Texas Rangers (16-16) dropped a four-game series 3-1 against the Athletics (17-15) with a Thursday shutout at Globe Life Field. Coming off a ninth inning collapse Wednesday, the Rangers looked to bounce back to even out the series. Texas has lost five of its seven matchups against the Athletics this season. Pitcher Tyler Mahle started on the mound, entering the game with an undefeated 3-0 record. Offensive struggles have plagued the team early in the season and continued Thursday. Absences from shortstop Corey Seager and catcher Kyle Higashioka only added to the woes. The Athletics opened the scoring early in the first inning after Mahle gave up two quick hits. After a long opening inning, he quickly bounced back. Mahle said he continued to trust his pitching, which allowed him to settle in. After a hitless first three innings, the bats came alive for the Rangers. Outfielder Wyatt Langford recorded a single to give the team and fans some life heading into the fifth. Action picked up in the fifth inning for the Rangers after Mahle recorded his fifth strikeout of the game. Second baseman Marcus Semien led off the inning with a single. In an attempt to steal second base during the next at bat, Semien was ruled out by the umpire. The close call was challenged by the Rangers and overturned. However, the Rangers were unable to capitalize on the inning. Despite having two runners in scoring position, the inning ended with no score. Bats were quiet, head coach Bruce Bochy said as he spent most of the postgame answering questions about the team’s offensive struggles. He said Thursday’s game was one of their worst. “We just got to get this thing going,” Bochy said. “I know we keep talking about it, but you know this, this was not good today.” Mahle’s afternoon ended after six innings and finished with six strikeouts. The Athletics added a run in each the seventh and eighth innings, extending their lead to 3-0 and sealing the game. From a pitching perspective, Mahle said he acknowledges the talent on the roster and believes they’ll snap out of the slump. “They are all great hitters, and they know it. It’s just a matter of time,” he said. “I don’t think anyone’s worried about it. They’re gonna turn things around and I think everyone knows that.” The Rangers will be back home to host a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners at 7:05 p.m. Friday. All games will be available on CW33 and Victory+. @babyboimatt sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

UTA baseball (14-27) lost to Texas Christian University (32-13), 3-1, Tuesday in Fort Worth. The loss halted UTA’s dominance in the local showdown, drawing an even 3-3 split in the last six matchups. Head coach Mike Trapasso said despite the loss, the emphasis of the team’s focus is conference play on the weekends. “It’s a midweek game for both of us, and midweek games, there’s a different mindset,” Trapasso said. “It’s about trying to stay sharp, get some guys some work that maybe haven’t had work on the weekends.” The Mavericks struggled early, being held hitless by the Horned Frogs’ defense until the top of the fourth inning. The game was fast-paced with both teams recording frequent groundouts and strikes. Noah Franco, Texas Christian freshman pitcher and first baseman, recorded the game’s first hit in the second inning. With a sacrifice fly, Franco opened the game’s scoring to give them a 1-0 lead. Despite allowing nine hits, UTA only gave up three runs. However, their offense continued to struggle throughout the game. The teams went on a stalemate, going scoreless for four innings. “I mean, we just faced a really good staff. We obviously have to do a little bit better just battling [at bats] out and being tough, but credit to these guys,” said Tyce Armstrong, redshirt junior first baseman and infielder. Junior infielder Xavier Melendez said he was excited to be back from injury, contributing to the defensive effort with nine putouts. In the bottom of the seventh, Texas Christian added a run. Senior pitcher Aaron Calhoun began the inning by hitting a pitcher, advancing him to first base. After a couple of stolen bases, Calhoun gave up an RBI single to score the runner home. The Horned Frogs added another run in the eighth inning to extend their lead to 3-0. Looking to make the most of the team’s final at-bats, the Mavericks finally scored a run in the ninth inning from sophomore outfielder Jackson Hill. However, UTA was unable to capitalize on the momentum in the end. The Mavericks will resume conference play this weekend with a three-game series against Utah Valley University starting at 6 p.m. Friday at Clay Gould Ballpark. “I think we’re starting to play our best baseball at the right time. We got a good group going into the conference tournament,” Melendez said. @kaleivie_ sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The “portaling” season is about maintaining the balance of putting the last season behind everyone and building off it to improve the team. On April 17, UTA women’s basketball announced the signing of the Reynolds sisters — Mila, Amiyah and Kira — from South Bend, Indiana. Mila and Amiyah Reynolds, transfers from Purdue University, spent two years together at the school and were expecting to complete the trifecta after incoming freshman Kira Reynolds originally committed to the Boilermakers, too. However, all three ultimately decommitted