ARLINGTON, Texas – The UTA softball team will begin Sun Belt Conference play this weekend when they host the South Alabama Jaguars at Allan Saxe Field.  The games will begin Friday (March 8) at 5 p.m., while the final two games will be be slated for the afternoon on Saturday (1 p.m.) and Sunday (12 p.m.). Saturday's game will be Local Heroes Appreciation Night. All Military and First Responders will get free tickets to the game by using the promo code "HERO" at UTATickets.com. 

MATCHUP: UTA (10-10) vs South Alabama (9-10)
WHEN: March 8-10
WHERE: Arlington, Texas | Allan Saxe Field
TICKETS: BUY HERE
GAME 1 (5:00 p.m.): LIVE STATS | VIDEO
GAME 2 (1 p.m.): LIVE STATS | VIDEO | Local Heroes Appreciation Night
GAME 3 (12 p.m.): LIVE STATS | VIDEO

SERIES HISTORY
South Alabama leads the all-time series 13-3, including a 4-2 record when playing in Arlington.  A season ago, the Jags took two games over the Mavericks. The Jaguars won the first game in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single that made it's way through the right side of the infield. Game two also ended with a walk-off hit when Kamdyn Kvistad hit a walk-off home run to lift USA to a 3-2 win. Game three was canceled due to weather.

UTA NOTES
• UT Arlington will look to stop a four-game skid that began on the second of March.  Their last win came against North Texas at the Texas Tech Invitational, when the Mavs beat the Mean Green 12-7.
• Whitney Walton had a dominating performance last week at the plate, earning her the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week. Walton went 11-for-17 at the plate to hit .647 on the week.  Along with her hits and batting average, she led the Mavericks in runs scored (5), doubles (3), total bases (14) and walks (4). The lead off hitter for the past 12 games constantly put the Mavericks in position to score, reaching base safely for the first at bat in each of the five games a week ago.
• UTA has tried to set up a difficult non-conference schedule this year to prepare themselves for the grinding Sun Belt schedule. The Mavericks have already taken on six teams either ranked or are receiving votes, and have more on the schedule. The Mavs have played six teams that made the NCAA Tournament a season ago, posting a 4-2 record against them (W - Baylor x 2, Prairie View x 2) (L - UCLA, Texas A&M).
• On top of the Mavs earning Sun Belt Player of the Week, they also have shown that they get it done in the classroom, as they hold the honor of having the Texas Trust Credit Union Scholar Athlete of the Week in Melanie Mendoza.

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | SOUTH ALABAMA
• South Alabama enters the series on a two-game losing streak, most recently coming at the hands of No. 4 Alabama, 5-2.  The Jags have lost four out of the last five games after starting the season 8-6.
• Brittani Reid enters the game leading the Jaguar offense in virtually every category including batting average (.426), slugging percentage (.667), on base percentage (.544), runs scored (19), hits (23), doubles (5), triples (1) and walks (13).
• The Jaguars have six players with multiple home runs on the year, led by Kennedy Cronan who has cranked out five bombs.
• South Alabama has only played two true away games so far this season, with the majority of their games coming at home (7-2 overall) or at a neutral location (2-6 overall). The only two games they've played as a true road team resulted in losses (Feb. 20 at #1 Florida State L, 4-1/March 5 at #4 Alabama L, 5-2)

UP NEXT
The Mavs will embark on a four-game road stretch beginning with a game in San Antonio against Incarnate Word at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12.

LAST TIME OUT | Mavs Fall Short In Pitching Duel (March. 6)
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 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.
 
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.
 
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.

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.