Feb. 28, 2007

Box Score

ARLINGTON, Texas - UT Arlington softball lost its first conference game of the season 7-3 to Texas State on Wednesday at Allan Saxe Field. The Bobcats avoided a series sweep after dropping both games of a doubleheader on Tuesday and improved its overall record to 9-9 while the Mavs moved to 11-8 on the season.

Senior first baseman Dee Jay Nelson connected on a two-run homer, her fifth of the season, in the bottom of the first to give the Mavs the early 2-0 lead, but Texas State would answer in the next frame to tie it. The Bobcats added two more runs in the top of the third to gain a two-run lead, 4-2.

UTA got a run back in the fifth when Nelson launched her second home run of the game over the left field wall. The solo shot made it 4-3 Bobcats, but Texas State increased its lead in the top of the sixth when Ryan Kos hit her first home run of the season that plated two.

The Bobcats lead increased to 7-3 in the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly by Ashton Peters with the bases loaded. UTA put two on in the bottom of the inning, but the late rally fell short when Ragan Blake struck out freshman Heather Fortenberry to end the game.

Freshman Cara Hulme (3-5) took the loss, allowing three earned runs in three innings on five hits and a walk. Blake finished with eight strikeouts and allowed three runs on nine hits while walking two for her seventh win of the season.

UTA will continue Southland Conference action with the first two games of a three game series at UT San Antonio at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The series will conclude with a single game at noon on Sunday.