03.15.08
Comets Hand Ozarks First ASC Loss,
But Can't Outslug Eagles On Saturday
UTD Falls To 1-5 In Conference Play After Losing Two of Three
RICHARDSON, TX - The UTD baseball team opened its three-game American Southwest Conference East Division series with No. 24 University of the Ozarks with a win Friday, but left its offense at home Saturday as the Eagles (18-3, 5-1) took two out of three from the Comets.
Mark Cox (pictured) limited Ozarks to just seven hits and struck out eight in the 7-2 Friday win, but the Eagles jumped out to early leads in both games Saturday, winning 5-0 and 11-3. The losses dropped UTD to 14-8, but more importantly into a 1-5 hole in conference play. Only the top four teams from each division qualify for the ASC post-season, and UTD has already lost series to two of the teams ahead of it in the standings.
The Comets host fourth-place Mississippi College in a critical three-game series this Thursday and Friday.
GAME 1: UTD 7, OZARKS 2 (boxscore)
Cox was the benefactor of a big inning by the Comets in the series opener as UTD handed Ozarks its first ASC loss of the year. The Comets put together a four-run 3rd, then added two more in the 4th to go up 7-0 before the Eagles scored a couple of late runs. Neal Gordon went 3-for-5 while Chris Biguenet drove in a pair of runs with two doubles. UTD knocked Ozarks starter Todd Koch out of the game with 10 hits in the first four innings. Other than surrendering three hits in the two-run 6th for Ozarks, Cox held the Eagles to just four hits.
GAME 2: OZARKS 5, UTD 0 (boxscore)
Ozarks jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Comets ever got to the plate, but it could have been worse as the Eagles jumped on starter Drew Waggoner for a walk and four first inning hits. Centerfielder Chase Whitehead got the Comets out of a bases loaded jam with a diving catch to end the inning. But it was the Comet offense that was AWOL in this one, as only UTD mustered only two hits off Ozarks' Curt Dixon, who struck out six and walked just one.
GAME 3: OZARKS 11, UTD 3 (boxscore)
Things went from bad to worse for the Comets in the second game of the doubleheader. Starter Jay Johnson lasted just 1.1 innings as Ozarks jumped on the Comets for seven first-inning runs off five hits and three UTD errors. Six of the seven runs were unearned, but it was more than enough against a Comet attack that managed just six hits the rest of the game. UTD did get a pair of runs in the 2nd off a couple of doubles to open the frame. Relievers Jeremiah Valentine, Adam Spinn and Tim Flasik gave up just six hits the rest of the way, but a pair of late homeruns added to the Ozarks totals.