ARLINGTON, Texas – For the third time this season, a ranked opponent fell to the UT Arlington (17-15) softball team as the Mavericks split a double header with No. 13 Arkansas on Tuesday afternoon at Allan Saxe Field. Arkansas took game one 4-1 before the Mavericks defeated the Razorbacks 7-4 in game two.
 
The Mavs pitching staff was finding their spots all afternoon, allowing just seven earned runs over the two games, while striking out eight Razorback batters.  Randi Phillips (9-8) picked up a season-high six strikeouts in game one.  Laura Henriksen (3-1) earned her second career start in the circle in game two and did not disappoint, allowing just two earned runs in 5.1 innings pitched.
 
UTA finished with 14 hits on the day, including a nine-hit performance in the game two win. Aileen Garcia went 4-for-6 at the plate with two RBI, including her third home run of the season.
 
GAME ONE RECAP
The Razorbacks took an early 1-0 lead, scoring off an RBI double in the first inning. Arkansas had runners on second and third, but Phillips got out of the jam, forcing two pop outs to end the inning.
 
In the bottom of the second, Garcia jacked a solo shot to center field to tie game at one.
 
With both pitchers settling down, the game became a dual for the two players in the circle, until the Razorbacks took advantage of a ball left over the plate, hitting a two-run home run to take a two-run lead.
 
Arkansas went on to extend their lead in the seventh with a bases loaded walk. UTA was unable to get anything going, falling 4-1 in the game one.
 
GAME TWO RECAP
The Mavs got things rolling in the second game, taking advantage of Arkansas mistakes to clinch the win.
 
In the bottom of the second, a Razorback error kept the inning alive, while allowing a run to score on a Brittany Wyllie hit to third base.  Avery Grimes delivered a sac fly with the next at bat to give the Mavs a 2-0 lead.
 
The scoring was halted until the fifth inning when the Razorbacks tied the game with a two-run home run, but the tie didn't last long.  The Mavs scored two more runs off another Arkansas error to keep a two-run lead.
 
The Razorbacks scored one in the sixth coming off a Maverick error, cutting the lead to one.  UTA answered, just as they had all game, this time with three runs in the bottom of the inning.  Laura Curry knocked home the first two with a single up the gut of the defense, before Garcia followed suite with another RBI.
 
A solo home run by Arkansas in the top of the seventh cut the Maverick lead to three, but Phillips was able to prevent the momentum from growing any further, forcing a flyout to end the game to give the Mavericks a 7-4 win.
 
The win marks the first time since April 2018 that UTA defeated a ranked opponent at Allan Saxe Field.
 
UP NEXT
UTA will return to Sun Belt conference play with a three-game road series at Troy beginning Friday, March 29 at 5 p.m.