Saturday, February 16, 2008

UT Arlington softball splits games at Hotel Encanto Invitational

By Pegasus News wire

Colorado State 12, UTA 7

The UT Arlington softball team dropped it first extra inning contest of the season 12-7 to Colorado State on Friday in the opening game of the Hotel Encanto Invitational hosted by New Mexico State.

Senior Amanda Swofford led the Mavs (1-5) going 2-for-4, scoring three runs and driving in two with a home run on the day. Laura Jones (1-2) takes the loss in four innings of relief, while Colorado State's Cayte Billman (3-0) gets the win recording five K's in five innings of work.

After four scoreless innings, Colorado State's leadoff batter Lauren Cusick hit a solo home run to put the first points on the board for either team. With two outs, Julia Kloppe doubled to right field to drive in Ashley Munoz and Caitlan Stem who both reached on singles. The Rams had a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom half of the fifth inning.

UTA was quick to counter, when seniors Katie Jones and Swofford reached on a singles and designated player sophomore Samantha Chumchal cleared the bases with a three RBI homer over the right field fence.

In the 6th, Colorado State added a pair of runs to lead 5-2, but UTA tied it again in the home half of the inning. With two outs, Jones hit her second single of the game and Swofford drove them both in with her first home run of the season.

The game remained knotted up after seven innings of play and the Mavs went into extra frames for the first time this season.

Seven runs and two Mavericks errors in the top of the tenth frame proved too much for UTA. The Mavs did attempt a third comeback, scoring a pair of runs in their half of the tenth, but sadly the attempt fell short.

UTA 3, Illinois-Chicago 2

The UT Arlington softball team bounced back from an extra inning loss earlier with a 3-2 win over Illinois-Chicago on Friday at the Hotel Encanto Invitational.

Sophomore Brittany Washington hit a walk-off home run in the top of the seventh to lift the Mavs (2-5) past the Flames (2-3).

Illinois-Chicago put the first run on the board in the second frame and added another run in the fourth inning to lead 2-0.

In the sixth, UTA tied it up when senior April Clougherty hit and RBI triple to plate fellow senior Amanda Swofford, and then crossed home herself on an error by the catcher.

Freshman Cassandra Nordie (1-0) picked up her first win of the season, recording six strikeouts and giving up zero walks in seven innings of work.

UTA is scheduled to face first-time opponent North Dakota State at 7 p.m. in its second day of action at the Hotel Encanto Invitational.

Source: UTA

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