March 20, 2016
Final Stats | Photo Gallery
By Cassie Logan | @c4ssielogan
ARLINGTON, Texas - A two-run blast from Kacey Everett in the third inning lifted UT Arlington to a 3-1 victory over No. 5 Louisiana on Sunday. The win was the Mavericks' first over a ranked opponent since 2003.
UTA (22-4, 1-2 Sun Belt) tallied six hits after recording just two on Saturday to complete its first-ever win against Louisiana (22-2, 4-1) in conference play and avoid the series sweep. The win ended a 13-game streak for UL over UTA. The Mavs improved to 14-4 at Allan Saxe Field.
"For them to have a day like yesterday and put that behind them and come out here today and compete, I'm very proud of them and it speaks so much to where this program is going," UT Arlington coach Kristie Fox said. "Having good pitching, taking care of the ball and having the clutch hit, that's how you have to win ballgames against good teams."
The Ragin' Cajuns received their second loss of the year, the first coming from then No. 5 Oregon, that wiped their 16-game win streak. Their one run tied the lowest in a game this season.
With the game tied at 1-1, Everett's second home run of the season was smashed over the left-center field fence to score Laura Curry.
The catcher was 2-for-3 on the day with a run and two RBI. Sandra Mendoza went 3-for-3 with one run.
"I was just so excited because I knew she was going to throw me a rise ball inside," Everett said. "I didn't want to go up there guessing and normally I'm not the first right-handed batter. Today, Sandra really gave me a pep talk and told me to do my thing and be aggressive. It just gave me a lot more confidence going up there."
Louisiana threatened to override UTA's victory in a seventh inning that had every fan out of their seat. A hit-by-pitch opened the bottom half for the Ragin' Cajuns and with two outs and two runners in scoring position, Samatha Clakley pitched into a groundout that finished the job.
Clakley (12-2) was a force on the mound for the Mavericks in the series finale as she allowed one run on six hits and a walk in all seven innings. Her seven strikeouts tied her career-high.
"Personally, I knew the whole time we were capable of beating them," Clakley said. "There's situations we didn't handle properly yesterday. Today we all handled situations the way they should have been.
"Everyone was more on their game. Yesterday we struggled and we were all more pumped today. We just came out ready to play today."
Mendoza ran out a single to shortstop to lead off the bottom of the first. A sac bunt and pass ball scooted her over to third and a sac fly to left field by Britnea Barilli gave the Mavericks their first run of the series.
Louisiana tied the ballgame at one in the third as a leadoff walk came home on a groundout up the middle on a diving stop at shortstop by Curry.
The Ragin' Cajuns attempted to storm back in the top of the fourth as a double to the right field corner sent a pair of runners home, but a throw to the plate was the first movement in a pickle situation that ended in a tag out.
Back-to-back looking strikeouts for Clakley ended the inning and kept the momentum moving for UTA.
The Mavericks continue Sun Belt play at Georgia Southern with the three-game series opening at 4 p.m. CT on Friday.
