AUSTIN — The third inning told the tale for the UT Arlington Mavericks, who battled No. 24-ranked Texas on almost even terms in a 2-1 loss Tuesday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
Junior second baseman Erich Weiss hit a two-run, bases-loaded single in the third as the Longhorns (3-1) avenged a 7-5 defeat to the Mavericks last season.Texas freshman Chad Hollingsworth went five innings in his first collegiate start, allowing only one run on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts.The Mavericks (3-1) narrowly missed a scoring chance in the top of third when first baseman Codey McElroy made a run-saving catch on J.M. Twichell's line drive with a runner at third, according to texassports.com.McElroy led off the UT third with a double to left. He took third on Matt Moynihan's single, and Taylor Stell was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Weiss then laced the two-run single to left field for the 2-0 lead. UTA got a run back in the top of the fourth when Matt Shortall tripled and scored on Jake Pinchback's RBI groundout.Hollingsworth gave up a four-pitch walk to start the game with a base hit and throwing error loading the bases with one out. After striking out Shortall, Hollingsworth got Pinchback to fly out to left to get out of the jam."I thought we played well," UT Arlington coach Darin Thomas said in a report on utamavs.com. "We didn't make an error, we pitched well and we had our chances. We had guys in position to score and more than once we were one hit away from scoring a few, but give them credit. They ran good arms out there."The Mavericks had the leadoff hitter on in each of the first five innings and again in the ninth, but were able to push just one run across.Texas' Corey Knebel closed the victory in the ninth, getting back-to-back strikeouts with the tying run at second for the Mavericks.Nack, in his first career start after 22 relief appearances last year, took the loss after giving up two runs on four hits in three innings of work.The Mavericks open a three-game home series Friday at 6:30 p.m. against Northeastern at Clay Gould Ballpark. A doubleheader starts at noon.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
