By Michael Eldridge | @DFWSportsMike

HAMMOND, La. - UT Arlington opened the 2015 season with a bang on Friday after sweeping Day 1 of the Tangi Tourism Lion Classic.

"I am very happy with how the team played today," UT Arlington coach Kristie Fox said. "We are young and had some first day jitters but they executed the game plan and had great intensity and focus in both games."

The Mavericks (2-0) powered three homers and scored 18 runs in the team's first two games. Sophomore Shelbi Sikes led the Mavs with eight RBI, four hits and knocked the third homer of her career in the first inning against Alcorn State.

Senior Nina Villanueva finished with five runs and three RBI after notching three hits.

UTA's pitchers allowed just one run in 12 innings pitched and gave up seven hits overall, while striking out 13.

"We had a game plan today with our pitching staff and they all did their part today," Fox said. "I really liked how they hit spots and mixed speeds."

UTA returns to action on Saturday with a pair of games beginning at 12:30 p.m. UTA opens with Nicholls State before completing Day 2 against Omaha at 3 p.m.

Game 1: UT Arlington 10, Alcorn State 1
Final Stats

Freshman Sandra Mendoza tripled in her first at-bat of her career and the Mavericks never looked back. Villanueva would set the table for Sikes with a walk, and the sophomore responded with the team's first homer of the season over the right-center field wall.

"Shelbi has been swinging the bat really well and I just had a feeling she was going to produce," Fox said. "She really jump started our offense for the day."

Jolene Schaefer followed it up three batters later with an RBI single and the Mavs had a 4-0 lead after the top half of the opener.

Alcorn State responded with a run in the bottom half and the teams would go scoreless until the fifth when UTA's offense came alive again. Britnea Barilli, Villanueva and Sikes would each drove in a run in the fifth.

UTA put the game away in the final inning with another set of three. The Mavs had the bases loaded with no outs when Sikes struck again with a double to left to score two. Rebecca Stokes completed the scoring on a sacrifice fly to left to score Mya Anderson.

Freshman Taylor Simmonds (1-0) pitched four innings to earn the win. Simmonds struck out three, allowed just one earned run and gave way to sophomore Brittany May in the fifth. May struck out a career-high six Alcorn State batters, giving up just one hit.

The win was UTA's fourth consecutive season-opening win and third under Fox.

Game 2: UT Arlington 8, UT Martin 0
Final Stats

UT Arlington started where it left off from Game 1 and jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning. Anderson had the first of her team-high three hits to break open the scoring. Anderson's single to right-center field scored Mendoza and Meagan Michele had an RBI single in the next at-bat.

Anderson continued UTA's offense with a first-pitch blast over the centerfield fence on the first pitch of the fourth inning. Michele would follow it up with a shot of her own on a line-drive homer in the same direction.

Two errors continued the inning and the Mavericks would add four more runs to build an 8-0 lead. The Skyhawks were unable to trim the deficit, as UTA would pick up its first run-rule win of the season.

Freshman Kayla Donaldson (1-0) allowed just two hits to earn the first win of her career. Donaldson struck out four.