UTA Notes | | Live Stream

By Brooke Ortale | UTAMavs.com

ARLINGTON, Texas - UT Arlington softball takes a break from Sun Belt Conference play for a midweek game against Houston Baptist on Wednesday at Allan Saxe Field.

The Mavericks (15-13) and Huskies (7-12) have met four times with HBU holding 3-1 series lead. The two teams last squared off Feb. 26, 2012, with the Mavericks claiming the 4-1 win. All four games have been played in Arlington.

Wednesday's game with HBU will be free admission.

First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.

Following the game with HBU, the Mavericks will resume Sun Belt play, hosting Georgia Southern for a three-game series on March 25-26.

Notes:
Weekend Recap: UTA traveled to Lafayette, La. for its first Sun Belt Conference road trip of the season.

Going into the weekend, UTA and No. 18 Louisiana had the top two batting averages in the Sun Belt, hitting .294 and .329, respectively.

The Mavericks wasted no time getting on the board in Game 1, scoring two in the first on a RBI double by Reagan Wright.

The Ragin' Cajuns took a 5-3 lead in the fourth. The Mavericks brought it within one in the sixth on a RBI by Mallory Foster.

Trailing by one in the top of the seventh, pinch hitter Aileen Garcia drilled a solo shot to tie the game up at 5.

UTA fell in heartbreaking fashion as the Sun Belt's Preseason Player of the Year Aleah Carighton launched a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh.

Both teams were held in check through the first two innings of Game 2 before the Cajuns hit a three-run home run to take the lead.

An RBI double by Sandra Mendoza pulled the Mavericks within two before the Cajuns put up a three-spot in the fifth to hold the 6-1 advantage.

The Mavericks posed a threat the in the seventh, loading the bases and bringing the tying run to the plate before a nice defensive play by the Cajuns at second base ended the game.

The Mavericks were plagued by two big innings in the series-finale, giving up a five-run third and six-run sixth to fall 11-2 in six innings.

A look at the Houston Baptist:
The Huskies are 7-12 overall and 0-6 in Southland Conference play. HBU opened SLC action losing three-straight to a Nicholls team that split with the Mavericks at the UTA Invitational earlier this season.

Offensively they are led by Cecilia Bauer and Heidi Jaquez, hitting .365 and .349 respectively. Stephanie Buenrostro is 3-3 with a 5.73 ERA.

Midweek Slate:
With head coach Kristie Fox at the helm, the Mavericks are 13-7 in midweek match ups, including 3-1 this season.

The Mavericks are playing a total of 8 midweek games throughout the course of the year, playing four already.

UTA split a doubleheader with Saint Francis on Feb. 28, before defeating Southern 16-0 (5) two days later.

The Mavericks defeated former Southland foe Stephen F. Austin 6-0 on March 15.

Following the midweek with HBU, the Mavericks play two more midweeks with a game against Metroplex rival North Texas on March 29 and a doubleheader against Houston on May 2.

Mavericks in the National Rankings:
Turning 0.68 double plays per game, UTA is tied for the national lead with Wednesday's opponent, Houston Baptist. With 19 double plays on the year, the Mavericks are one behind No. 4 Auburn for the most turned with 20.

With a batting average of 2.85, the Mavericks ranks second in the conference, only behind No. 18 Louisiana at .328.

Sam Clakley sits seventh in the Sun Belt and and 79th in the nation in ERA at 1.66. Her five shutouts are good for third in the conference and eighth in Division I. With 71 strikeouts, she ranks seventh in the conference and 75th in the nation. Recording 11 wins, Clakley is second in the conference and 28th in Division I.

Sam Montes stays around the zone, ranking second in the Sun Belt and 50th in the nation in walks allowed per seven innings with 1.20.

Whitney Walton has a team-leading six home runs to average 0.22 per games, good for eighth in the SBC. Her 0.85 runs per game are sixth in the conference.

Krista Rude leads the conference and is 41st in Division I in sacrifice hits per game with 0.26.

Laura Curry's four triples are the most in the conference and eighth in Division I.

Milestone Watch:
Kacey Everett is two home runs shy of tying Mya Anderson (15-16) for 10th in UTA history with 13.

With 80 career walks, Shelbi Sikes is fifth all-time, tying Nina Villanueva (13-15). Mendoza is tied with Tami Martens (80-83) for 10th with 67. Three more will move her into ninth with Meagan Michele (12-15).

Mendoza sits seventh in career doubles with 30. Two more will tie her with Michele for sixth with 32. Sikes needs one double to tie Lisa Verhaul (97-00) for 9th with 27.

Mendoza is three extra-base hits away from breaking into the top-10 in career extra-base hits. Tying Kristi Bryant (90-93) and Katy Hermann (80-83) with 40.

Up Next: The Mavericks get back to Sun Belt action, hosting Georgia Southern for a three-game series March 25-26.