in Michael Glynn with the game winner in the fourth inning. Jake Jackson had a pair of hits in the second game - three for the day - and drove in two of UTD's runs during the seven-run rally.

UTD's starters Darius Wu and Drew Waggoner both picked up wins. 


>>03.24.06
Comets Fight Off Ozarks To Win
Third Straight ASC East Series
GAME 1: UTD 5, Ozarks 3
GAME 2: Ozarks 9, UTD 3
GAME 3: UTD 8, Ozarks 3

RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team won its third consecutive American Southwest Conference East Division series over the weekend despite an offense that cooled off considerably

The Comets (17-6, 6-3) eeked out a 5-3 win over Ozarks (10-15, 3-6) Friday on a two-run homer from Brett Rosen. But on Saturday, the UTD bats were silenced in a 9-3 loss in the first game of a doubleheader. The Comets did, however, rally to take the second game, 8-3.

UTD 5, OZARKS 3

Brett Rosen improved his UTD hitting streak to 21 games with a game-winning 2-run homer in the sixth inning of the series opener. UTD answered an early 1-0 deficit in the second with an RBI groundout from Jeremy Reagan, then took the lead with another run in the third. Rosen opened the inning with a double, and scored on a Mark Perez single. Nick Bird later answered a 3-2 deficit by homering to open the fifth and tying the game at 3-3.

Starter Troy Kiesling (6-0) was touched for three runs and nine hits in seven innings of work, but was bailed out of a jam in the seventh by freshman Clint Zettle, who entered the game with a runner on and coerced a popup and two strikeouts to get out of the inning. Kosuke Fujii finished things up for his fifth save of the season.

OZARKS 9, UTD 3

Starter Randy Black (2-2) struggled with control in the opener Saturday, giving up just four hits, but walking five in six innings of work and left with the Comets in a 3-1 hole. The Eagles then jumped on relievers Darius Wu and Clint Zettle to blow the game open as four of the five hitters Wu faced reached base and eventually scored. Meanwhile, UTD's pitchers gave up five runs to OU hitters who had reached on a walk.

In the meantime, the Comet offense managed just five hits against Ozarks' starter Clint Dixon, who was just 2-5 coming in; and only three of those before the seventh inning when UTD got a pair of late meaningless runs. Only Trent Elizondo, who was 5-for-7 on Saturday, had multiple hits for UTD

UTD 8, OZARKS 3

The Comets were able to turn the table on Ozarks in the series finale, jumping on OU starter Chase Hale (2-2) for six runs in the first four innings. UTD pounded out 12 hits and made a winner out of Trey Schurr (4-1), who returned to the mound after a week off with an injury. Sam Harrison, who was stellar in Schurr's place last weekend against Louisiana College, picked up a save with three solid innings of relief.

The Comets scored in the first on an RBI single from Elizondo, then broke open a 1-1 tie with a 5-run fourth. UTD got four hits in the inning - including RBI shots from Nick Hand and Matt Putman - and also benefited from three walks, two of which scored. The Comets added two more to the total in the sixth on a 2-RBI shot from Mitch Elliott.


>>03.21.06
Comets Get Pair of Player of Week Honors For Baseball, Softball
Harrison, Roberts Win Weekly ASC East Division Honors
RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball and softball team both had an unlikely player honored with an American Souhtwest Conference weekly awards.

Sophomore Sam Harrison was named as the ASC East Division co-winner of the Pitcher of the Week Award while junior Kelly Roberts was named the East Division softball Hitter of the Week.

Harrison, a sophomore from Mayde Creek HS in Katy, TX got a surprise start in a divisional series against division co-leader Louisiana College and held the Wildcats in check for 8.2 innings in his first start. Harrison gave up just one unearned run and struck out seven batters on the way to his third win of the season. Harrison, who also worked 3.2 innings of middle relief against non-conference Friends University midweek, walked just one of 43 batters he faced, and gave up seven hits in 12.1 innings in the two appearances.

Roberts, a junior outfielder from LaMarque, TX (HS) who normally bats near the bottom of the UTD batting order, had a seven-hit week, hitting .636 in a pair of ASC East doubleheaders. Roberts had her best game of the week driving-in three of the Comets' four runs in a 4-1 win vs. Ozarks behind a double and home run.


