Mavs Take Down No. 4 Texas Tech, 5-1
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Daniel James earned a save in his season debut, firing four dominating innings with six strikeouts, leading UTA to a 5-1 win over No. 4 Texas Tech, in front of 4,259 on Tuesday night at the Texas Rangers Globe Life Ballpark.
UTA (9-8) posted the thrilling win over the blistering hot Red Raiders, using a three-run second and single runs in the fifth and eighth innings. UTA's pitching staff, using the three-man combination of James for the final four innings and starter Jordon West and lefty reliever Jake Wilcox to hold the the potent Texas tech offense to just two hits and four walks.
A native of Lubbock, Texas, James was called on in relief to start the sixth inning, with UTA holding a 3-1 lead after West and Wilcox combined to pitch the first four frames. It marked the first outing for James in 2017 after the junior righty had hip surgery late in the fall practice season. James fired a nearly untouchable four innings for his fourth career save, allowing only a two-out hit, finishing with six strikeouts. He tied his career high with four innings and his six punchouts also marked a career best.
The win marked the first for the Mavs over Texas Tech in Arlington since 1982 and marked UTA's 30th all-time win over a top-10 ranked foe. The Mavs have now taken down a top-10 team in four consecutive seasons, posting wins over No. 7 Oklahoma State and No. 5 TCU in 2016, No. 2 Texas A&M and No. 2 TCU in 2015 and No. 2 Louisiana in 2014.
Texas Tech (14-4) suffered just its fourth loss of the year as the Red Raiders own powerhouse wins over No. 8 Ole Miss, No. 2 LSU and No. 4 Arizona.
ON THE MOUND
West tossed a career-long 3.2 innings in his first career start. He allowed a hit and a run, walking three and striking out one. With two outs and a runner on first, UTA turned to Wilcox (2-0) in relief. Wilcox got the following four outs, retiring each hitter he faced. With a three-run lead in the top of the sixth inning, UTA gave the ball to James for his season debut.
Texas Tech starter John Henry Gonzalez (1-1) worked two innings, allowing three hits and three runs, walking one and striking out one. He was replaced to start the third inning by lefty Erikson Lanning. TTU also used Ty Halpenau, Parker Mushinski, Jacob Patterson, Caleb Freeman and John McMillon in relief.
LEADING THE MAVS
The Mavs finished with eight hits and eight walks in the game, also getting plunked by a pitch and stealing a pair of bases. Will Olson continued his stellar roll on the plate, going 2-for-4 with a RBI and a double. Over his last four games, Olson is 14 for 19 at the plate and has reached base safely in 22 of his 30 trips to the plate.
The Mavs also got a big two-run double in the second inning from Noah Vaughan and hits from Omar Salinas, Brady Cox, Quintin Rohrbaugh, Josh Minjarez and RJ Williams.
HOW THEY SCORED
The Mavs got on the board first in the bottom of the second, plating three runs on three hits and a walk. Olson led off with a single into the right-centerfield gap and Rohrbaugh drew a full-count walk. Vaughan then pounded a two-run double off the wall in rightfield, scoring the duo for an early lead. After a single from Minjarez, Vaughan scored from third on a balk.
The Red Raiders immediately answered in the top of the third inning as Orlando Garcia drew a four-pitch walk to leadoff, taking second on a wild pitch and scoring on Michael Davis' two-out RBI single.
Cox led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a walk, scoring UTA's fourth run after Olson pounded a double into the gap.
NEXT
The Mavs return to action on Wednesday, hosting Abilene Christian at 6:30 p.m. CT at Clay Gould Ballpark.
Red-Hot Bats Propel Mountaineers Past Eagles, 9-5
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Strong hitting shot Appalachian State University baseball out of the gates fast, pushing it to a 9-5 victory over NC Central on Tuesday night at BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte, N.C.
The Mountaineers (7-9, 0-0 Sun Belt) used a season-high 14 hits to down the Eagles (9-7, 2-1 MEAC), scoring six runs in the first two innings of the ballgame to set the tone from first pitch. It’s the most amount of hits the team has had since April 29, 2016, against Arkansas State.
The Black and Gold started things off with a bang, scoring three runs in the first inning. Leadoff batter Calev Grubbs hit a bullet to the pitcher to reach base, before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Jason Curtis then continued the aggressive attack, singling to left field where a fielding error led to him taking second base and push Grubbs home.
Matt Vernon then drew a walk, only to be then hit around on a Chandler Seagle rocket through the left side. Brian Bauk then shot one up the middle, allowing both Vernon and Curtis to score.
The bats continued to be lit in the second inning, aided by two errors by the Eagles’ fielders. Drake Zupcic reached first on a throwing error and then took second base before Grubbs drew one of his two walks on the night. Appalachian as a whole set a new season-high for walks-drawn, drawing walks nine times on the night.
Curtis then also reached on a fielder’s choice that pushed Zupcic across the plate, extending the Mountaineers lead to four. Vernon then lined a double down the left field line scoring Curtis for the second run of the inning. Colin Schmid was able to score Vernon on a liner to left field while earning his first RBI on the season.
Tyler Stroup then added to his home run total in the third inning when he sent a solo bomb to right field against wind – the lone App State run of the inning.
The Mountaineers would strike again in the fifth inning behind Vernon’s bat. Zupcic led off the inning with a single, while Grubbs walked and speedy Curtis loaded the bases with a bunt single. The Eagles’ were able to get the double play, but not before Zupcic scored.
Appalachian put together back-to-back scoring innings by plating another batter in the sixth inning. Seagle led off the inning by drawing a walk but was put out on a fielder’s choice on a Bauk dribble down the third-base line. Bauk then recorded his second stolen base of the season and scored on a Stroup double down the right field line.
On the mound tonight, App State senior right-handed pitcher Matt Schaeffer got his first career start and turned in a fine 3.0-inning performance, allowing just four hits, two runs and striking out two batters. Dallas DeVrieze received the win on the night, also going 3.0 innings, allowing just two hits, no earned runs in 13 batters faced.
Thomas Young and Sean Mason closed out the final two innings of the game. They allowed just six hit and two runs between them, striking out two batters each.
The Mountaineers will complete Game Two of this midweek home-and-home series with NC Central on Wednesday, March 15, traveling to Durham, N.C. and Durham Athletic Park. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.