Noah Fields, redshirt junior first baseman, hits a ball during a game against Stephen F. Austin State University on March 17 at Clay Gould Ballpark. Fields went 2-for-4 at the plate.
UTA baseball (7-13) lost 4-1 to Stephen F. Austin State University (13-9) Tuesday at Clay Gould Ballpark.
The Mavericks hoped to continue their momentum after winning two of three games against UT San Antonio the weekend before. The Lumberjacks, meanwhile, had lost three of their last four games heading into Arlington.
“This game is hard, but for us to swing with such confidence this weekend against a ranked team for three straight games, and then just come out and lay an egg offensively, that’s just disappointing,” head coach Mike Trapasso said.
Stephen F. Austin broke open the scoring early, with the third batter of the day hitting an RBI groundout. UTA answered quickly, with junior left fielder Jackson Hill hitting a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the second inning to even the score.
Graduate student pitcher Nick Perry pitches a ball during a game against Stephen F. Austin State University on March 17 at Clay Gould Ballpark. UTA lost 4-1.
Scoring then stayed silent until the sixth inning, when a Lumberjack double to right-center field scored a runner from second base. Two more runs came across the plate for Stephen F. Austin in the next inning.
UTA attempted a comeback in the ninth inning, loading the bases with only one out. Back-to-back strikeouts, though, ended the final chance at a Maverick rally.
It wasn’t the only time the Mavericks left the bases loaded, as they also did so in the third and seventh innings. In total, 15 UTA runners were left on base.
“There’s just something that I’ve got to put my finger on, on why we’re so up and down, and why we can play so well on the weekends and struggle in these midweek games,” Trapasso said.
Senior second baseman Xavier Melendez throws a ball during a game against Stephen F. Austin State University on March 17 at Clay Gould Ballpark. Melendez went 4-for-5 at the plate.
Four Maverick starters, including senior center fielder Xander McAfee, had no hits, and no UTA player had an extra-base hit.
“The pitching is a little weird, because you got these guys, it’s lower velos, and we’re used to seeing higher velos and stuff,” McAfee said. “So you just got to change your approach and your mindset when you’re hitting, just thinking line drives and stuff like that.”
Five Maverick pitchers combined to give up only three earned runs on nine hits and three walks, and to throw eight strikeouts. Freshman Zach Evans went on the mound in the eighth inning, allowing no hits, runs or walks.
“After last week, he [a coach] just told me to go out, throw strikes, get ahead in the count, so that’s what I did,” Evans said. “I just chased after them. Just let them put the ball in play, let my defense work.”
Sophomore catcher Ethan Ho tries to catch a ball during a game against Stephen F. Austin State University on March 17 at Clay Gould Ballpark. Ho finished 2-for-4 at the plate.
Ahead of the midweek matchup, senior second baseman Xavier Melendez won Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week, and he backed it up by going 4-for-5 at the plate, leading the Mavericks in hits.
UTA will stay home for a three-game set against St. John’s University. The first game is set for 6 p.m. Friday, and all games will be at Clay Gould Ballpark.
“It’s going to be fun just to have somebody from out of our region come down here over the next two weekends,” Trapasso said. “It’s fun to get someone from out of your region and someone you’re not familiar with.”
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