ARLINGTON, Texas - With consecutive wins against Yale and Northwestern State on day one of the 6th Boerner Invitational, the UT Arlington softball team improved its overall record to 6-7 on Saturday, Feb. 22 from Allan Saxe Field.
UTA vs. YALE
UTA got contributions from every part of their lineup, as all nine starters reached base safely, helping the Mavericks put nine runs on the board and beat the Yale Bulldogs 9-5.
Sophomore Abi Gutierrez (2-0) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for the Mavs (5-7). The southpaw went 3.2 innings, giving up two runs, one earned, on three hits, allowing one walk and striking out three.
Offensively, the Mavericks were paced by freshman Madi McDonnell, who went 1-2 on the day with a home run, two walks and two RBI. Junior Kailee Bautista compiled a noteworthy day at the plate as well, going 1-1 with a double, three walks and two RBI. Junior Mallory Stone also chipped in for UTA, putting together one hit in two trips to the plate while adding a home run and two RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Mavericks got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the bottom the first inning with the game still scoreless. UTA hit two home runs in the inning on the way to scoring five runs.
The Mavericks then held the Bulldogs scoreless before getting back on the board the very next inning. The Mavs picked up a pair of runs in the frame. which brought the score to 7-0 in favor of the Mavericks.
UTA held Yale scoreless before building their lead to 9-0 the following inning. The Mavericks drove two runs across on a two-run double from Bautista that scored freshman Camila Spriggs and freshman Talia Maldonado. Yale put five runs on the scoreboard before the game was over, but UTA still coasted to the 9-5 win.
GAME NOTES
» Every UT Arlington starter reached base safely in the win.
» UT Arlington's highest scoring inning was the first, when it pushed five runs across.
» UT Arlington grabbed a 5-0 lead in the bottom half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» UT Arlington went 3-9 (.333) with runners in scoring position.
» UT Arlington pitchers faced 32 Yale hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and seven fly balls while striking out six.
» The Mavericks drew eight walks from Yale pitching.
» McDonnell led the Mavericks at the plate, going 1-2 with a home run and two RBI.
» Yale was led offensively by senior Lauren Perren, who went 2-4 with a home run and two RBI.
» Freshman Caitlin LaFerney led the Bulldogs pitching staff, throwing four innings of two-run ball.
UTA vs. NORTHWESTERN STATE
Freshman Talia Maldonado collected four RBI to help lead the UT Arlington Mavericks past the Northwestern State Demons 7-3 on Saturday.
Freshman Madi McDonnell (1-1) got the win for UT Arlington (6-7). The right-hander went seven innings, giving up three runs, all of them earned, on eight hits, allowing four walks and striking out two.
Maldonado went 1-for-3 with a double in addition to her four RBI for the Mavericks. Junior Elizabeth Baylor put together a standout effort as well, going 2-3 with a home run, a walk and two RBI. Junior Kailee Bautista also contributed for UT Arlington, putting together two hits in four trips to the plate while adding a home run and an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 2-0, the Mavericks first put runs on the board in the fourth inning. Maldonado's bases-clearing double put all three runs on the board in the inning for UT Arlington.
The Demons then tied the ballgame at three before the Mavericks came back to reclaim their advantage in the fifth inning. UTA scored three runs in the frame, buoyed by a two-run homer from Baylor, which brought the score to 6-3 in favor of the Mavericks.
UT Arlington held Northwestern State without a run before building their lead to 7-3 the following inning. The Mavericks scored a run on Bautista's lead-off home run off freshman Grace Ann McDonald. The score remained 7-3 for the rest of the game, as UT Arlington coasted to the win.
GAME NOTES
» Maldonado drove in four runs for UT Arlington.
» UT Arlington's highest scoring inning was the fifth, when it pushed three runs across.
» UT Arlington went 3-10 (.300) with runners in scoring position.
» UT Arlington pitchers limited Northwestern State to just 2-11 (.182) with runners in scoring position.
» UT Arlington pitchers faced 34 Northwestern State hitters in the game, allowing 13 ground balls and five fly balls while striking out two.
» The Mavericks drew five walks from Northwestern State pitching.
» Baylor led the Mavericks at the plate, going 2-3 with a home run and two RBI.
» Northwestern State was led offensively by freshman Savannah Coleman, who went 1-2 with a double and an RBI.
» Sophomore Aly Delafield led the Demons pitching staff, throwing one shutout inning.
ON DECK
The Mavericks will wrap up Boerner Invitational play with a pair of games against the NSU Demons at 2 p.m. and Mean Green of North Texas at 4:30 p.m.
-- #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.
