March 8, 2009

Box Score

HUNTSVILLE, Texas - The Sam Houston State baseball team scored two runs in the sixth and three runs in the seventh inning to come back and defeat UT Arlington 7-5 to complete the three-game series sweep over the Mavericks on Sunday afternoon at Don Sanders Stadium in Huntsville, Texas.

UT Arlington broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the fifth inning with a three-run home run over the left-field fence by senior Ryan Davis to give the Mavericks the lead.

The Mavericks didn't hold the lead for long as Sam Houston State used two two-run homers to regain the lead, with Nick Zaleski and Seth Hammock hitting homers in the sixth and seventh innings respectively, to give the lead back to the Bearkats. SHSU tied the score at 4-4 on a double by Braeden Riley before Hammock's towering homer to left field gave the Bearkats the lead for good.

UT Arlington starting pitcher Rett Varner left the game after giving up the first homer to Zaleski with the Mavs still holding a 4-3 lead. Relief pitcher Jason Mitchell suffered his third loss of the season allowing six hits and four runs in 2 2/3 innings.

The Mavericks added their fifth and final run of the game in the ninth inning on senior Matt Otteman's third base hit of the day, scoring Michael Choice who walked and stole second base earlier in the ninth inning.

Otteman improved his team-high batting average to .472 going 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI. Otteman now has a 13-game hit streak, tallying at least one hit in every game this season. Davis was the only other Maverick with a multi-hit game going 2-for-3 with three RBI.

Sam Houston State reliever Matt Shelton earned his fourth win of the season (4-0), pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk. Bearkat closer Sean Weatherford notched his second save of the series while pitching the final two innings allowing one hit, one run and two walks with three strikeouts.

SERIES NOTES:
UT Arlington is now 41-47 all-time against Sam Houston State, including a 16-25 record in Huntsville... The last time the Mavericks were swept against Sam Houston State came in 2007, dropping all three contests in Huntsville... It is the first time the Mavericks have been swept in a three-game conference series under second-year head coach Darin Thomas... Senior Matt Otteman led the Mavericks at the plate during the series batting .538 (7-for-13) with two doubles and a team-high three RBI... Otteman now has a team-high nine multi-hit games and three three-hit performances... Otteman recorded 12 multi-hit games during his junior season in 2008... Otteman's two doubles on Sunday marks the most by a Maverick in a game this season... Sophomore Michael Choice batted. 500 (5-for-10) on the weekend with a team-high three walks and one stolen base... Choice had two walks on Sunday, which is the most by any Maverick in a game this season... Sophomore relief pitcher Adam Boydston pitched in the second game of the series and pitched one inning without allowing a run... Boydston has now pitched 6.0 innings in relief this season in five appearances without allowing an earned run (0.00 ERA).