TUSCALOOSA – The UT Arlington softball team (8-11) took one of two games in the Easton Crimson Classic today as the Mavericks defeated McNeese (15-5) before falling to tournament host #8 Alabama (11-6) inside Rhoads Stadium on Saturday.
 
The Mavs rallied early and held off a late Cowgirl surge to win 5-4 in its first game ahead of UTA battling tough, but ultimately coming up just shy of a come-from-behind victory over the #8 team in the country, Alabama, as they fell by a final score of 3-2.
 
UTA's pitching staff looked to have finally turned the corner as three Mavs gave up a total of six earned runs over 13 innings pitched. Senior JoJo Valencia gave up two home runs in the first game, but she didn't allow the few miscues she made to blow up her stat line, allowing herself to stick around for the win.
 
Through both games, pitcher Allie Gardiner gave up just six hits and one run across a total of six innings pitched. The sophomore was called upon in the fifth frame to protect a two-run advantage in the first contest and she did just that, recording her first save of the season.
 
In the fourth frame against McNeese, head coach Peejay Brun made some advanced lineup changes that paid off significantly for the Mavs as each decision played a pivotal role in sparking UTA's two-run uprising to retake the lead and eventually win the game.
 
The Mavs employed a total team effort in game one as the team had only one extra-base hit in the contest, while nine different Mavs found a way to reach base. UTA totaled nine base-knocks, including Aileen Garcia who recorded the team's only multi-hit effort on the day.
 
Alabama's pitching staff stymied the Mavs' bats in the second tilt as they finished with just three hits in the game. UTA found a way to reach base in five out of the seven frames they came to bat though, finally breaking through with a big inning in the third when Whitney Walton drove in two Mavs with a single for UTA's only runs of the game.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Freshman Kenedy Hines took to the circle in game two against #8 Alabama and lasted three innings while giving up two earned runs. She kept the Mavs in striking distance while she struck out one batter and didn't allow an extra-base hit.
 
Alabama's starting pitcher Sarah Cornell got the win after she threw five solid innings of softball, striking out seven batters while only allowing six base-runners through her time in the circle. UTA made her work for every out though as she handed out three free-passes while totaling 96 pitches through her five frames.
 
Kimber Cortemelia was the only Mav to reach base twice in the second game as she worked two walks on the afternoon. She finished her day going 1-3 with the two aforementioned free-passes and has now reached base safely in six out of the last seven games – and has done so in 15 out of the 17 games she's started this season.
 
Garcia reached base in the second affair with a walk after finishing the first game going 2-3 at the plate with a double and a run scored and batted in. She has now reached base in five-straight games and has done so in 13 out of UTA's past 15 games. The Houston, Texas, native now has her batting average up to .321 on the season.
 
Junior Madison Miller was unable to reach base in the second contest but finished the first game going 1-2 with a run scored. She now leads the team with a .393 batting average.
 
Walton was the only Mav to record a hit in both games today, finishing the day with a 2-8 batting line along with a run scored and two RBI.
 
Emily Evans came up to the plate for just the fifth time this season and delivered in game one with her second hit of the season – an RBI single to left field.
 
Reagan Hukill delivered a single and a walk in the second game – the only Mav to reach base twice – and swiped a base, tying the team-lead of six stolen bags on the season.
 
THEY SAID IT – HEAD COACH PEEJAY BRUN
"I'm proud of the way our players played today. We've been talking about adjustments; being great teammates and trusting not just the process, but each other. Today we saw them do that."
 
THE RUNDOWN – Game 1 vs. McNeese
After a scoreless first inning, Valencia looked to be rolling with zero hits given up and two outs recorded in the second until she gave up the first run of the game on a home run to Cory McCrary.
 
UTA struck back quickly in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead for the first time all tournament. Miller started the inning off with a single before KJ Murphy walked behind her and Brittany Wyllie got on base via a fielding error on the second baseman. With two outs and the bases loaded, Walton reached base on another error committed by McNeese, allowing Miller and Murphy to score the Mavs' first two runs of the game.
 
After Valencia got out of a jam in the third, Garcia struck for a one-out double down the left field line. Reagan Wright promptly drove her in on the first pitch she saw, smacking it up the middle for a single and her sixth RBI of the season.
 
Now leading by two runs, McCrary got to Valencia again for her second home run of the game, this time to right-center field. After allowing the next batter to reach base, the lefty bared down and allowed her defense to record two put-outs and send both teams to the bottom half of the inning all knotted up at three.
 
The coaching staff and Valencia's teammates had her back in this one as moves were made and players stepped up to put the senior pitcher in line for the win. With one out, coach Brun inserted Jadyn Erickson into the lineup to pinch hit and she delivered with a base-on-balls. On an 0-2 count, Walton hustled down the line for an infield single, pushing Erickson into scoring position.
 
Coach Brun yet again made another move, this time injecting Evans into her lineup for the second pinch-hit appearance of the inning. The Stephen F Austin transfer deposited a pitch into right field, scoring Erickson from second for UTA's fourth run of the game. Then with two outs, Garcia directed a pitch out into left field to bring Walton in to score and put UTA ahead by two runs.
 
Gardiner was then brought into the game for UTA and retired the side in order before allowing only one batter to reach base in her second scoreless inning in the circle.
 
Still up two in the seventh, Gardiner allowed the first two Cowgirls to single, the first to center field and the second on an infield dribbler to shortstop. After the next batter advanced both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, the following batter grounded out to drive in McNeese's fourth run of the contest, pulling them to within one run of tying the game.
 
After a walk to give UTA a force-out at first and second, the Cowgirl baserunner at first was called out by the umpire for leaving the bag too early, sealing the UTA victory.
 
THE RUNDOWN – Game 2 vs #8 Alabama
The game remained scoreless through the first two and half innings of play before Hines allowed the leadoff batter to single in the bottom of the third. After she advanced to second on a wild pitch, Hines let one sail to first base, allowing #8 Alabama to score the first run of the game.
 
The bottom of the fourth began the same way the third did, but this time the Crimson Tide followed it up with another single. After both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt, Alabama singled to knock in its second run before flying out to left field to allow the runner at third to tag up and score its third and final run of the contest.
 
Now trailing by three, Wyllie woke up UTA's bats with a two-out single to center field on the first pitch of the at-bat. Reagan Hukill followed suit as she jumped on the first pitch she saw too, singling up the middle and advancing Wyllie to third.
 
After Hukill stole second base, Walton singled toward second to drive in both runners and UTA's only runs of the ballgame.
 
The Mavs went on to reach base only once more the following two innings, allowing #8 Alabama to sneak away with the one-run victory.

ON DECK
UTA will wrap up the Easton Crimson Classic with an 11:00 a.m. first pitch against #7 Arizona (15-3) on Sunday. The Wildcats have gone 3-0 to begin the tournament, defeating #8 Alabama twice and McNeese once, with one game remaining against McNeese on Saturday night before facing the Mavericks tomorrow.