Baylor University (23-13) snapped UTA baseball’s (13-20) five-game win streak 9-8 in extra innings Tuesday at Clay Gould Ballpark. After being tied 8-8 at the end of regulation, an RBI from Cortlan Castle, Baylor University senior catcher, made the difference in the game. The Mavericks couldn’t overcome the deficit in the 10th inning. Head coach Mike Trapasso said the team’s errors and missed plays ultimately led to the loss. “Every close game comes down to three or four, what I call, ‘crisis pitches,’” Trapasso said. “When you win the majority of those, you win the game. We just didn’t do that.” The Bears jumped to a fast start, scoring three runs on three hits in the first inning. However, the rest of the game was a back-and-forth affair. Heading into the bottom of the third inning, Baylor University led 4-3 until the Mavericks seemingly blew the game open with four runs. Tyce Armstrong, redshirt junior first baseman, led the way with a home run to tie the game at 4-4. Armstrong recorded three hits in four at-bats, contributing two runs. “This weekend I struggled a little bit. I wasn’t feeling myself. I came in yesterday and I just got in the lab and tried to fine tune things, start a little bit earlier and it helped tonight,” he said. Despite the Mavericks’ momentum, the team went scoreless for the next four innings, while the Bears took four unanswered runs in the seventh inning. UTA dug deep in the eighth inning to muster a run through a wild pitch from Baylor University, tying the game 8-8. With neither team able to score in the ninth, the game went into extras. In the top of the tenth inning, a throwing error by redshirt freshman pitcher Ty Zahradnik aided an unearned run for the Bears that was eventually the dagger. UTA left a man on base in the bottom of the inning, unable to capitalize and faltering the game. “I’m super confident that we’re a solid baseball team and we’re playing better,” Trapasso said. “Let’s just start another win streak. Conference is what really matters.” UTA will resume conference play, hosting Abilene Christian University for a three-game series starting 6 p.m. Thursday at Clay Gould Ballpark. The game will be streamed on Western Athletic Conference International. @kaleivie_ sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The wait is over — Paige Bueckers officially joins the Dallas Wings. Anticipation for the 2025 WNBA Draft skyrocketed for Wings fans after winning the draft lottery in November. The star guard was the No. 1 pick favorite long before announcing her declaration to Monday’s draft. A week after winning the NCAA women’s basketball national championship with the University of Connecticut to end her storied collegiate career, Bueckers looks to become the face of the Wings franchise. Fans flocked to College Park Center, the Dallas Wings’ home for one more season, to watch the draft unfold. The arena was bustling with excitement from step teams taking the stage to girls getting Bueckers’ signature braids. The No. 1 pick marks a new era in the team’s history. Despite over a decade in the WNBA, Curt Miller, Wings executive vice president and general manager, said he had never held the top pick until now. “What we’ve seen number one picks do to franchises around the league, it is something truly special — the trajectory of your team, the momentum that it brings,” Miller said. “Paige will do it in her own way, and her efficiency, her unselfishness, her ability to take over when needed. I think you’re going to see her really impact this franchise.” Coming off her senior season, Bueckers averaged 19.9 points per game, leading the University of Connecticut. The guard etched her name into Husky record books, scoring the most points in a single NCAA Tournament run in school history, among other achievements. The pick not only marks a new era on the court but symbolizes new beginnings off the court. The franchise will move to play its home games at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas after this season, bringing new opportunities. “From free agency to all of the offseason investments with the practice facility, the arena coming, and now you add Paige to that along with our other draftees. We just want to bottle that up and keep it going,” head coach Chris Koclanes said. “She’s going to be such an important piece and can really have an impact immediately and again, helping us to establish a strong foundation here in Dallas.” Before the draft, the Wings made notable moves in their offseason. Some of the team’s acquisitions included reigning WNBA’s most improved player guard, DiJonai Carrington, and forward NaLyssa Smith. Arlington resident Andre McGee, a big women’s basketball fan, believes Bueckers’ skill set increases the team’s hopes of winning a championship. “We got some real dogs, especially defensively, bringing in our new defensive-minded coach,” McGee said. “Offensively, always, we got the skill. Arike [Ogunbowale]’s out there, Paige is out there now. We got some size on the court, I feel like we are just really good, a little bit of everything, everywhere.” As for Bueckers, Koclanes described her as unselfish — a player who can take over a game when needed but has a special knack for getting her teammates involved. When describing what Wings fans should expect from her, Bueckers echoed Koclanes’ sentiments. “Just a selfless leader, a person who just wants to win, will do whatever it takes to win, and somebody who plays with so much heart and passion and so much love for the game and love sharing that with others,” Bueckers said during the ESPN telecast. Ahead of her senior season, Bueckers achieved nearly every individual accolade under the sun. Partly due to injury, there was one achievement left for her to cement her legacy: winning a national championship. Miller marveled at Bueckers’ ability to shine under pressure and deliver a title to the University of Connecticut. “We all see the efficiency, we’ve all seen the talent the minute she walked on campus, but to watch her navigate the pressure that she had to feel this year was truly special,” he said. While Bueckers was the highlight of the night, work didn’t end there for the Wings. Dallas had four more draft picks, including the last pick of the first round. Aziaha James, North Carolina State University senior guard, was selected with the 12th overall pick. Miller and Koclanes expressed excitement when adding her to the team, not expecting her to drop that low. Additionally, the Wings selected Madison Scott, University of Mississippi senior guard. Miller called Scott “one of the best defenders out there,” and expects both players to make the roster and provide impact. Dallas finished the night with five additions to the team. The Wings added two draftees in the third round with the 27th and 31st picks. JJ Quinerly, West Virginia University senior guard, and Aaronette Vonleh, Baylor University senior center, rounded out the draft. @babyboimatt sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu