Stephen F. Austin
UT Arlington
Mavs Edge `Jacks In Pitcher's Duel
5/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 7, 2010
ARLINGTON, Texas - Preston Beck hit an RBI double in the bottom of the ninth to score the only run of the game with Jason Mitchell picking up a complete game, 1-0, win over Stephen F. Austin in the series opener on Friday at Clay Gould Ballpark.
The loss spoiled a great outing from SFA's (30-13, 16-8 Southland) Tyler Herriage, who held the Mavs (25-20, 17-8 Southland) scoreless threw 7.2 innings with seven strikeouts in taking the no decision. It also propels UTA past SFA in the league standings by a half game as SFA fell to 2.5 games back of league-leading Texas State, who run-ruled McNeese State on Friday in Lake Charles.
Mitchell ran his record to 6-3 with the victory, keeping the `Jacks off balance all night and allowing just three singles in his nine innings of work. He needed 135 pitches to get through the game, striking out seven and walking three.
Bobby Loveless was the only Lumberjack that seemed to muster any success against Mitchell, reaching base on each of his first three plate appearances with two singles and a walk. Ryan Priest was the only other `Jack with a hit, picking up a two-out single in the top of the ninth.
It was a pair of errors that hurt SFA in the ninth as after Michael Haynes had robbed Michael Choice of a leadoff hit, a tough hop went off his chest that allowed Chad Comer to reach base. Reliever Jason West then made a routine throw to first that Loveless could not handle, pushing Comer to second and setting the stage for Beck who hammered a 2-2 pitch from West over Patrick Gratzke's head in center for the winning run.
SFA had its scoring opportunities, putting a runner in scoring position on three occasions, but Mitchell managed to get out of the jam each time. Meanwhile, Herriage was keeping the Mavs at bay as well, striking out four of his seven hitters in the first two frames.
He did not allow a runner past second base until the eighth when Jesse Payne led off with a single and eventually advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch with one out. Herriage then managed to strike out Cody Dyvig before Johnny Cardenas went to West, who struck out Jordan Vaughn to end the inning with the runner on third.
SFA and UTA will continue its series on Saturday with a 2:00 p.m. start time. Jared West is the scheduled starter for SFA against Rett Varner for the Mavs.
-SFA-