>>03.17.06
UTD Tie Up ASC East Race With
Series Win at Louisiana College
UTD 12, LC 6
LC 8, UTD 7
UTD 3, LC 1

PINEVILLE, LA - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team won its second straight American Southwest Conference East Division series Saturday, taking 2-of-3 from division co-leader Louisiana College.

The Comets took the first game of the three-game series Friday, 12-6; then split the Saturday doubleheader. Louisiana College rallied to win the opener, 8-7; then UTD took the series finale with a 3-1 win.

UTD improved to 15-5 overall and 4-2 in ASC play; and is now tied atop the division standings with LC (10-9, 4-2); although the Comets hold the edge after winning the series.

UTD 12, LC 6

Nick Bird was one of three Comets (14-4, 3-1) to hit home runs in the opening game win, breaking a 4-4 tie game open in the fifth inning with a three-run shot. He also drove in a run earlier in the game with a double.

UTD opened the game with a four-run first, but LC (10-8, 3-1) tied it up against starter Troy Kiesling with three in the first and another run in the second. Bird then launched his game-winning hit in the fifth inning and UTD did not look back. The Comets added another run in the seventh on a solo shot from Trent Elizondo and got four more in the ninth as Mark Perez had a three-run homer. Nick Hand and Matt Putman each had a three-hit night for the Comets.

Kiesling picked up his fifth win against no losses, going just over seven innings. Kosuke Fujii came in and gave up just one hit in two innings of relief.

LC 8, UTD 7

The Comets let a 7-5 lead slip away in the first game Saturday, and it led to their fourth one-run loss of the season. LC rallied for three runs in the bottom of the 4th inning in the seven-inning game, two of them unearned; and shut down a pair of late Comet scoring opportunities.

UTD built an early 6-1 lead against LC staff ace James Halle after a 5-run second inning when 10 hitters went to the plate and Mitch Elliott, Putman and Rosen all drove in runs. In the 4th, Bird again delivered an RBI hit to give UTD a 7-5 lead; but UTD committed a pair of errors and LC picked up two clutch hits in the fourth to go up 8-7. UTD had the tying run at third with one out in the 5th and with two outs in the sixth, but twice failed to get the runner home.

UTD 3, LC 1

UTD finally found someone to cool off the LC bats in the series finale as sophomore Sam Harrison got the start and scattered five hits over 8.2 innings of work, striking out seven. The only run he surrendered was an unearned run in the fifth which gave the Wildcats a short-lived 1-0 lead. Clint Zettle picked up the save.

The Comets rallied for all the run support they would need in the sixth. Jeremy Reagan tied the game with a single and advanced around the bases on a pair of wild pitches and a passed ball. Nick Hand got on with a walk, and was brought home by an Elizondo single. The final run came from Rosen, who singled and scored an unearned run on an error.


>>03.14.06
Comets Settle For Split
At Abilene Tournament
UTD 15, Nebraska Wesleyan 7
Friends University (KS) 5, UTD 4

ABILENE, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team took a break from conference play Tuesday, meeting a pair of out-of-state foes at the Abilene Classic Tournament, played at McMurry University.

UTD opened their one day at the tournament with a 15-7 win over Nebraska Wesleyan University; but could not keep Friends University of Kansas under control in the nightcap, falling 5-4.

Jake Jackson had a four-hit day, scoring three runs.

UTD 15, NWU 7

The Comets put this one out of doubt early, scoring six runs in the first inning and going up 10-4 after three. Catcher Mark Cox had just one hit, but picked up four RBI in the game. Brett Rosen was one of three UTD players with doubles, and scored three times. Nick Bird picked up his fourth home run of the year. Drew Waggoner, who gave up just three hits and two runs in four innings of relief, got the win after taking over for starter Tim Flasik. Ryan Ratcliff pitched a scoreless inning in the ninth.

FRIENDS 5, UTD 4

UTD again got on the board early, scoring a run in the first inning off a Bird sacrifice fly. But Friends went in front, 2-1, in the third with a pair of runs off starter Clint Zettle. A solo home run off Sam Harrison made it 3-1; then Darius Wu got touched for two more in the seventh. The Comet offense finally got back on track in the ninth as Jackson scored on a Jayson Garcia single, then Mark Perez made it a 5-3 game, scoring on a Nick Hand single. Garcia got another run to cut the lead to one when Brett Rosen reached on an error. Hand represented the tying run when Trent Elizondo flied out to end the game.


