Final Stats

Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box

By Brooke Ortale | UTAMavs.com

ATLANTA - UT Arlington and Georgia State split a pivotal Sun Belt doubleheader on Saturday after 23 runs were scored between the two games.

"Our team competed well in both games," UT Arlington coach Kristie Fox said. "Tomorrow we need to make some adjustments at the plate and take advantage of our opportunities. We left too many runners on in Game 2 and I suspect we will see that same pitcher."

Fueled by a solid pitching performance by Samantha Clakley and a home run by Britnea Barilli, the Mavs (28-13, 7-10 SBC) took Game 1 from Georgia State (25-24, 8-9 SBC) 8-6 before falling in Game 2, 7-2.

Krista Rude finished the day 5-for-7 with two runs. Barilli recorded a hit in each game to finish the day 2-for-5 with two runs, two walks and a RBI.

Sandra Mendoza went 3-for-7 after knocking hits in each game to extend her hit-streak to 16 games, the second such streak in her career. She started the season recording a hit in each of the first 17 games.

The Mavs and Panthers are back in action on Sunday for the rubber match. First pitch of the is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT.

Game 1 UT Arlington 8, Georgia State 6
Final Stats

The Mavs wasted no time getting on the board, scoring two runs in the first, thanks to a two-out double from Kacey Everett that scored Mendoza and Laura.

The Panthers scored one in the bottom of the inning on a double to score Ivie Drake to put the score at 2-1 UTA after the first.

Georgia State stole the lead in the second on a bases-loaded double by Kensey Caldwell to plate three. The Panthers loaded the bases with no outs to start the inning. Clakley posted back-to-back strikeouts before the double by Caldwell.

Both teams went scoreless in the third before the Mavs tied it up in the fourth. After a one-out walk by Barilli and a two-out single by Rude, Shelbi Sikes smoked the first pitch she saw for a double to centerfield to score both.

Barilli broke the 4-4 tie with a solo shot, drilling a 1-0 pitch over the right centerfield fence.

The Mavs extended their lead scoring three in the seventh off a double by Brianna Burchianti, a Sun Belt leading fifth RBI sacrifice fly by Everett and a base hit by Rude.

The Panthers attempted a comeback in the seventh, scoring two, pushing the score to 8-6 before Clakley induced a groundout to Sikes to seal the victory.

Clakley went the distance to record the win, throwing her 18th complete game and improving to 17-9 on the season.

Eight of the nine Mavs starters recorded a hit with Rude going a career-high 4-for-4 with a run. Everett drove in a season-high three runs for the third time this season.

Game 2 UT Arlington 2, Georgia State 7
Final Stats

Mendoza quickly pushed her hitting streak to 16 games with a leadoff single in the opening at-bat. After Curry followed with a base hit to put two on with no outs, the Panthers sat down the next three Mavs in order to erase the early threat.

The Panthers took the early lead on a home run by Drake in the first.

After both teams were retired in order in the second, Mendoza recorded her second hit of the game and Burchianti was hit by a pitch to pose another threat, but a flyout ended the inning.

Back-to-back doubles and a passed ball plated three for Panthers in the third.

The Mavs got on the board in the fifth. Rude recorded her fifth hit of the day with a leadoff single to third. She followed the single with her team-leading 12th stolen base of the season. Sikes drew her team-leading 27th walk of the year to put runners on first and second with no outs. Mendoza laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. Rude and Sikes came around to score on wild pitches.

However, just as UTA made its attempt at a comeback, Georgia State responded with three runs in the sixth to push their lead to five.

Mendoza was 2-for-3 in the game, while Barilli and Rude tallied the other two hits for the Mavs.