NACOGDOCHES, Texas – For a second straight year, the UT Arlington softball team (33-27) are NISC Regional Champions after defeating McNeese State 4-3 in 10 innings on a wet Saturday afternoon in Nacodgoches.  After losing game the first game 6-1, the Mavericks had to battle back from a 3-0 deficit in game two to clinch the title.
 
"McNeese is a great team with a lot of postseason experience," said Head Coach Peejay Brun. "To watch these players stay strong and overcome what they did, I'm really proud of them."
 
Randi Phillips (16-14) started in the circle in game one, tossing 2.2 innings while giving up four hits and one earned run.  JoJo Valencia replaced Phillips in the third inning, pitching the remaining inning, allowing one run off three hits.
 
Allie Gardiner picked up the start in game two tossing 2.2 innings. She allowed three runs off four hits before Phillips (17-14) replaced her in the third inning, pitching the remaining 7.1 innings, allowing nine hits but shutting out he Cowgirls to help the Mavs complete the comeback.
 
Laura Curry was named MVP of the regional after batting .538 in the four games. She drove in a team-high five runs.  Whitney Walton, Krista Rude and Randi Phillips were named to the All-Regional Team.
 
Walton hit .533, while scoring four times and knocking in one run.  Rude hit .462, scoring five times.  Phillips had an unbelievable 0.33 ERA in the Regional and picked up a 3-1 record.
 
GAME ONE RECAP
Baserunners had to wait until the third inning after both pitchers were perfect through two. In the top of the third, Bri Burchianti was hit by a pitch before Melanie Mendoza and Krista Rude both singled to load the bases. However, with two outs, a quick snag by the McNeese short stop ended the UTA threat.
 
Two errors in the bottom of the second allowed the Cowgirls to load the bases with no outs.  A single to right field scored the first run, before McNeese used a sacrifice fly and a squeeze bunt to score two more runs.
 
With a runner still at third, a line drive down the right field line scored the fourth run of the inning. Valencia entered the circled following the run and allowed one more run before forcing a ground out to third base.
 
The Mavericks got one run back in the fifth inning. After Burchianti was hit by another pitch, she advanced to third by two bunts before executing a double steal with Walton to cross home plate.
 
The Cowgirls got a security run in the sixth inning. After leading off with a triple to the right field gap, a single drove in the sixth run of the game for McNeese as they took a 6-1 lead.
 
GAME TWO RECAP
Both team's bats were silent through the first two innings, but in the third inning McNeese used a two-out rally to score the first runs of the game and take the lead.  A single, followed by a steal put the runner on second, who advanced home with a single to center field, beating the throw home. 
 
The next batter hit a ball to left field, driving in another run, sliding under the tag at home. The hits continued with a line drive down the left field line for the Cowgirls, scoring their third run of third inning.
 
The Mavs got on the board in the fifth inning.  Reagan Wright drilled a ball left center to get into scoring position before Shelbi Court followed suit, driving Wright in with a double of her own to bring the score to 3-1.
 
UTA used a strong sixth inning to the game.  With the fans making noise, the Mavericks got their bats going, quickly loading the bases with no outs. Laura Curry wasted no time to drive in the game tying runs with a double to left center to make it 3-3.
 
With neither team able to get the go-ahead run in regulation, the game was forced to extra innings. The Cowgirls appeared to have a shot in each inning, but left five runners on in the three extra-innings played.
 
In the bottom of the 10^th, Krista Rude and Laura Curry jumpstarted a two-out rally to put runners on second and third. Aileen Garcia took her first pitch with the next at bat to blast a ball to right center and drive in Rude to complete the comeback and clinch the NISC Nacogdoches Regional title, winning 4-3.
 
UP NEXT
The Mavericks will head to Fort Collins, Colorado to compete in the Championship Bracket of the NISC.  They await the winners of the other three regional brackets.