March 29, 2008
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
ARLINGTON, Texas - The UT Arlington softball team ended up on the short end of two games in their double header losses to conference-foe Sam Houston State Saturday at the Bearkat Softball Complex. The Bearkats claimed victories by the scores of 5-4 and 6-5.
UT Arlington (12-16, 8-8) surrendered a four-run lead by giving up six runs over four innings in the second game of the day to drop both games to their conference foes.
The Mavericks jumped out to an early 4-0 lead to begin the game with a four runs in the top of the first inning. Senior Katie Jones singled in her first at-bat of the game, followed by back-to-back doubles from freshman Rebecca Collom and senior Amanda Swofford. With the Mavs up by two, outfielder Kristin Moore hit a single to score Swofford from second. Freshman Heather Fortenberry tallied her first double of the season to score the fourth run of the game for the Mavs.
The Bearkats battled back to lead 6-4 in the bottom of the fifth by scoring a pair of runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings.
UTA's comeback fell short as it was only able to add one run in the top of the sixth. With her second hit of the game, Fortenberry reached on a single to center. Sophomore Samantha Chumchal followed with a double to center to plate Brittany Washington who came in as a pinch runner for Fortenberry. The Mavs had an opportunity to tie the game when senior April Clougherty who came in as a pinch runner for Chumchal sat at third base with no outs, but the Bearkat defense sent the next three UTA batters back to the dugout.
In game one of the doubleheader, Sam Houston State jumped out to a 3-0 lead by scoring three runs in the bottom of the third inning off of four hits including a pair of home runs.
UTA would score two runs in the top of the six to cut SHSU's lead to one. Jones was hit by a pitch to put a runner on base. Junior Christina Allen then hit her second double of the season when she found a gap in left field. Jones was able to score from first base and Allen rounded home on a sacrifice fly from freshman Whitney Simpson.
Sam Houston State pushed its lead to two at 4-2 in the bottom half of the inning off a homer from Amy Brown.
Not to be outdone, the Mavericks were able to come back and tie it up in the top of the seventh. With her first home run of the season, Fortenberry erased the Bearkats lead also driving in Moore.
Hailey Wiginton scored in the bottom of the seventh to push Sam Houston State past UTA for the 5-4 win.
Brittany Stevens led the offense going 2-for-3 on the day. Fortenberry went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, three RBI and a run scored. Swofford hit a double and went 2-for-4 in game two and plated her team-leading 18th run of the season.
Fortenberry (1-3) tossed three innings of relief in the first game and sat one batter down on strikes and yielded just two earned runs. Senior Laura Jones (3-9) went 4.1 innings in the second game, and then Hulme came in relief and pitched the final 1.2 innings.
The Mavericks and Bearkats will close out the series with a 1 p.m. start at the Bearkat Softball Complex Sunday.
