ARLINGTON, Texas – Behind stellar performances at the plate and on the mound, the UT Arlington softball team found its groove once again after completing a doubleheader sweep over Texas A&M – Corpus Christi Thursday from Allan Saxe Field.
The Mavericks are off to a hot start to Boerner Invitational play after reaching a new season-high of 21 hits across the day. UTA outscored TAMUCC 25-5 as the Mavs look to carry its momentum into Friday's action.
Fifth year
Lindsey Franklin has continued to provide a consistent and powerful bat in head coach
Kara Dill's lineup as she sits at a .347 batting average on the season. Sophomore
Nikki Donahue had a day in the box, turning in a perfect 4-4 performance – which marks a new career-best.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE: vs. TAMU-CC (W, 13-5) 5 Innings
UTA's offense exploded with a 12-hit total and multiple multi-hit efforts across the board. The Mavericks were led by
Camille Corona (2-4), Franklin (2-3, 2 RBI) and
Zaia Castruita (2-3, 1 RBI) as Franklin belted her third home run of the season.
The veteran now holds a team-high of 16 RBI on the young season with 17 hits – second-best on the team.
It seemed every player up and down Dill's lineup had a part in the Mavericks' offensive performance as
Jessica Adams (1-3, 2 RBI),
Kaitlyn Sailor (1-3, 1 RBI),
Morgan Westbrook (1-2), Donahue (1-1, 1 RBI),
Marley Neises (1-2, 2 RBI) and
Alaina Hampton (1-1, 2 RBI) all contributed with one hit each.
It was two-way player Adams who tabbed her first long ball of the year and UTA's second home run of the game.
In the circle, Dill gave lefty transfer
Emilie Hoelscher the start as the fifth year tossed two innings of work, allowing two earned runs off four hits.
Senior
Gracie Bumpurs came in for Hoelscher and tabbed three strike outs across nine batters before freshman
Abi Gutierrez made her eighth appearance of the season. With the help of its bats, UTA defeated the Islanders 13-5 in five innings giving Gutierrez her first collegiate win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE: vs. TAMU-CC (W, 10-0) 5 Innings
In game two against TAMUCC, the Mavs' momentum carried into its 9-1 victory after putting up nine hits.
Donahue paced UTA at the plate, tabbing a new season-high of three hits in a single game as the sophomore also logged three RBI. Following Donahue closely was Adams after collecting her first multi-hit game of the season as she finished 2-3 with one RBI.
Coming away with hits themselves were Franklin (1-2, 2 RBI),
Kaitlyn Sailor (1-2, 2 RBI),
Alaina Hampton (1-1) and
Nicole Hill (1-1).
Adams completed her second shutout of the season after pushing her way through five scoreless innings. The righty limited the Islanders' offense to just one hit across 16 batters. The junior now moves on to an overall record of 2-5.
ON DECK
The Mavericks will play a pair of games against beginning at 2 p.m. against Incarnate Word and Grambling State as part of day two of the four-day Boerner Invitational from Allan Saxe Field.
The Boerner Invitational is named in honor of Melissa Boerner, a former UTA softball captain who was killed by a drunk driver the day before her senior year began in 1998. The tournament is put on to help raise awareness to the importance of responsible drinking.
-- #BuckEm --
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 @UTAMavsSB, on Instagram @UTAMavsSB and on Facebook at Facebook.com/UTAMavsSB
