By Brooke Ortale | UTAMavs.com

HAMMOND, La. - A defensive showdown in Game 1 and an offensive outburst in Game 2 gave UT Arlington softball the Day 1 sweep over Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday.

"Our girls did a very good job of staying composed in some real tough situations," UT Arlington coach Kristie Fox said. "Our defense and execution won us the first game. Being able to perform under pressure is a sign of the character of this team."

With the two wins UTA improved to 17-0, the best start of any program in UTA Athletics history. The Mavs are one of only two teams undefeated on the season. The other is No 1. Florida, the two-time defending national champions.

Sandra Mendoza and Kacey Everett each went 3-for-7 on the day. Mendoza pushed her hit streak to 17 games, recording a hit in every game this season. Samantha Clakley got the win in Game 1 to improve to 7-0 on the season. Sam Montes got the win in relief in Game 2 to give her a 5-0 record.

The Mavericks conclude their season-high eight-game road trip with another matchup with Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday at 11 a.m. UTA returns home to host No. 18 Arizona, No. 24 Texas and Samford from March 11-13 in the Maverick Classic. The Mavericks open Sun Belt play at home March 19-20 against No. 5 Louisiana. Tickets for all UTA home games can be purchased at UTATickets.com.

Game 1: UT Arlington 3, Southeastern Louisiana 1
Final Stats

Stellar defense and clutch hitting by Mendoza and Rebecca Stokes guided the Mavs past the Lions in Game 1 of the doubleheader.

Mendoza was the catalyst on offense going to 1-for-3. She drove in the first two Maverick runs and extended her hit streak to 16 games. Brianna Burchianti was one of only two players for either team to record multiple hits, going 2-for-4 in the game. Laura Curry, Kacey Everett and Krista Rude all recorded hits in the game, with Rude pushing her hit streak to 13 games.

Clakley went the distance, allowing one unearned run and striking out six for her seventh complete game on the season.

After surrendering a run in the bottom half of the first inning, much as they have all season, the Mavs quickly responded by scoring a run in the top of the second on an RBI single by Mendoza to score Shelbi Sikes from second base.

With the game tied 1-1 in the fourth inning, the Mavs took the lead on Mendoza's second RBI of the game. Stokes got the ball rolling drawing a one-out walk. Kayci Moore came into pinch run for Stokes, quickly stealing second base and then advancing to third on an error on the play. Mendoza followed suit with an RBI sacrifice fly to score Moore, putting the Mavs on top 2-1.

The Lions posed a threat in the bottom of the fourth but the Mavericks stellar defense helped erase the threat. With a runner on third, Mendoza fielded a slow roller and gunned out the runner out at the plate trying to score. Curry made a nice play ranging her to left to field a ground ball and get the force out at second for the second out. With runners at first and third with two outs, the Lions attempted a double steal, but Kacey Everett was having no part of that, picking off the runner at third to end the inning.

The Mavs tacked on an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI sacrifice fly by Stokes to score Rude, who extended her hit streak to 13 games with a leadoff single in the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, Clakley retired three straight batters to end the game.

Game 2: UT Arlington 8, Southeastern Louisiana 3
Final Stats

Behind a five run fifth inning, the Mavericks beat Southeastern Louisiana in the second game of the doubleheader.

Eight of the nine Mavericks in the starting lineup recorded at least one hit. Mendoza had two hits, one run scored and a walk, while also extending her hit streak to 17 games. Everett also had a multi-hit game going 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.

Montes got the win in relief giving up only one hit, one walk, while striking out two in four innings.

UTA got the scoring started in the top of the second following a leadoff single by Foster. Two bunts by Sikes and Rude advanced her to third, before scoring the first run of the game on a wild pitch.

Mendoza wasted no time extending her hit streak to 17 games with a one out single in the third inning. She would later score on an RBI base hit off the bat of Curry. The Mavs added another run in the inning on a Lions error to put the score at 3-0.

The Lions responded in the bottom of the inning with a run, but Simbeck induced a fly out to Mendoza to end the inning.

The Lions got two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game.

Similarly to Game 1, the Mavs quickly responded scoring five runs in the top of the fifth. Burchianti started the inning off with a five-pitch walk, coming around to score on a Lion error. Barilli, Foster, Sikes, and Everett all came around to score in the inning.

Montes retired the next nine Lions batters to close out the game for UTA.