and decided to bring their talents to Arlington. The Lady Mavericks are coming off a season where they made a Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship game appearance. Although falling short, the team received a bid to participate in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament that included a home win against University of the Incarnate Word. Head coach Shereka Wright said she believes the team’s success was a key piece in recruiting the trio, making the sisters want to buy into the program’s culture. Kira Reynolds highlighted the importance of playing collegiate basketball with her sisters, which UTA helped them do. “I’m a very family-oriented person. My whole entire family, we’re all very close,” she said. “My sisters are my best friends. So, when I went down to UTA, they are also family-oriented and had a very good, comfortable feel.” On Jan. 4, the highly-touted freshman recorded the first quintuple-double in Indiana history. Kira Reynolds recorded 14 points, 18 rebounds, 12 assists, 11 steals and 10 blocks. The sisters each bring a unique style of play to the court. Mila Reynolds, a 6-foot-3-inch forward, can stretch the floor with her ability to “flat out shoot the ball,” Wright said. Wright is excited to see what she does for the team after dealing with injury a season ago. Kira Reynolds called Amiyah Reynolds, the middle sister, the captain of the trio, with her high basketball IQ. Wright called her the “midrange assassin,” a complement to Mila Reynolds’ shooting skills from behind the arc. Behind many sports families is a father who shares the limelight. Steve Reynolds is the man behind the sisters’ basketball acumen, having coached them in high school and hinted that he might join the Lady Mavericks coaching staff. “My dad, for the most part, taught me literally everything I know, including my sisters,” Kira Reynolds said. “Being able to go to this next level and have him there with me, as he’s been there with me the entire way, it just also made me feel very secure.” The signings are massive not only for the women’s basketball program, but for all of UTA athletics. In addition to the talent level the team has acquired on the court, portal signings of this magnitude could influence other players to transfer to Arlington. Wright said the Lady Mavericks will continue to add necessary pieces to complement the six returning players to help the team compete for championships. “I think this is probably the highest ranked student athletes that we’ve had here at UTA, and a lot of excitement around it,” she said. @babyboimatt sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Behind the signage of logos, sponsors and partners on Globe Life Field’s outfield is Brian Nephew’s team. The Arlington native and lifelong Texas Rangers fan said he got lucky in landing his current position. As a UTA alumnus and vice president of partnerships for the Rangers, Nephew is a true American Dream City product. After starting in ticket sales almost a decade ago, Nephew now oversees the team’s day-to-day sales efforts and partnerships with nearly 200 brands, including Coca-Cola, T-Mobile, SeatGeek and Globe Life and Accident Insurance Company, who own the naming rights to the Rangers’ home ballpark. “I just fell in love with [baseball], probably just early on,” he said. “I just loved watching the Rangers growing up and turning on Sunday Night Baseball at home and watching all the pro teams, but specifically the Rangers.” He credits his time playing baseball at UTA for teaching him lessons not only in the sports industry but in life in general. It’s no secret what the 2023 World Series run meant for Rangers fans and the City of Arlington. Capturing its first championship in franchise history, the team ended its drought of being the MLB’s oldest organization without a title. Nephew called the championship run the best month of his life. “It was my professional and my personal career, my lives kind of crashing,” he said. “A decade with the team and being in Arlington my whole life, it was unbelievable.” The run has set even higher expectations for Nephew and the rest of the organization. “The easy way to put it is that the expectations now after winning the World Series in ‘23 is that we want to be a top five franchise in Major League Baseball,” he said. However, the Rangers face a unique challenge in achieving so. As of March 2025, the team ranks as the 12th most valuable MLB franchise, according to Forbes. Although Arlington is a hub for sports entertainment, most teams ahead of them are considered “major markets”: Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Philadelphia to name a few. Being neighbored with the most valuable in all sports, the Dallas Cowboys could also be a challenge for the Rangers. Nephew credits his time playing baseball at UTA for teaching him lessons not only in the sports industry but in life in general. Ray Casas, Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation community impact director, said he and Nephew take a lot of pride in being UTA alumni. “Growing up with the Rangers in our backyard, going to college at UTA and then getting to win a World Series ring, it’s pretty special,” Casas said. K.J. Hendricks, Los Angeles Angels scout and former UTA baseball player, served as Nephew’s assistant coach for his junior and senior seasons. Unlike Nephew, Hendricks was drafted