WACO – The UT Arlington softball team (2-5) began Baylor's Getterman Classic on Friday with a pair of tough losses: 4-3 to Sam Houston State in the morning and 5-3 to Southern Miss in the afternoon.
 
Whitney Walton (3-for-6), Aileen Garcia (3-7), Krista Rude (2-7) and Brittany Wyllie (2-3) all collected multiple hits over the two games, while Laura Curry drove in a pair of runs and Wyllie walked twice.
 
In the circle, all four of UTA's primary pitchers saw action on Friday, with JoJo Valencia starting the first game and Randi Phillips starting the second. Laura Henriksen entered in relief of Valencia, and Allie Gardiner closed things out in both contests.
 
The loss to Sam Houston State was UTA's fourth one-run setback of the early season and second which occurred in walk-off fashion. Against Southern Miss, the Mavericks tried to fight back from a four-run deficit in the 7th inning, but fell just short in their comeback attempt.
 
SAM HOUSTON STATE RECAP
The Mavericks got off to a great start against Sam Houston State, taking the lead in the top of the 1st inning when Garcia singled to center to score Rude. Rude put herself in position as she led off the game with a bunt single, advanced to second on a ground out and then stole third.
 
A Curry double to left-center field in the 2nd inning plated Rude with her second run of the morning and also Ryleigh Love – who pinch ran for Wyllie, who had walked to lead off the frame – to give the Mavs a 3-0 advantage.
 
That lead would remain in place into the 4th inning when Valencia got into some trouble. She was relieved after 3+ innings of work in which she scattered three hits, but freshman Henriksen allowed both of Valencia's inherited runners to score to trim the UTA cushion to just a single run, 3-2.
 
Henriksen – who threw 1.1 innings of scoreless ball – turned things over to classmate Gardiner in the bottom of the 5th with runners on first and second, but the freshman was able to induce an inning-ending double play to keep UTA in front. However, consecutive doubles by the Bearkats to begin the 6th inning tied the contest, and Gardiner did well to work out of further damage as she stranded runners on first and third while getting the last two outs of the inning.
 
SHSU eventually won the game on a walk-off single to center in the bottom of the 7th by Tiffany Thompson. Gardiner finished by allowing two earned runs over two innings.
 
SOUTHERN MISS RECAP
Neither team was able to crack through on the scoreboard until the 4th inning when Southern Miss took a 2-0 lead.
 
The Mavs manufactured one of those runs back in the 5th. Walton led off with a walk before being moved up to second on a Shelbi Court sac bunt, and she eventually came around to score on a Mendoza single to left.
 
However, Southern Miss had an immediate response in the top of the 6th, scoring three runs to take a 5-1 lead. The Golden Eagles chased Phillips from the circle after 5.2 innings of work in which she allowed four earned runs (five total). Gardiner relieved her and finished with 1.1 innings of work and no runs allowed.
 
UTA began its comeback attempt in the 7th with Walton commencing things with bunt single, Court following with a single to right and Wyllie singling back to the pitcher to load the bases with nobody out.
 
A fielder's choice resulted in Walton being forced out at home and the bases remaining loaded with one out. Another fielder's choice – this time resulting in an RBI by Bri Burchianti – put runners at first and third and pulled the Mavs within 5-2 with two outs.
 
Rude stepped into the box as the potential tying run and singled. On a throwing error by the third baseman, Kayci Moore – running for Wyllie – scored to make it 5-3, and as the ball rolled down the right-field line Burchianti tried to score from first, but was thrown out at home as Rude moved into scoring position at second base with what could have been the eventual tying run.
 
NEXT UP
UTA will 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.
 
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.