WACO – Coming off a season-opening weekend in Hawaii, the UT Arlington softball team (2-3) makes the trek down I-35 to compete in Baylor's Getterman Classic this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
 
The Mavericks – who have posted blowouts in their two wins and have suffered three one-run losses – commence action in the Getterman Classic with a doubleheader beginning Friday at 10 a.m. against Sam Houston State and concluding versus Southern Miss with an approximate 12:30 p.m. first pitch.
 
UTA will then turn around and face #16 Baylor on Saturday at approximately 12:30 p.m. Following that game, the four teams will be seeded 1-4 based off their record against the other three. Team 1 vs. Team 4 will play at approximately 3 p.m. on Saturday, with Team 2 vs. Team 3 taking place after that around 5:30 p.m.
 
On Sunday, the losers of those two games will square off in the consolation contest at 10 a.m., with the winners advancing to the championship game scheduled for 12:30 p.m. There will be no video stream of the games this weekend, but live stats will be available for each contest on UTAMavs.com.
 
Baylor sits at 4-2 on the year, but defeated #9 South Carolina to open the season in Mexico, 4-1. Sam Houston State is 2-3 on the young season, while Southern Miss sits at 5-1 after dropping a 4-1 decision at Nicholls State Wednesday evening.
 
The Mavs are coming off a quintet of games as part of the Hawaii Paradise Classic which started with a tough 2-1 setback against #1 UCLA. UTA followed that up with a 5-4 nine-inning loss to a Fresno State team receiving votes in the national polls. The Mavericks then run-ruled Saint Mary's in six innings, 8-0, and erased a 6-0 1st-inning deficit versus host Hawaii, took the lead in the top of the 7th, but lost on a walk-off, 8-7. UTA concluded the trip with a 9-1 triumph over fellow Sun Belt Conference member Georgia State.
 
Krista Rude and Melanie Mendoza each went 7-15 in Hawaii and lead the Mavericks with a .467 batting average. Whitney Walton is right on their heels with a .462 average (6-13), while Laura Curry (.389) and Aileen Garcia (.313) are all well over .300 to lead the Mavs' offensive attack.
 
Mendoza slugged an impressive .733 through her first five games and also leads the team with 11 total bases and seven RBI. Walton and Rude helped set the table for UTA last weekend as Walton drew six walks and Rude eyed three while they combined to strike out just once and post on-base percentage of .650 and .579, respectively.
 
In the circle, Randi Phillips started four of the five games and posted a 2.56 ERA over 13.2 innings. JoJo Valencia started the other contest, while Allie Gardiner and Laura Henricksen both made multiple appearances in relief. Both true freshmen performed admirably in their collegiate debut weekend as Henricksen didn't allow a run over five innings, while Gardiner suffered a pair of tough-luck losses but possesses a 1.62 ERA over 8.2 innings of work in which she has struck out a team-high-tying six and allowed opponents to hit a team-low .161.
 
Following action this weekend in Baylor, UTA returns to campus and begins its 2019 home schedule at the Maverick Invitational next Friday-Sunday, Feb. 22-24. The Mavs will welcome Wichita State, Abilene Christian and Prairie View A&M to Allan Saxe Field.
 
TICKET INFORMATION
Season tickets are now on sale for the 2019 UT Arlington softball season, beginning at just $50. All seating is general admission, and tickets can be secured by logging on to UTATickets.com.