University of Texas Arlington
Morehead State
SB: Mavs ground Eagles
2/19/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
By Brook Ortale | UTAMavs.com
HAMMOND, La. - Throwing her second-straight complete game shutout, Sam Clakley helped UTA softball to a 3-0 win over Morehead State on Sunday in Hammond, La.
"Today we started to get a little closer to how we want to play," UTA head coach Kristie Fox said. "Sam threw strikes, we played good defense, and used our speed to score a couple runs. We need to get better hitting with runners in scoring position, but I'm confident it will happen."
With the win, the Mavs improved to 5-4, while Clakley moved to 4-1. Clakley went the distance, limiting the Eagles to only four hits, striking out four.
Krista Rude wasted no time extending her hit streak to nine games with a base hit in the first. The Arlington native was 2-for-4 at the plate. Recording a hit in every game this season, Rude opened last year with hits in each of the first 13 games of the year.
Laura Curry had a strong game going 2-for-3 with two runs, highlighted by the first home run of her career in the sixth.
Whitney Walton, Mallory Foster and Shelbi Sikes each had hits in the game.
Neither team was able to produce much offensively through the first three innings. After Morehead State threatened with a leadoff single, back-to-back diving stops by Sikes and Sandra Mendoza helped preserve the scoreless tie.
Building off the defensive performance in the top of the inning, the Mavs took the lead in the bottom half. Walton and Foster opened the fourth with back-to-back singles. After Sikes moved them over with a sacrifice, Walton broke the scoreless tie, plating the first run of the game on a wild pitch
After Laura Curry singled to start the fifth, a sacrifice fly by Walton scored her to double the UTA lead.
The Mavs tacked on another insurance run on Curry's inside the park home run in the sixth.
Up next UTA opens its home schedule hosting the UTA Invitational Feb. 24-26.
