TROY, Alabama – The UT Arlington softball team couldn't get their offense going against the Troy Trojans on Saturday, losing both games of their double header. The Mavericks fell in game one 7-4, despite a late-game rally, while losing game two 2-0.
Randi Phillips (9-10) and
JoJo Valencia (3-4) picked up the starts in the doubleheaders. Phillips lasted one inning in game one before being replaced by
Allie Gardiner in game two, who pitched the final 5.0 innings. Valencia pitched all six innings in game two
The bats struggled for the Mavericks in the two games, combining for just 11 hits on the day.
Laura Curry and
Avery Grimes finished with a team-high three hits on the day, both getting two-hits in the second game of the day.
GAME ONE RECAP
The Trojans jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first. After allowing just one Maverick baserunner in the top of the first, Troy had their first three batters reach base, with one crossing home plate to make it 1-0.
Following a sac bunt, Troy doubled down the right field line to take a two-run lead before hitting a three-run home run to left field to make it 5-0.
Troy got back to work in the second inning, loading the bases before using back-to-back sacrifice flies to make it a 7-0 ball game.
The Mavs picked up their first hit in the fourth inning, when
Laura Curry singled to left field, but that would be all UTA could muster in the inning.
After Gardiner kept the Trojans off the board for a third straight inning, the Mavs took advantage of an error filled inning by Troy. Walton led off the top of the sixth with a triple, barely missing a home run as the ball hit the top of the wall, taking a friendly bounce to allow her to advance to third.
Krista Rude followed with a hard-hit ball to shortstop, creating an error on the play as Walton scored for the first run of the day for the Mavs, before a wild pitch an errant throw by the catcher allowed Curry to score, making it a 7-2 game.
The picked up two more run in the seventh inning, coming off a
Shelbi Court ground out and a line drive up the middle by Walton. The Mavs got runners on the corner, but were unable to score any more runs, falling 7-4.
GAME TWO RECAP
Troy got another early lead in game two, coming from a first inning RBI single to right center field.
The Trojans used a three-hit inning in the third to score one more run with a single to left field, pushing their lead to two runs.
Valencia forced two straight scoreless innings for the Trojan offense. Troy threatened in the fifth with a runner on third, but Valencia forced back-to-back outs to shortstop to end the inning.
Laura Curry doubled in the top of the sixth inning, but with two outs on the board already, the Mavs were unable to bring her home.
Following a scoreless sixth inning by the Trojans, the Mavs went to the top of the seventh needing two runs to force extra innings.
Avery Grimes reached on a two-out single, but the next batter flew out to left field to end the game, 2-0.
UP NEXT
UTA will return to Allan Saxe Field for a midweek game against Oklahoma State on Wednesday, April 3 with a first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m.
