Feb. 12, 2015 Final Stats
Photo Gallery
By Michael Eldridge | @DFWSportsMike
ARLINGTON, Texas- UT Arlington opened the new Allan Saxe Field in grand style on Thursday night, run ruling Incarnate Word 13-4 in the Mavericks' home opener.
Mya Anderson helped UTA to a walk-off win with a grand slam in the fifth inning that sailed over the centerfield wall. The Mavericks (5-1) tallied 11 hits in their third consecutive win. Anderson led the team with three and had four RBI, while Nina Villanueva totaled a pair of hits and crossed the plate four times.
"We have been waiting for this for quite some time," UT Arlington coach Kristie Fox said. "The players are so excited and they feel it is a step up. When you have these kind of facilities they tend to act like Division I athletes and that is what they did tonight."
Kayla Donaldson improved to 3-0 on the season after pitching four innings. Donaldson gave up just two earned runs on four hits and struck out three. Brittany May helped close the game out with an inning of work as the sophomore allowed just one hit.
UTA was able to respond to two runs from Incarnate Word in the top of the first with a pair of its own to tie the game up. Senior Meagan Michele sent a two-out single into right to score Anderson and Villanueva.
The Mavs put a string of hits together in the third to open up a three-run inning. Anderson followed Villanueva's lead-off single with a hard-hit liner that nipped the left field foul line for a double. Mallory Foster brought the duo in two batters later with a double to left. Rebecca Stokes helped top off the inning with a single to score Foster on two outs.
Sophomore Shelbi Sikes hit her second homer of the season in the fourth to put three of the team's four runs across to answer the Cardinals' two in the top half.
Two walks and a Britnea Barilli single in the fifth set the stage for Anderson, who sent a liner sailing out of the park to end the game.
The Mavericks are back in action on Friday with a pair of games in the Maverick Invitational. UTA takes on Incarnate Word at 5 p.m. and end with Buffalo at 7 p.m.