ATLANTA, Georgia - Fresh off a Sun Belt opening sweep, the UT Arlington softball team will head to Atlanta to take on the Georgia State Panthers for their first Sun Belt road test of the season.

MATCHUP: UTA (13-10, 3-0 SBC) vs Georgia State (2-22, 0-3 SBC)
WHEN: March 15-17
WHERE: Atlanta, Georgia | Robert E. Heck Softball Complex
GAME 1 (5 PM EST): LIVE STATS
GAME 2 (1 PM EST): VIDEO | LIVE STATS
GAME 3 (1 PM EST): LIVE STATS

SERIES HISTORY
The series between the Mavericks and Panthers is currently tied at nine games.  UTA has won three of the last four, including two of the three games last year to win the season series a year ago. The Mavs and Panthers already met up once this year, playing in a non-conference game during the opening weekend of the season at the Hawaii Paradise Tournament. UTA went on to win the game 9-1 in six innings.
 
UTA NOTES
•The sweep over South Alabama marks the first time since joining the Sun Belt that UTA has swept an opponent to open conference play and the first time they have swept the Jags. The walk-off win in game one also marked the first time that UTA has won the opening game of Sun Belt play.
• Whitney Walton has been almost a sure-thing at the plate this season.  The junior out of Lake Jackson is hitting .486 on the year, leading the Mavs at the top of the lineup. The batting average is also good enough to put her in the top 10 hitters in the country, as it's currently the 9th best batting average. Her 34 hits not only leads the Sun Belt, but also gives her the 12th most hits in the NCAA and just six behind the national leader, Lindsay Rood (California).
• Walton isn't the only Maverick that has been trouble for opposing pitchers.  Laura Curry has tied the season-high for UTA, reaching base safely in 12 straight games.  She is currently tied with Walton and Krista Rude for the longest of the season. She has reached base safely in every game dating back to Feb. 23 against Prairie View.
• The Mavericks have done well in high powered games this season.  When UTA scores 10 or more runs, they are 5-0, but they are also undefeated when they allow 10 or more runs, winning both games where that has occurred.

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | GEORGIA STATE
• Georgia State enters the game 2-22 overall having lost six straight games, including being swept in their Sun Belt opener against Coastal Carolina. The Panthers have not won since defeating Fordham 5-4 on March 2 at the I-75 Challenge at the Robert E. Heck Softball Complex.
• Caitlin Ray and Remington Hasty lead the Panthers offense, as they've driven home 22 of the 47 runs on the year.  Ray is hitting a team best .323, while Hasty is just behind her with a .318 batting average.
• The Cardinals have struggled to score runs this season, having scored more than five runs just twice this year, with the season high of nine runs coming in a 9-2 win over Eastern Illinois on Feb. 16. They have been shutout in seven of their games and have scored two or less runs in 13 of their 24 games.
• The Panthers have three pitchers that routinely set up - Savannah Freeman (4.49 ERA), Amanda Chance (6.23 ERA) and Emily Soles (6.90 ERA).  All three pitchers have appeared in at least 16 games and have combined to start all but three, with Mallory Parson starting those.

UP NEXT
The Mavs will return home for a midweek game against Houston Baptist on Tuesday, March 20 at Allan Saxe Field with a first-pitch scheduled for 5 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT | Mavs Sweep South Alabama To Start Conference (March. 10)
Whitney Walton had another great game as she reached base and scored after every at-bat on the way to an 8-1 win for the Mavericks against Southern Alabama Sunday at Allen Saxe Field. 

The Mavericks put the pressure on early as their first four batters reached base in the bottom of the first inning, with first-baseman, Aileen Garcia drawing a bases-loaded walk to score Walton. Two batters later, right-fielder, Bri Burchianti singled to center, bringing two more runners home.

UTA kept their foot on the gas as they continued scoring in the second inning with a single to left field by center-fielder, Laura Currybringing home Walton.

Walton would score later in the fourth on a double by left-fielder, Krista Rude, and again in the sixth when Curry reached base on an error by Southern Alabama second-baseman, Savanna Mayo.

Mavericks' catcher, Reagan Wright hit a solo homerun to left field in the fifth to make it 6-1. The home run marked her third of the season.

JoJo Valencia started in the circle, pitching three innings, while allowing just one run.  Pitcher, Randi Phillips (6-5) got the win as she threw four scoreless innings of relief, giving up just three hits and no walks.

BARK IN THE PARK…ALL SEASON LONG
UT Arlington Department of Athletics officials announced that all 2019 home baseball games at Clay Gould Ballpark and softball games at Allan Saxe Field will be dog-friendly, thanks to a generous partnership with upstart Lone Star Friends of Animals to create 'Casey's Corner.'
 
Dogs which are leashed, at least six months old and with the proper vaccinations will be permitted at all UTA baseball and softball games throughout the season.
 
Casey's Corner is a grassy area between the baseball and softball fields, along the 3rd-base line of the baseball stadium. Multiple pet waste stations have been set up, and the space provides fans and dog owners an opportunity to walk and sit with their canine companions while taking in all the Maverick action.

TICKET INFORMATION
Individual and season tickets are now on sale for the 2019 UT Arlington softball season. All seating is general admission, and tickets can be secured by logging on to UTATickets.com.

FOLLOW THE MAVS
For the latest news on UTA Softball log on to UTAMavs.com or stay connected to the Mavs on social media. Follow the Mavericks on Twitter @UTASoftball.