HOUSTON – After UT Arlington scored three in the top of the eighth to close within two, HBU answered with four in the bottom half to cruise to a 10-4 victory in non-conference baseball Tuesday afternoon at Husky Field.
Senior catcher
Samm Wiggins was 3-for-5, including his 14
th double of the season, a run, and he picked off two runners to end innings for the Huskies (22-20). Senior centerfielder
Zach Nehrir was 2-for-5 with three RBIs, a stolen base and a run scored, while junior designated hitter
Austin Saenz was 2-for-5 with three RBIs. Junior shortstop
Louie Payetta was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs, senior third baseman
Curtis Jones was 2-for-5 with an RBI, two runs and a stolen base and senior rightfielder
Thomas Clay was 2-for-4 with two runs.
Senior righthander
Ross Kennell (1-0) picked up the win, throwing three shutout innings, with three strikeouts. Junior
Dylan Zarosky recorded his team-leading third save of the season and moved within one of HBU's all-time top five with the ninth save of his career.
Levi Scott was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, while Travis Sibley was 2-for-5 with two RBIs for the Mavericks (17-26). Eric Tate was 2-for-2 with a run, and Matt McLean doubled and scored a run.
Justin Schedler took the loss for UTA, allowing three runs, all of which were unearned, on four hits in four innings.
The Huskies got on the board in the bottom of the first as Payetta reached on a dropped fly ball and Jones singled to center. Wiggins grounded to second, but the throw for the force out at second was wide of the bag, and the bases were loaded. Payetta scored on a wild pitch, then Saenz grounded out to score Jones and put HBU ahead, 2-0.
With two outs in the fourth, Clay reached on an error and went to second on the play, then Nehrir followed with an RBI single to right.
UTA loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the fifth, but Wiggins picked off Sibley at second to end the threat. HBU then added another two-out run in the bottom half when Wiggins hustled out a double, then scored on a single by Saenz.
The Mavericks scored in the sixth on singles by Christian Hollie, Tate and TJ Hillman to cut the deficit to 4-1, but the Huskies responded with a pair in the bottom half. HBU loaded the bases on a pair of hit batters and a bunt single by Clay. Junior leftfielder
Brandon Morones scored on an error and an RBI groundout by Nehrir made the score, 6-1.
UTA loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, then Sibley slapped a two-run single to rightcenter. McLean scored on a wild pitch to close the gap to 6-4, but Zarosky struck out Tanner Houston, then Wiggins picked off Scott at first.
HBU broke the game open with four runs in the bottom half, getting RBI singles by Nehrir, Jones and Seanz, then tacking on the game's final tally on a double steal, with Jones coming home on the play.
The Huskies return to action when they hit the road to face Nicholls in a three-game Southland Conference series Friday through Sunday in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Friday and Saturday's games begin at 6 p.m., followed by the finale Sunday at 1 p.m. The audio broadcast with
Russ Reneau will begin 15 minutes prior to the first pitch each day and can be heard on HBUHuskies.com and the Legacy Sports Network.
