MAVERICKS FACE MCNEESE STATE IN THREE-GAME SERIES
4/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 9, 2009
Arlington, Texas -
GAME #35-37
UT Arlington (16-18, 12-9) at McNeese State (12-6, 20-22)
Friday, April 10, 2009 @ 3 & 5 p.m.
Saturday, April 11, 2009 @ 12 p.m.
When: Friday, April 10 & 3/5 p.m., Saturday, April 11 @ 12 p.m.
Where: Cowgirl Field in Lake Charles, La.
Live Stats: Available
LIVE STATS
- Updated statistics, news releases, phone numbers, Live Game Statistics and more is available at www.utamavs.cstv.com. Live stats will be available at utamavs.cstv.com for all of UTA's games.
SERIES INFO VS. COWGIRLS
All-Time Record: UTA leads all-time series, 42-35 Last Meeting: UTA won, 4-2 on April 6, 2008 in Arlington, Texas Last UTA Victory: UTA won, 4-2 on April 6, 2008 in Arlington, Texas Current Streak: Mavericks have won the last seven meetings against the Cowgirls
SCOUTING THE COWGIRLS
- McNeese State fell to 20-22 on the 2009 season after dropping a 8-0 non-conference match-up against No. 19 Louisiana on Tuesday, April 7. The Cowgirls are currently tied for second in the SLC with Nicholls State with a 12-6 mark.
- No. 19 Louisiana-Lafayette scored three runs in the first inning off starting pitcher Tiffany Denham. McNeese picked up three hits off Cajun pitcher Donna Bourgeois who ended the game with 14 strikeouts. Whitney Corbello was 2 for 2 with singles in the third and fifth innings Lindsey Langner picked up the other Cowgirl hit with a single up the middle in the sixth.
- Denham took the loss, falling to 1-4 on the year after giving up three earned runs and three walks. Stefinsky added to her strikeout total with nine to bring her total to 187 on the season. Stefinsky gave up seven hits, five unearned runs in 5 2/3 innings.
- Langner leads the Cowgirls with a .282 average, connecting on 37 hits including five doubles and two triples.
*Charity Games*
For the first time in UTA softball history, the UT Arlington Mavericks will take part in two charity games this season with the help of North Texas University.
UNT will host the first Strikeout for Cancer charity game on March 17 at 6 p.m. UTA will then host North Texas on Tuesday, Apr. 28 in the final charity game. Both teams will be selling T-shirts for the two games and all proceeds from the t-shirt sales will go to each organization.
There will be free addmission to the Mavericks home game and the team is asking for donations at the gate with all proceeds going to the Brandi K. McPherson Foundation.
The Mavs will honor Laurren Smith, who is battling her fight with cancer by throwing the first pitch of the game against UNT at Allan Saxe Field.
LAST TIME OUT:
vs. SAM HOUSTON STATE
Game 1: Brittany Washington scored the winning run for the Mavericks in the bottom of the eighth frame after she led off with a double up the middle and scored on a pass ball by the Bearkat's catcher.
A hit and run play called by head coach Debbie Hedrick proved successful in the bottom of the first when Rebecca Collom connected on a double to right center, scoring Courtney Zink from first base.
UTA held the Bearkats scoreless through four innings until the top of the sixth when Sarah Parich singled through the left side, scoring Kendra Spivey to tie the game at 1-1.
Cara Hulme (10-10) led the Mavericks on the mound, pitching 8.0 innings, allowing only one run on three hits and striking out seven.
Zink, Heather Fortenberry and Collom each collected a hit in the win against the Bearkats.
Game 2: Fortenberry took the mound for the Mavs in game two and after a walk-off home run and single to open the game, she was replaced by Hulme. Hulme gave up two hits and a run, giving Sam Houston State a 2-0 advantage.
Cassandra Nordie entered the game for Hulme in the top of the second inning where she allowed two runs on three hits. Mandy Gegen led off with a single to the left-center gap and advanced to third on a bunt single by Spivey. Gegen came around to score following a Hailey Wiginton single. The Bearkats capitalized on a fielder's choice by Amy Brown and a throwing error which scored Spivey.
The four runs in the first two innings would kill the Mavericks in the end as they were held scoreless in the game. UTA had several opportunities to produce runs but were unable to deliver at the plate.
Fortenberry (5-6) took the loss for the Mavs after facing only two batters. Nordie finished the game, pitching 6.0 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and fanning three.
Fortenberry led the Mavericks offensively going 2-for-4 while Nordie was the only another UTA player to record a hit.
Game 3: The strong wind blowing outward from Allan Saxe Field was to the Mavericks advantage as they went on to record five home runs, including a grand slam by pitcher Cara Hulme in a five-inning 10-2 victory against Sam Houston State on Sunday.
The win improved the Mavs to 16-18 overall, 12-9 in league action while the Bearkats dropped to 18-19 and 8-10 in conference action. After falling in game two to the Bearkats, UTA came into the final contest ready and fired up.
The Mavericks opened up the bottom of the first, connecting on four runs on three hits. With the bases loaded, Hulme took care of business offensively driving a two-out pitch over the Mavericks scoreboard in center field. The grand slam was her sixth of the season and gave the Mavs a 4-0 advantage.
Sam Houston State connected on a run in the top of the second frame on a walk-off home run to center field by Brandi Crnkovic.
The home run derby continued in the bottom half of the second inning when Heather Fortenberry connected on a solo homer and Samantha Chumchal followed with a two-run home run to center field.
After two scoreless innings, the Bearkats collected a run in the top of the fifth inning when lead-off batter Hailey Wiginton connected on a blooper down the right field line, scoring Mandy Gegen from second.
UT Arlington headed into the bottom half of the frame with a 7-2 lead and added a pair of home runs to run-rule the Bearkats in five innings. Chumchal led off with her second home run of the day and fifth of the season. Hulme finished off Sam Houston State with one swing of the bat as she recorded a two-run home run to end the game.
Hulme (11-10) collected the win, pitching 5.0 innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out six batters.
Cara Hulme, MAVS TOP HURLER
Junior Cara Hulme has been the Mavericks ace on the mound, leading UTA to 11 victories this season.
Hulme is second in the league in innings pitched, with 92.1 and in batters struckout looking with 22.
The junior led the Mavericks to three straight victories against Northwestern State at Allan Saxe Field and two over Stephen F. Austin.
Heather Fortenberry LEADS UTA IN BATTING
Junior Heather Fortenberry, pitcher/right fielder has been one of the Mavericks top offensive threats as she has connected on a team-high 30 hits for a .306 average. Fortenberry's seven game hit streak ended in game two of the Northwestern State series on Saturday, Mar. 21 at home. The junior's hit streak began in game one against Nicholls State (Mar. 7).
When on the mound, Fortenberry has recorded a 5-6 mark with a 4.87 ERA in 64.2 innings pitched.
