Box Score: UTA 5, ULM 2

ARLINGTON, Texas – RJ Williams drove in a career-best four runs while Logan Austin and David Moffat combined for four scoreless innings of relief as UT Arlington rallied for a 5-2 win over ULM Thursday night (March 29) to open a three-game Sun Belt series at Clay Gould Ballpark.
 
ULM (14-11, 3-4 Sun Belt) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first as Johnny DeLaCruz homered to left field on a 3-1 offering from UTA left-hander Brad Vassar.
 
"Johnny DeLaCruz hit another two-strike home run," ULM head coach Michael Federico said. "Johnny got beat on the pitch because it was a little bit in, but he did a good job of driving his hands close into his body, so he got his arms extended and got the ball up into the wind that was blowing out. He got us a 1-nothing lead and a little momentum, and then Trey Jeans came out and hung a zero (on the scoreboard)."
 
Warhawk left-hander Trey Jeans retired six of the first seven batters he faced, including four strikeouts.
 
UTA (12-11, 5-2) tied the game in the bottom of the third. Aaron Funk opened the frame with a single through the right side and advanced to third two batters later when Zac Cook singled through the left side. Williams followed with a sacrifice fly to center as the Mavericks pulled even at 1-1.
 
ULM regained the lead in the top of the fourth. DeLaCruz drew a lead-off walk from Vassar, stole second base and scored on Chad Bell's RBI single up the middle as the Warhawks took a 2-1 lead.
 
Jeans opened the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back strikeouts against Christian Hollie and Will Olsen, then loaded the bases with three consecutive walks. He ended UTA's scoring threat by striking out David Renning looking.
 
Jeans went four innings, allowing one run on three hits with four walks and eight strikeouts.
 
"Trey Jeans got rattled a little bit in his last start (against Arkansas State), and he could have tucked his tail and been unsure of himself," Federico said. "He accepted the challenge and pitched really well tonight. I thought he flushed his last outing in the dugout last Sunday. He was up-beat, and we had him ticketed for a relief role if needed last Sunday because we didn't know how things were going to go after the Saturday debacle (31-7 loss).
 
"Trey attacked this week, and I was excited to get him back on the mound. I'm proud of the way he responded. After the fourth inning, I joked with him, 'are you trying to do this?' He was cruising. He struck out the first two batters in the fourth, then walked the bases loaded. I'm proud of him for overcoming those walks. He easily could have let that thing get out of hand, but he ended up striking out the side."
 
UTA took the lead for good in bottom of the sixth. With two on and two outs, Cook tied the score at 2-2 on an RBI double to left center, then Williams followed with a 2-run double to right center to give the Mavs a 4-2 lead.
 
The Warhawks threatened to score in the top of the eighth as Austin issued back-to-back walks to Turner Francis and DeLaCruz with two outs. Moffat came out of the bullpen to strike out Bell swinging.
 
The Mavs added an unearned insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, as Williams picked up his fourth RBI on a fielder's choice groundout to the shortstop.
 
Austin (2-0), who pitched 2.2 innings of scoreless and hitless relief with three walks and a strikeout, picked up win. Moffat retired all four batters he faced, including two strikeouts, to record his first career save.
 
"I tip my cap to their bullpen," Federico said. "Logan Austin came in and he threw really well, and even though he only stuck out one, we just couldn't the barrel on his pitches. He had just enough sink going on his fastball, plus a little cut on his slider, so we just couldn't barrel him up. Austin retired seven in a row at one point before walking Turner Francis in the eighth. I tip my cap to him because he solidified the game for UTA.
 
"Of course, David Moffat came in and got some punchouts when he needed to, but I didn't think we had any productive at-bats in the ninth inning."
 
Vassar went five innings and allowed two earned runs on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
 
Richard Herbert (2-1), who allowed four runs – three earned – on five hits in 3.1 innings of relief, took the loss for ULM. Herbert walked two and fanned five.
 
Miles Dunn also came out of the bullpen for the Warhawks and recorded the final two outs in the bottom of the eighth.
 
ULM's three pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts but issued six walks.
 
"Those walks were the disappointing thing because you're turning their lineup over for the last at-bats," Federico said. "The lead-off hitter and the 3-hole hitter are up there again and produce a big run for them in the eighth inning to put the nail in the coffin for us. Any time, you keep giving them free bases, especially with as many as we did tonight with six walks, it compounds things."
 
UTA outhit ULM, 8-3, as Cook went 3-for-4 and Omar Salinas went 2-for-3. The Warhawks left four on base while the Mavs stranded 10 base runners.
 
"Despite being outhit, 8-3, we had a chance to win this game tonight," Federico said. "We've been good when we take our walks and do some things to move base runners. Tonight, UTA didn't issue a lot of walks (four), and we didn't pressure them with hard hit balls. We had a lot of routine outs because we didn't square-up enough balls.
 
"It's part of playing on the road. Sometimes, you have some difficulties you've got to overcome. I'm not disappointed in the way we competed tonight; I'm disappointed in the outcome and a couple of missed opportunities." 
 
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Friday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m. at Clay Gould Ballpark. Right-hander Chase Beal (2-2, 5.73 ERA) gets the start for ULM while the Mavs counter with right-hander Trae Patterson (1-1, 7.71 ERA).