VINEYARD, Utah (Interstat) — Preston Knott went 3 for 4 with a home run and two runs batted in, and Texas-Arlington held off a furious ninth-inning rally by Utah Valley to win 11-10 on Saturday at Brent Brown Ballpark in a Western Athletic Conference game.

The Mavericks improved to 19-30 overall and 12-17 in the WAC, while the Wolverines fell to 14-36 and 8-21. Texas-Arlington snapped a two-game skid against Utah Valley after losing 10-9 and 13-5 in the first two games of the series.

The game featured four lead changes and a combined 23 hits. Texas-Arlington collected 13 hits, including three home runs, while Utah Valley had 10 hits, three of which cleared the fence.

The pivotal moment came in the bottom of the ninth inning. Utah Valley trailed 11-7 after Texas-Arlington had scored four runs in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth. Brody Block led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk, and Kaden Carpenter followed with a single to put runners at first and second. After a flyout, Mason Strong launched a three-run homer to deep center field, his sixth of the season, cutting the deficit to 11-10. But Texas-Arlington relief pitcher Murphy retired the next two batters — a strikeout of Rowan and a groundout by Hamlin — to end the game.

Strong finished 2 for 3 with a home run and four RBI to lead Utah Valley. Block went 3 for 4 with a home run and three RBI, and Carpenter was 2 for 4 with a home run and one RBI. Mason Hamlin also homered for the Wolverines.

For Texas-Arlington, Knott’s performance was the offensive highlight. He singled in the fifth inning, doubled in the eighth, and homered in the sixth — a two-run shot that extended the Mavericks’ lead to 9-7. Knott also walked and stole a base. After going hitless in the first two games of the series, Knott rebounded with a strong outing.

Xander McAfee delivered a three-run home run in the third inning, his seventh of the season, to give Texas-Arlington a 4-0 lead. Clark Springs went 2 for 4 with a double, a triple and two RBI. Harold Laracuente added two hits and an RBI, and Matthew Harp had two hits and an RBI.

Texas-Arlington starting pitcher Jack Barr earned the win in relief, tossing three scoreless innings without allowing a hit while striking out two. He entered in the fifth inning and retired nine of the 10 batters he faced. George Albrecht pitched two scoreless innings of relief for Utah Valley, allowing two hits.

The game began with Texas-Arlington striking quickly. Laracuente singled in the first inning and later scored on a fielder’s choice, but the Mavericks broke the game open in the third. After a single and a hit-by-pitch, McAfee homered to left to make it 4-0. Utah Valley answered with four runs in the bottom of the third, keyed by a two-run homer from Block and an RBI single by Strong. Hamlin’s solo homer in the second had already put the Wolverines on the board.

Utah Valley took its first lead in the fourth when Block homered again and Carpenter followed with a solo shot, making it 7-4. But Texas-Arlington regained control in the fifth, scoring four runs on a triple by Springs and a wild pitch, then added two more in the sixth on Knott’s homer.

Utah Valley threatened in the eighth with a runner on base but could not score, setting up the dramatic ninth.

The series finale marked the third consecutive game between the two teams decided by one run.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Texas-Arlington 3, Utah Valley 6. Interstat’s ELO system gave Texas-Arlington a 52.20 percent probability to win.