By Cassie Logan | @c4ssielogan

ARLINGTON, Texas - The UT Arlington softball team tied its best start since 1993 after sweeping a doubleheader to open the Maverick Invitational at Allan Saxe Field on Friday.

UTA (8-0) lays just two wins from the program's best start in history, as the Mavs were 9-0 to open the 1980 season. The Mavericks clipped Princeton 3-2 to open the day and well-executed situational hitting carried the team to a 2-1 victory over South Dakota State.

The Mavs rounded up 12 hits on the day led by Sandra Mendoza's 3-for-6 performance with three RBI. The sophomore has registered a hit in all eight games of the season. Senior Britnea Barilli earned the two walks she needed to move into second on UTA's all-time career walk list. The left fielder now owns 105 in a Maverick uniform, 11 recorded this season.

"I was really proud of the way they competed," UT Arlington coach Kristie Fox said. "They were put in some difficult situations and they kept composed and battled. We were behind in the second game and they were able to stay focused, chip away and find a way to win.

"I love their energy. Even though we're not playing at our peak performance, as a team, the chemistry is keeping us in these games."

Up next in the Maverick Invitational, UTA mirrors its Friday schedule with a doubleheader on Saturday. The Mavs open against Princeton at 11 a.m. and turn to South Dakota State at 1:30 p.m.

Game 1: UT Arlington 3, Princeton 2
Final Stats

Mendoza extended her hit streak in UTA's first-ever meeting with Princeton (1-1). Her single in the bottom of the second plated the team's first pair of runs, both singles from Kacey Everett and Krista Rude.

Everett and Rude were both 2-for-3, and Mendoza went 1-for-3 with two RBI. The Mavs tallied six hits to Princeton's seven.

Samantha Clakley improved to 3-0 in her third start of the season. The freshman struck out four, while allowing just two runs - one earned - and two walks.

A sacrifice fly from Shelbi Sikes scored the eventual winning run in pinch runner Cy'Andria Newton in the bottom half of the fifth. Newton represented Britnea Barilli, who recorded the 105th walk of her career and 11th of the season. The senior has reached base in each of the first seven games this season.

"Coming up clutch is something we focus on," Fox said. "Those two out RBI's and they've done a good job of taking quality at-bats when there's runners in scoring position. It's a sign of maturity from the group."

Mendoza made a clutch diving stop on a ground ball to second base that left two Princeton runners in scoring position in the top of the fourth. The Tigers still managed to tie the ballgame 2-2 on a single down the left field line an inning later.

Game 2: UT Arlington 2, South Dakota State 1
Final Stats

The Mavericks completed the sweep in the bottom of the fifth against South Dakota State (0-7), when Rude led the inning off with a single and was brought home on a one-out double from Mendoza.

Mendoza was 2-for-3 with a RBI in her eighth consecutive game with a hit. Rude was 1-for-2 with a run.

"I couldn't have done it without the rest of the team," Mendoza said. "It was a fundamental inning. We got a sacrifice bunt down. If we didn't do that, then I wouldn't have gotten the opportunity."

Brooklynne Simbeck (3-0) tossed 3.2 innings, allowing just three base knocks, a career-high four strikeouts and a pair of walks. Clakley, the Game 1 starter, made an appearance in the top of the seventh and pitched herself out of a jam to earn her second-career save.

Sam Montes, who was replaced in the top of third, was responsible for five hits and a run in 2.1 innings.

Down 1-0 in the fourth, Brianna Burchianti made room for a Maverick rally with a one-out walk and advanced to third on a Sikes single. Mallory Foster then reached on an infield single, causing Burchianti to score UTA's tying run as the ball bounced away from the third baseman.

South Dakota State struck first in the top of the third when an attempt to steal second distracted from a runner traveling from third.

"We're just going to keep fighting and keep on hitting," Mendoza said. "Tomorrow we want to come out and hit the ball better. We're hitting a lot of balls straight at people, so we just have to find the holes."