UTA Softball
ARLINGTON, Texas – Mallory Foster tallied five hits on Friday as UT Arlington swept a pair of games in the UT Arlington Invitational at Allan Saxe Field.
The Mavericks (3-0) scored 19 runs in two games in an offensive outburst. Foster added to her hit tally with three RBI and three runs.
“After our game yesterday I felt like I was waiting for us to come up with big hits and that was on me,” UT Arlington coach Kristie Fox said. “Today I had a different approach and we put some things in motion and the players executed.
“You are going to see a good mix of that from our team throughout the year, but the girls did a good job executing the plays that I called and putting pressure on the other team’s defense helped us in these two games.”
Sandra Mendoza continued to be a force at the dish. Mendoza had three hits in the opener and four overall.
In the circle, it was a pair of freshmen that helped shut down the opponent’s offense. UTA’s staff combined to allow just one run.
“Our pitching staff did a really good job as a whole today,” Fox said. “They were hitting their
spots and mixing speeds. That is all we can ask from them. We played good defense behind them, but it was a good thing to see the two new pitchers go in there and put in a start and know we had some options.”
Game 1: UT Arlington 8, Northern Colorado 0 (5)
UT Arlington’s success came in three’s against Northern Colorado in Game 1 as UTA completed a run-rule in five innings.
Mendoza and Foster led the Mavericks with three hits in the contest. Mendoza was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run, while Foster was 3-for-3 with a run.
“When Mallory settles down, keeps her shoulder down and picks good pitches, she is a good hitter,” Fox said. “She really did a good job in having quality at-bats and didn’t let one pitch affect her entire game.”
Kacey Everett plated three RBI on a hit, including what was the game winner in the fifth on a two-run double.
Samantha Clackley picked up her first-career win in her debut in the circle. Clackley struck out three, allowing just three hits.
Leading 3-0 going into the fifth, the first three UTA hitters reached safely. Krista Rude singled to score Brianna Burchianti for the first run of her career. After the Mavs loaded the bases, Everett sent a two-out pitch into left to end the game.
Game 2: UT Arlington 11, Detroit 1 (5)
Picking up right where it left off, UT Arlington’s offense continued to swing a hot bat at the plate.
After the pitch hit Burchianti with the bases loaded, Mallory Foster doubled to the wall to clear the bases, and following two errors on the play, came around to score. The lead went to 7-0 in the second behind a pinch-hit double by Marisa Datko, scoring Mendoza and Cy’Andria Newton.
UTA completed scoring with three runs in the third and one in the fourth to complete its second run-rule of the day.