>>03.10.06
Comets Take Opening Series From ETBU, But Miss Opportunity For Sweep
GAME 1: UTD 5, ETBU 3
GAME 2: UTD 16, ETBU 0
GAME 3: ETBU 11, UTD 7

RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team used its offense to take the first two games of its opening American Southwest Conference series against East Texas Baptist, but could not find enough in the third game to take the sweep.

UTD (12-3, 2-1) used 12 hits to claim a 5-3 win over the Tigers (12-4-1, 1-2) in series opener on Friday; then erupted for 15 more in a seven-inning, 16-0, win in the opener Saturday. But in the final nine-inning game, the Comets managed just one hit in the final four innings as they failed in thier attempt to overcome an early deficit, falling 11-7.

UTD 5, ETBU 3

UTD jumped on ETBU early for 4-0 lead and needed an additional run in the fifth as the Tigers rallied for three runs midway through against starter Troy Kiesling. Reliever Kosuke Fujii entered the game with two outs and the tying run at the plate in the seventh, and got the Comets out of the jam with a fly ball. He gave up a leadoff double in the 8th, but shut down the Tigers the rest of the way to earn the save.

The Comets had 12 hits, including a 3-for-3 day from 1B Mark Perez. UTD had three rallies snuffed out by ETBU double plays.

UTD 16, ETBU 0

Senior Randy Black got all the run support he needed to post his second win of the season as the Comets jumped on ETBU with a five-run 2nd inning on their way to the big win. Black gave up eight hits, but only allowed multiple hits in one inning while striking out four and walking no one. Brett Rosen and Trent Elizondo combined for just three hits, but had nine RBI between them. Nick Hand was 3-for-4 and scored three times.

ETBU 11, UTD 7

The Comets could not overcome a shaky start from Trey Schurr, who surrendered seven runs in the first three innings as UTD trailed 9-2 going into the bottom of the fourth. The Comets strung together five hits and an ETBU inning that inning to put four runs on the board and pull back to within three runs, but could not get closer the rest of the game as ETBU reliever Andrew Cantrell shut down the Comet bats. Mitch Elliott, one of five Comets with two hits, had a sixth-inning home run to pull UTD to within 10-7, but the Comets failed to threaten again.


>>03.07.06
Comets Outslug HSU To Pick Up Win
UTD 16, Hardin-Simmons 10

ABILENE, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team improved to 10-2 Tuesday by outlasting Hardin-Simmons, 16-10, in a game that featured a combined 27 hits and 10 pitchers.

The top six hitters in the UTD lineup had multi-hit days, and had five extra-base hits, including a home run from Matt Putman.

Sam Harrison picked up the win for the Comets by throwing three innings of two-hit ball, striking out three and giving up just one run.

The two teams were tied at 5-5 when UTD got five runs in the fourth and fifth innings off three hits and a pair of HSU errors. UTD left the bases loaded in the fifth with the heart of the lineup at the plate when Trent Elizondo hit into an inning-ending double play.

Up 10-7 entering the ninth, the Comets put up a six-run, six-hit inning, and could have had more had that inning also not ended in a double play. HSU jumped on the Comet relief staff for three runs in the bottom of the inning, but could not overcome the UTD lead.


>>03.07.06
Rosen Second UTD Player of Week
Comet Second Baseman Has Big Offensive Weekend 

RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team got its second consecutive American Southwest Conference East Division Player of the Week when second baseman Brett Rosen was selected for the honor.

Rosen, a junior transfer from Brookhaven Country Club, led a UTD offense that collected 40 hits in its three-game series sweep of Mary Hardin-Baylor, following a 13-12 loss to Southwestern.

Rosen went 8-for-15 (.533) for the week with a double, a triple and a home run in four games, scoring eight runs and driving in seven more.


>>03.04.06
Comet Bats Take Hard-Earned Sweep From UMHB
UTD 9, UMHB 7
UTD 7, UMHB 6 (8 inn)
UTD 10, UMHB 5

CLARKSVILLE, AR - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team spread 40 hits over a three-game weekend series, and were able to hit their way past the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor to improve to 9-2 on the season.

The Comets won the opener Friday, getting an early lead and holding off the Crusaders (2-6) for a 9-7 win. In Saturday's first game, UTD had to do the rallying to snap out of a 2-0 hole on its way to an extra-inning 7-6 victory; then followed that up with a 12-hit attack in a 10-5 finales.

Mark Perez needed only a home run to hit for the cycle Friday afternoon as he went 3-for-4 with a double and a triple. He picked up three more hits and two more RBI on Saturday.

