COLLEGE STATION – The UT Arlington softball team fell short in a pitcher's duel against the Texas A&M Aggies, 1-0 in College Station on Wednesday. The Mavericks will head into conference play with a 10-10 record.
 
Randi Phillips (5-5) earned the start in the circle, pitching the entire game, while allowing just five hits, one run and walking one batter.
 
The game began as a pitching duel as both teams were kept off the scoreboard through the first three innings.  Randi Phillips didn't allow a hit through two innings, while Texas A&M's Kayla Poynter allowed just two.
 
In the bottom of the third inning, the Aggies threatened with two runners reaching safely coming off a single and an error.  With one out and runners on first and second, Phillips escaped the inning, forcing a fly out and ground out to end the inning.
 
The Aggies broke the tie in the bottom of the fourth. A leadoff single, followed by a steal put the runner on second before a single through the right side of the infield scored the run.
 
Texas A&M got two more base runners in the sixth.  Once again, with runners on first and second and one out, Phillips buckled down and got out of the inning with a double-play.
 
The Mavericks were unable to get anything going in the top of the seventh, as Texas A&M held on to the win, 1-0.
 
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UTA will open conference play this Friday (March 8) at 5 p.m. with the first of a three-game series against South Alabama at Allan Saxe Field.