ARLINGTON, Texas – The UT Arlington softball team (21-22, 9-9 Sun Belt) completed their sweep of UL Monroe on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Warhawks in doubleheader action 3-2 and 11-7.  The Mavericks had to use extra innings for a second straight game in game one to defeat ULM.
 
Allie Gardiner started her first game in game one, giving up two runs off six hits in 5.1 innings.  Laura Henriksen pitched 1.2 innings, while allowing one hit before Randi Phillips finished the game, pitching three innings and allowing just two hits as the Mavs completed their comeback.
 
In game two JoJo Valencia started, but lasted just one inning before Phillips replaced her.  Phillips pitched three innings before Gardiner came in to pick up her second save of the season.
 
In the two games played, UTA finished with a combined 24 hits.  Laura Curry had a dominate afternoon, going 7-for-9 at the plate, scoring three times and knocking in four runs. Melanie Mendoza served as the savior in game one, hitting the walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10^th inning, her first of the season and second of her career.
 
GAME ONE RECAP
 
Scoring had to wait until the third inning, when ULM used a double to right center to push a base runner from first base to home, taking the early lead.
 
An inning later, the Mavericks used their speed to tie the game.  Laura Curry beat out a bunt before stealing second.  Aileen Garcia used a sacrifice bunt to advance Curry to third, while Reagan Wright brought her home with a ground out to shortstop.
 
Just as the Mavs felt the momentum going their way, the Warhawks snatched it back, hitting a solo home run to take a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning.
 
UTA tied the game in the sixth when Bri Burchianti scored off a Laura Curry double deep to center field, bouncing off the wall, forcing extra innings after neither team could score in the seventh.
 
The Mavs had the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh and ninth innings, but couldn't bring a run home until Mendoza smashed a solo home run as the leadoff batter in the bottom of the 10^th inning.
 
GAME TWO RECAP
 
UTA took their first lead of the series that didn't end the game in the bottom of the first with a two-run blast by Aileen Garcia. Garcia scored Walton who reached on a leadoff double.
 
ULM used two explosive innings to take a decisive four-run lead over the Mavericks.  The Warhawks hit three-run jacks in both the second and third innings, to take a 6-2 lead.  From there, it was all Mavericks.
 
UTA got one back in the third coming off a Wright single that found its way to left field, before exploding for seven runs in the fourth inning to take the lead. Much like game one of the series, the Mavericks took advantage of an error filled inning by ULM to regain their advantage.
 
After taking a 10-6 lead, the Mavericks allowed one last run to the Warhawks, coming off a solo home run in the top of the fifth.  UTA would push their lead back to four with another Curry RBI, this time scoring Krista Rude to make it 11-7.
 
UP NEXT
UTA will be back on the diamond on Tuesday, April 16^th at 5 p.m. against Texas at Allan Saxe Field. A reminder, no dogs will be allowed during this game only due to anticipated crowd size.