UTD 9, UMHB 7

UTD was up 5-0 after just two innings, and continued to come up with key hits anytime the Crusaders got close. Every member of the UTD starting lineup finished with a hit, and all but two had multi-hit afternoons as UTD pounded out 17 hits – including eight for extra bases.

UTD 7, UMHB 6 (8 innings)

The Comet offense proved it could overcome just about any kind of adversity. Down 2-0 until the fifth, UTD took advantage of a UMHB error and four hits to push across five runs. The Crusaders made this one interesting with a two-out, bases-loaded, 3-run double to tie the game at 5-5 in the seventh; then moved ahead with a solo home run in the 8th. But the Comets got a pair of two-out walks in their half of the inning, and Trent Elizondo brought home both Nick Hand and Brett Rosen with a game-winning double.

UTD 10, UMHB 5

UTD again made the Crusaders pay for sloppy defense. Down 1-0, UTD jumped in front with a three-run second (all unearned after a fielding error). After UMHB cut their lead in half at 4-2 in the sixth, the Comets jumped all over their next opportunity in the bottom of the inning. Again, a two-out error opened the flood gates of four straight hits and a six-run inning to give UTD a 10-2 lead. The Crusaders scored three times in their final at-bat to make the final a respectable 10-5.


>>02.28.06
Comets Drop Wild One At Southwestern
Southwestern 13, UTD 12

GEORGETOWN, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team (6-2) rallied with seven runs in the final two innings, but could not hold on to the lead - giving up three unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth to fall, 13-12, to Southwestern (5-3).

The game was a pitcher's nightmare as it featured a combined 30 hits and seven defensive errors. It was particularly disappointing to UTD, which had battled back from a late five-run deficit and had closer Kosuke Fujii on the mound.

Having just put up a four-run, three-hit ninth to go up 12-10, the Comets committed two errors and surrendered two walks and a game-ending, bases-loaded double in their half of the inning to take the loss.

Matt Putman and Brett Rosen both homered, driving in three runs apiece on the afternoon as they and three other teammates had multi-hit days. All nine starters had hits as the Comets came up with 14 hits, all in the final six innings of the game.

UTD started slowly and did not even have a hit through the first three innings, trailing 5-0 before getting on the board with a three-run fourth. Nick Hand delivered a two-out, clutch RBI single to make it 5-3. The Comets then cut the lead down to a single run in the fifth (4-5) when Trent Elizondo singled and scored on a Putman single.

But the Pirates, who pounded UTD pitching for 14 hits, jumped right back out front with a four-run fifth, and led 10-5 after six. That's when the Comet bats really heated up.

In the 8th, UTD cut it to 10-8. Brett Rosen led off with a home run; and Putman did the same four batters later to drive in Nick Bird. After shutting down SU in the 7th and 8th completely, UTD went out front for the first time. A walk, a single and the Pirates' fourth error of the day loaded the bases for Rosen, who delivered a 2-RBI double. Hand then scored on an Elizondo ground-out, and Rosen scored on a hard shot up the middle from Jake Jackson to give UTD a 12-10 lead.


>>02.26.06
Putman Named ASC Player of Week
Putman's Bat Leads Comets To Pair of Wins

RICHARDSON, TX - University of Texas at Dallas catcher Matt Putman has been named the American Southwest Conference Player of the Week after leading an offensive onslaught during two weekend wins at Schreiner University.

Putman, a junior transfer from Carrollton who played two years ago at Texas Wesleyan, was 6-for-8 at the plate with a double and two home runs as UTD beat Schreiner, 18-0 and 12-7, in the two games he started behind the plate. In addition, he was credited with driving in four runs and scored five times. Even more impressive, he put the ball in play every time he went to the plate, and has just one strikeout in 22 plate appearances this season.

After receiving the award, he continued his hot streak in a 13-12 loss to Southwestern, going 2-for-4 with a homer and 3 RBI.


>>02.25.06
UTD Suffers First Loss, But
Takes 2-of-3 From Schreiner
Black Throws 2-Hitter In Series Opener 

KERRVILLE, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team was firing on all cylinders Friday afternoon, keeping its perfect start in tact with an 18-0 blowout of Schreiner in just seven innings.

Unfortunately, the luck didn't hold out as a second game was suspended by darkness after Schreiner rallied to tie the game at 6-6 in the ninth. The Comets eventually lost the conclusion of that game Saturday, 8-7, in 11 innings for their first loss of the season; but bounced back to claim the third game of the series, 12-7, to go to 6-1 on the season. Schreiner fell to 1-7.

