LUBBOCK – The UT Arlington softball team (10-9) dropped a pair of games to end the Texas Tech Invitational on Saturday, losing to North Texas 5-1, before falling to host, No. 16 Texas Tech 8-4.
 
Laura Henriksen picked up the start in game one, pitching 4.2 innings while allowing five runs off eight hits before being replaced by Randi Phillips, who allowed just one hit in 2.1 innings pitched.
 
In the second game of the evening, JoJo Valencia got the start in the circle, but recorded just one out before being replaced by Allie Gardiner. Gardiner went 1.2 innings, allowing three runs off four hits and was replaced by Phillips in the third inning.
 
UTA VS NORTH TEXAS RECAP
 
The third game in the series between the Mavs and Mean Green started just as the other two had begun, with the Mavs jumping out to an early lead.
 
After North Texas left three runners stranded in the top of the inning, UTA came hot out of the gates, with a Whitney Walton double to begin the bottom frame. Two sacrifice hits later scored Walton, coming off the bat of Laura Curry to make it 1-0.
 
The Mean Green loaded the bases again in the second. A two-out error by the Mavericks allowed North Texas to tie the game at one, before ending the inning with a lineout to Brittany Wyllie standing at third base.
 
Scoring was put on hold until the top of the fifth.  Following a leadoff single for North Texas, Tay Evans connected on a two-run home run to make it a two-run ball game. The Mean Green continued to extend their lead, scoring a two-run single to push the score to 5-1.
 
UTA VS NO. 16 TEXAS TECH RECAP
 
The Red Raiders continued where they left off a day before, quickly loading the bases in the bottom of the first before knocking in a two-run single. A sacrifice fly following a pitching change for the second out made it 3-0.
 
Following a scoreless second inning, Texas Tech got back on the board in the third with a two-run home run to push their lead to five. The Red Raiders extended their lead to 6-0 with an RBI double by Yvonne Whaley.
 
The Mavs got on the board in the fourth inning, scoring four two-out runs.  Brittany Wyllie started the scoring with an RBI single to score KJ Murphy before Melanie Mendoza emptied the bases with a double to score Wyllie and Shelbi Court to make it 6-3. Krista Rude complete the fourth inning rally with a bases loaded single, hustling to beat the throw at first and score Mendoza.
 
The Red Raiders scored two more in the sixth, coming off a home run and a single up the gut of the defense to make it a four-score game.  UTA was unable to score any more, ending the game on a line drive double play.
 
UP NEXT
UTA will travel to College Station on Wednesday for a 6:00 matchup against Texas A&M.