Guerra Leads UT Arlington to 6-2 over McNeese State

Guerra Leads UT Arlington to 6-2 over McNeese State

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SAN MARCOS, Texas - Michael Guerra drove in three and drilled his second home run of the season, as No. 4 seed UT Arlington opened the 2012 Southland Conference Baseball Tournament with a 6-2 victory over No. 5 McNeese State on Wednesday morning at Texas State's Bobcat Ballpark.

The Mavericks junior second baseman also had a pair of doubles in a 4-for-4 day that drove in three runs.

UTA starter Lance Day worked into the eighth inning, improving to 11-3. He allowed two runs on six hits, striking out five and walking two.

The Mavericks scored single runs in each of the first three innings off McNeese State junior Blake Ware. Travis Sibley added two RBI UTA.

Day worked out of trouble in the second, as the Cowboys put two runners in scoring position with one out. The senior ace buckled down with strikeout and a ground out to get out of the inning unscathed.

McNeese State did get on the board in the fourth thanks to a two-run homer by first baseman Nick Eubanks. Day, though, kept the Cowboys at bay from there, finishing his outing with three consecutive scoreless innings before being relieved by Adam Boydston in the eighth.

Boydston worked the final two innings to record his eighth save, setting a new career UTA career record in the process with 24. Mike Snapp (2001-04) had the previous save record with 23.

The Mavericks (33-23) will face the winner of the Sam Houston State vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 4 p.m. Thursday. McNeese State will play the loser of that game in an elimination contest Thursday at 9 a.m.
 
 
Postgame Quotes
UT Arlington coach Darin Thomas
Talk about getting a win in your first game today
"Well it's big. You know we've been playing well lately. You don't want to get 0-1 and have to dig your way back up. (Michael) Guerra had a real big game, he's been key for us and had some real big hits for us today."
 
 
McNeese State coach Terry Burrows
"We had our opportunity the second inning, had one on first and second with no outs and then we strike out. Lance Day and Guerra did a great job. We didn't swing our bats very well."