GAME 1: UTD 18, SU 0

Despite a 19-hit attack from the Comet offense, senior pitcher Randy Black (1-0) was the story for UTD in the series opener, limiting the Schreiner hitters to just two hits while striking out six in an 18-0, seven-inning blowout. The Comets rolled up a 9-0 lead in just the first three innings of the game as the top five in the batting order went a combined 10-for-23 against five SU pitchers. In the bottom of the order, No. 8 hitter Jeremy Reagan was 3-for-6 with 3 RBI. Brett Rosen also had three RBI with a 2-for-5 performance.

GAME 2: SU 8, UTD 7 (11 innings)

The Comets were cruising for a second-game victory behind the starting pitching of Troy Kiesling Friday, but SU came to life against the relief. The Comets had a 6-3 lead going into the ninth before the Mountaineers rallied for three runs to tie before the game was suspended for darkness. On Saturday, UTD took a 7-6 lead in the 11th when Michael Glynn singled, then scored on an error by the left fielder on Brett Rosen's following single. But Schreiner got an opening walk in their turn at the plate, and then freshman Clint Zettle gave up a two-run walkoff homer that ended the game.

GAME 3: UTD 12, SU 7

UTD again built an early lead in the series finale, and made it stand up this time. Catcher Matt Putman launched a pair of home runs as the Comets built an 11-2 lead going into the 8th. Schreiner finally cracked starter Trey Schurr for what turned into a five-run rally, but the Comet lead was too big at that point.

Leadoff hitter Nick Hand finished the series with a 6-for-13 weekend with five runs scored while 3B Jeremy Reagan went 7-for-16 with 7 RBI.


>>02.16.06
Comets Improve To 4-0 After Pulling
Out Pair Against Howard Payne
UTD 4, HPU 3
UTD 5, HPU 4

RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team made it four straight Thursday afternoon with a pair of hard-earned victories over Howard Payne University.

UTD (4-0) finally won the scheduled, seven-inning opener, 4-3, with a run-scoring single in the 12th inning; then made an early lead stand up by holding off a late HPU (1-3) rally in the second game to claim a 5-4 win.

Trent Elizondo was the UTD offensive star, going 3-for-7 with three RBI on the day as UTD struggled most of the day to come up with clutch hits.

GAME 1 - UTD 4, HPU 3 (12 innings)

UTD and the Yellowjackets had to take a scheduled seven-inning game 12 into the 12th inning before the home team scored the game-winner to take it, 4-3.

The two teams traded teams with each receiving a gifted run early. Howard Payne scored its first run with two outs in the second when Matt Putman, the UTD catcher, sent a dropped third strike toss to first base into right field. The runner, who had advanced to second on the error, then got third and, eventually, home on a pair wild pitches. UTD answered in the bottom of the inning with a free run of its own. After UTD loaded the bases, HPU starter Justin Davies was penalized for a bases-loaded balk, allowing the Comets to tie the game.

UTD was up 2-1 into the fifth, but HPU scored twice to take a lead, only to have the Comets tie the game up in the 5th. UTD's players and fans thought the game had been won in the 8th when shortstop Jake Jackson hit an apparent walkoff homerun. But the home plate umpire called the shot down the leftfield line foul and the game continued until the 12th.

The Comets got a two-out double from Elizondo, then left things in the hands of centerfielder Mitch Elliott. Elliiot popped up a pitch, but the ball floated out toward "no man's land" in short left-center field and landed for a game-winning base hit.

The Comets made things simpler on a foursome of pitchers, tourning four double plays to get out of jams.

GAME 2 - UTD 5, HPU 4

UTD looked like it might put the second game away early, erupting for four first-inning runs against HPU starter Colby Rowley. But the Yellowjackets held UTD down most of the remainder of the game and found a way to get back into it late. Trailing 5-2 with two outs in the sixth, HPU used back-to-back Comet errors to push across a pair run and make it a one-run game before Randy Black came in and closed the door.

Sophomore Sam Harrison picked up the win in long middle relief as the UTD staff gave up just four hits.


>>02.14.06
Comets Improve To 2-0 With Sweet Win
Over Paul Quinn On Valentine's Day
UTD 12, Paul Quinn College 0

DALLAS, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas baseball team got a solid game on both sides of the ball Tuesday afternoon to improve to 2-0 on the season with a 12-0 pasting of Paul Quinn College.

