Crusaders have final home doubleheader of home stretch this Saturday at noon.
Crusaders have final home doubleheader of home stretch this Saturday at noon.

No. 18 Comets soar by Softball Tuesday

IRVING, Texas – No. 18 University of Texas at Dallas was too much for the University of Dallas softball team in both games on Tuesday night. After blanking the Crusaders 8-0, UTD would prevail 10-2 in the second contest. Both matchups were completed in five innings 


GAME ONE INFORMATION

Team Scores: University of Texas-Dallas (8), University of Dallas (0)

Team Records: #18 UT-Dallas (12-3), Dallas (1-6)

Pitcher of Record: W) McLeod (8-0) L) Lee (0-4)

NOTABLE STATISTICS

- Dallas was outhit 11-2 and committed four errors.

- Allison Kotlar (Edna, Texas) and Lety Morales (Fontana, Calif.) picked up the lone hits.

- The home team picked up two stolen bases coming from Mackenzie Tano (Wylie, Texas) and Katelyn Lazarek (Seattle, Wash.).

- Katie Lee (Houston, Texas) took the loss in 4.1 innings. She allowed eight runs (3 earned) on 11 hits and walked two. Lee's six strikeouts tied a season-best with her last outing on Sunday. Emily Martin (San Jose, Calif.) got the remaining two outs.

- UT-Dallas was led by Melissa Livermore with two hits and three RBI.

- Brittany Perkins was another player for the Comets with two hits and scored a trio of runs. Heather Gilbert is the other multi-hit player with a 2-for-3.

- Five extra base hits were notched by the Comets. Perkins had a pair of doubles, Livermore raced around for an inside the park homer that went up the middle and past the UD defenders.

- Hope Griffith and Elizabeth Brann each tripled.

- Lauren McLeod won her 8th game on the year with five innings of two-hit ball. She struck out six.

HOW IT HAPPENED

A pair of unearned runs spotted the road team an early lead in the first. After a scoreless second, the Crusaders could not hold UT-Dallas anymore as it posted runs in each of the next trio of innings. The biggest was a three-run 3rd that had a pair of errors and three hits. Kendall Moore, Gilbert, and Livermore all picked up runs batted in during that outburst.

Down 5-0, Dallas got its first hit as soon as the lineup turned over to the top with Kotlar going up the middle. Melanie Savala (Bryan, Texas walked with two outs but UD was unable to bring them around. After that the Comets continued to stretch the lead.

The only other Dallas base knock was an infield single by Morales to start the 5th.


GAME TWO INFORMATION

Team Scores: University of Texas-Dallas (10), Dallas (2)

Team Records: #18 UT-Dallas (13-3), Dallas (1-7)

Pitcher of Record: W) Fagnana (1-4) L) Galvan (1-0)

NOTABLE STATISTICS

- The Crusaders were outhit 12-4.

- All UD hits came from the top four names in the lineup.

- Kotlar had another hit for one in each contest.

- Jade Miller (Plano, Texas) added a hit and swiped two bases. Kotlar and Miller, who were top two in the lineup, each scored.

- Tano and Allie Driskill (Houston, Texas) recorded an RBI apiece.

- Driskill and Kotlar also had stolen bases.

- Altogether, the squads combined for 12 steals. UTD swiped eight as a team and Livermore was the lone Comet with more than one (2).

- Stefanie Polderman, Moore, and Gilbert all went back-to-back-to-back in the order for the team's multiple hit results (2-3). Moore drove in a game-high three runs.

- Eight UTD starters in the lineup came across to score at least once.

- Allie Stephens notched the win in the circle going four innings. She allowed two runs and worked around four hits. She walked none and struck out three.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Similar to the earlier game, the Comets put Dallas on the ropes early with scoring in the first inning. This time it was a three-spot. UTD ended up scoring in four innings of the run-ruled contest with three of them having a trio of runs.

The Crusaders got a run back in their half of the inning. The home team mustered all but one of the hits in that opening turn to bat. With one out, Miller and Tano singled and Driskill drove in a run to reduce the margin 3-1. Two of those batted balls were tough plays for the pitcher as speed got Miller and Driskill on base. The duo each stole at some point that inning, but with one-out and the tying runner in scoring position at second, back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat.

It was all UT-Dallas from that juncture, as the Crusaders only garnered a hit once by Kotlar who singled up the middle in the third frame.

UP NEXT

Dallas concludes a season-long, 10-game home stretch on Saturday versus Southwestern Assemblies of God University. First pitch slated at 12 p.m.