SAN ANTONIO, TX - The UT Arlington softball team tournament play with a split on Friday, earning an 8-0 win against Saint Francis before dropping an 8-7 decision to North Dakota at Roadrunner Field to close out the first day of competition for the Mavs.
The Mavericks moved to 7-11 on the season after a back-and-forth battle against the Fighting Hawks.
UTA struck first in the second inning when
Peyton Holland launched a two-run home run to deep center, scoring
Kaitlyn Sailor to give the Mavericks an early 2-0 advantage.
Valeria Feeney built on that momentum and delivered a two-run double to left center in the top-half of the third inning, plating
Talia Maldonado and
Dee McClarity, widening the gap, 4-0. North Dakota answered back in the bottom of the third, adding two runs and cutting the deficit in half, 4-2.
The Fighting Hawks regained footing with three runs across the third and fourth innings, highlighted by a two-run double from Camryn Lasota and an RBI triple from Hailey Bethune.
In the fifth inning, McClarity blasted a two-run home run to left field, bringing Maldonado home and trimming the deficit. After North Dakota added a solo homer in the bottom half of the inning, the Mavericks entered the final frames down only two.
UTA mounted one final push in the seventh.
Kelsey Creech doubled to right center to score
Camila Spriggs and cut the lead to 8-7, but the tying run was cut down at the plate to end the rally.
The Mavericks finished with seven runs on seven hits, including home runs from Holland and McClarity, and a two-RBI performance from Feeney.
NEXT UP
The Mavericks will return to action tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 28 for a rematch against North Dakota at 9 a.m., before facing New Mexico State at 11:30 a.m.
-- #BuckEm –
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