UTD pounded out 12 hits, including four from sophomore transfer Jeremy Reagan against four PQC pitchers. In addition, the Comets got 13 other base runners off walks, hit batters and errors. Meanwhile, the UTD pitching staff threw a combined five-hit shutout. Reagan and catcher Mark Cox (2-for-4) combined for seven RBI.

Starter Trey Schurr was tagged with all five hits, but pitched his way out of two different jams in the second and fifth inning before giving way to three relievers (Clint Zettle, Sam Harrison and Darius Wu) in the seventh who did not give up a hit or run the rest of the way. UTD, in fact, gave up just one hit in the final seven innings of the game.

UTD got on the board first in the second inning on a monster solo home run from first baseman Nick Bird, who had also had the game winning hit in Monday's opening 6-4 win over Northwood. The Comets pushed across another run in the fifth when the PQC right fielder dropped what would have been the third out of the inning to open the door and Reagan delivered the RBI single.

UTD busted the game open in the sixth when 11 batters went to the plate. When the barrage ended, UTD had scored six runs on just four hits and another PQC error. The Comets added three more in the seventh with Cox and Reagan again delivering the RBI hits.

Perhaps the best hitting display of the day, however, belonged to shortstop Jake Jackson, who was 0-for-5, but was victimized by well-placed defense or spectacular defense on four solid line shots to the outfield.


>>02.13.06
Comets Hang On To Win Opener
UTD 6, Northwood 4

RICHARDSON, TX - The 2006 version of the UTD baseball team certainly looked new and improved in its opener Monday afternoon, holding on for a 6-4 win over Northwood at the UTD baseball field.

The Comets (1-0) handed Northwood (6-1), an NAIA school from Cedar Hill, its first loss of the season after a 6-0 start; and avenged a pair of lopsided losses (18-7 and 19-16) to the Knights last year.

With a lineup that included 8 new faces for 2006, UTD survived a pair of errors that led to two Northwood runs by pounding out 10 hits, including three from new second baseman Brett Rosen.

Senior transfer Nick Bird had the game's winning hit with a clutch two-out double that drove in a pair of runs in the 7th and gave UTD a 5-3 lead at the time. The Comets got another run with a two-out rally in the 8th, when leadoff hitter Mitch Elliott scored on a wild pitch from Northwood closer Robert Crispen.

The rally made a winner out of senior Troy Kiesling, who came in in relief of senior starter Randy Black. Coach Shane Shewmake is planning to make starters out of this pair, who have spent most of their UTD career as relievers. Black went four strong innings, giving up just one run and two hits, but was hurt by walks and a high pitch count. Northwood scored three runs off Kiesling, but only one was earned as the Comets twice let the Knights back in the game with fielding miscues that cost them runs.

Kosuke Fujii, who played his high school ball at nearby Richardson Pearce HS, came in to pick up the save with 1.1 innings of hitless relief. BOXSCORE


>>02.25.06
Elizondo Voted ASC East
Pre-Season Player of the Year
Comet Tabbed To Finish Third in Pre-Season Poll 

RICHARDSON, TX - University of Texas at Dallas junior outfielder Trent Elizondo has been voted as the pre-season American Southwest Conference (ASC) East Division Player of the Year for the 2006 season.

Elizondo was the 2005 ASC East Division Player and Newcomer of the Year after pounding 46 hits, including nine home runs, and batting .458 against the East Division teams. He was also ABCA All-West Region First Team and All-East Division first team to his list of 2005 awards.

In the pre-season voting by ASC East Division coaches, sports information directors and media representatives, Elizondo was joined by Louisiana College pitcher James Halle, the ASC East Division pre-season Pitcher of the Year. McMurry University outfielder Greg Erickson was the West Division Player of the Year, while Texas Lutheran University pitcher Kyle Newman was selected West Division Pitcher of the Year.

The Comets, who finished last season 22-21, 11-10 ASC, were also selected to finish third place in the pre-season ASC East poll, behind Texas-Tyler (30-7, 16-5) and Mississippi College (23-18, 11-10). UTD received two first-place votes while Tyler was selected to win the division by 11 voters. In the West Division, Texas Lutheran (35-10, 17-4) was selected as the favorite ahead of McMurry (27-19, 13-7) and Concordia-Austin (22-14, 14-7).