Three-run inning gives UTA win over McNeese
Published 9:05 am Monday, March 18, 2013
A three-run second inning along with seven shutout innings by the UT-Arlington bullpen lifted the Mavericks to a 6-5 victory over McNeese to win the series finale at Clay Gould Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.
The Cowboys (10-8) will be back in action at 4 p.m. Tuesday afternoon when they host Harvard in a doubleheader at Cowboy Diamond.
McNeese reliever Michael Desabrais (1-2) lost after throwing 2⁄3 of an inning. He struck out one and allowed one earned run on two hits. Chase Weaver (2-0) earned the win for the Mavericks (10-9) after throwing 62⁄3 innings and allowed one run on two hits with one strikeout.
The Cowboys were led offensively by center fielder Jackson Gooch, who finished with a two-run homer, and first baseman Chayse Marion who was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
McNeese got out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning Sunday when shortstop Connor Lloyd laced a single through the right side, scoring Gooch who reached base on a fielder’s choice. Lloyd and designated hitter Taylor Drake scored on a single by left fielder Matt Williams.
UTA responded in the bottom of the frame when second baseman Darien McLemore roped a two-out, two-RBI single to center, cutting the Cowboys’ lead to 3-2. An error by the shortstop with bases loaded allowed another plated run to tie the ballgame.
With the score tied 3-3 in the top of the second, Gooch blasted a pitch over the left-field wall for his third homer of the season while he got the Cowboys back out to a 5-3 lead.
The Mavericks scored three runs in the bottom of the second due McNeese’s poor pitching. With one out and runners on first and second, Desabrais was brought in to relieve starting pitcher Michael Clemens, who made his season debut pitching 11⁄3 inning. With runners on second and third, a wild pitch allowed a run to score.
A single by designated hitter J.M. Twichell allowed shortstop Ryan Walker to tie the game at five before a double by McLemore drove in Twichell to score giving UTA a 6-5 lead.
Reliever Tyler Parke tossed six scoreless innings in relief of Desabrais, as he limited UTA to no runs on seven hits and three strikeouts.