to the MLB in 2002 and spent six seasons in the minor leagues. However, Nephew’s senior season had teams looking in his direction. In 2011, Nephew was selected to the All-Southland Conference second team in his senior season at UTA. On the mound, he played as a third baseman and was a strong hitter, finishing fourth in the regular conference that season with a .356 batting average. He also recorded 31 RBIs and led the Mavericks with 105 total bases. Playing professional baseball was always his goal, but not being drafted was a wake-up call. Despite not making the MLB, Nephew said everything worked out for the best. “Closing that chapter and going to the next corporate life kind of turned the page to make some money and get out of debt and all that stuff,” he said. “That was a big impact, it kind of changed my life.” Despite his talent, Hendricks best remembers Nephew for his leadership on and off the field. “The biggest thing that doesn’t do justice when you look at the stats with Brian is he was a good team leader. He galvanized guys, he brought good energy,” Hendricks said. “You've got to have those good locker room guys to help push the others forward and hold them accountable and encourage them and do all those things. Brian did a lot of those naturally.” Nephew’s principles as a teammate have carried into his future, regarding how he runs operations and treats his team. Nephew hopes to spend his entire career with the Rangers, the organization that has meant so much to him and his family. He met his wife, Bethany Nephew, during his tenure with the team and the pair have a son, Madden Nephew. She works with Casas, serving as the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation foundation event director. “The most important thing that I’ve learned is, now that I’m in a leadership role, just being vulnerable, being able to be a good teammate and be accountable for your colleagues,” he said. “If you do that, then everything else will take care of itself.” @babyboimatt sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

With the semester winding down, softball, baseball and track and field look to finish their regular seasons strong. Here is the schedule for Tuesday through May 5. Baseball UTA baseball looks to continue its success against Texas Christian University at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Fort Worth, Texas. The Mavericks defeated the Horned Frogs earlier in the season 6-4. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+. The team will then prepare for a three-game series against conference foe Utah Valley University starting 6 p.m. Friday at Clay Gould Ballpark. The series will continue 2 p.m. Saturday with the finale at noon Sunday. Softball The softball team will finish its regular season with a three-game series against Seattle University at Allan Saxe Field. The series will start with a doubleheader at 3 and 5:30 p.m. Friday and the finale will take place noon Saturday. All games will be available to stream on ESPN+. Track and field Track and field will compete in the TCU Horned Frog Invitational on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas as its final meet before Western Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships. @tdreevess sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The Arlington Renegades (3-2) took on the DC Defenders (4-1) on Sunday in a deciding game for first place in the United Football League. Arlington lost 37-33. Quarterback Luis Perez threw a 63-yard touchdown to wide receiver Deontay Burnett. The Renegades would score a field goal, gaining an 11-0 lead. Arlington scored four times on their first five drives, with three touchdowns and a field goal. But cracks began to show in the second half as offense couldn’t keep up with the Defenders. “You gotta give their coaching staff and players credit for making plays and hanging in there to give their self a chance to come back,” Renegades head coach Bob Stoops said. At the start of the third quarter, D.C. led a comeback attempt to stop Arlington and score a touchdown, bringing the game within seven points. Both teams traded scores repeatedly before the quarter ended with the Renegades leading by eight going into the fourth. Defensive end Chris Odom said the team’s defense will need to improve its play in the future. “That’s not our standard,” Odom said. “That’s not the best of our abilities that we’ve been playing the last four weeks. We’ll watch the film and clean it up.” After two Renegades field goals, D.C. brought the game within three points with a touchdown and a successful conversion attempt. The Defenders got the ball back with two minutes left in the fourth quarter in a drive that would decide the game. D.C. would score a touchdown and get a successful one-point conversion to go up 37-33 with 57 seconds left in the game. Arlington went down the field on their last possession, but after Perez was intercepted with 10 seconds left, the game was sealed. “We got to make sure we stay locked in above the neck and make sure we do our part,” he said. Perez finished the game with 268 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. Running back Kalen Ballage had 79 yards on 10 attempts with one touchdown run. The Renegades will hit the road for their next game 7 p.m. Friday against the St. Louis Battlehawks. @wall035203 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu