Thursday, February 12, 2015
Grand slam clinches win in Mavericks home opener
ARLINGTON, Texas– UT Arlington opened the new Allan Saxe Field in grand style on Thursday night, run ruling Incarnate Word 13-4 in the Mavericks' home opener.
Mya Anderson helped UTA to a walk-off win with a grand slam in the fifth inning that sailed over the centerfield wall. The Mavericks (5-1) tallied 11 hits in their third consecutive win. Anderson led the team with three and had four RBI, while Nina Villanueva totaled a pair of hits and crossed the plate four times.
"We have been waiting for this for quite some time," UT Arlington coach Kristie Fox said. "The players are so excited and they feel it is a step up. When you have these kind of facilities they tend to act like Division I athletes and that is what they did tonight."
Kayla Donaldson improved to 3-0 on the season after pitching four innings. Donaldson gave up just two earned runs on four hits and struck out three. Brittany May helped close the game out with an inning of work as the sophomore allowed just one hit.
UTA was able to respond two runs from Incarnate Word in the top of the first with a pair of its own to tie the game up. Senior Meagan Michele sent a two-out single into right to score Anderson and Villanueva.
The Mavs put a string of hits together in the third to open up a three-run inning. Anderson followed Villanueva's lead-off single with a hard-hit liner that nipped the left field foul line for a double. Mallory Foster brought the duo in two batters later with a double to left. Rebecca Stokes helped top off the inning with a single to score foster on two outs.
Sophomore Shelbi Sikes hit her second homer of the season in the fourth to put three of the team's four runs across to answer the Cardinals' two in the top half.
Two walks and a Britnea Barilli single in the fifth set the stage for Anderson, who sent a liner sailing out of the park to end the game.
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Litumbe Drives in Three, GSU Falls at No. 17 Auburn
What you need to know:
·Georgia State scored six in the first but was not enough overcome No. 17 Auburn.
·Megan Litumbe led the way with three RBI while Kensey Caldwell homered.
·Panthers return to the field Friday, Feb. 13 to face Winthrop at 1:15 p.m.
AUBURN, Ala. – Despite scoring six runs in the bottom of the first, Georgia State was defeated by No. 17 Auburn 20-8 in the 2015 season opener at Jane B. Moore Field in Auburn, Ala.
Megan Litumbe drove in three while going 1-for-2 at the plate with a run scored. Callie Alford, Lauren Coleman and Ivie Drake all finished with two hits one run scored. Coleman also drove in one run. Kensey Caldwell launch a solo home run, while Taylor Anderson and Morgan Brown both scored.
GSU will return to the Moore Field on Friday, Feb. 13 for games against Winthrop and Ball State. First pitch between the Panthers and Eagles is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. The second game against the Cardinals will start approximately 20 minutes after the conclusion of the Winthrop game.
After Auburn opened the game with six runs in the top of the first, GSU responds with six of its own in the bottom of the frame. Coleman drove in Anderson to open the scoring and then Litumbe drove in two with a bases-loaded single. Three more Panthers scored on a passed ball and throwing error to tie the game at six after one.
However, the tie was short lived as the Tigers scored four in the top of the second to go back in front. The Panthers managed one in the bottom of the second when Litumbe picked up her third RBI of the game. Nine unanswered runs for Auburn in the third and fourth innings put the game out of reach.
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The Mavericks are back in action on Friday with a pair of games in the Maverick Invitational. UTA takes on Incarnate Word at 5 p.m. and end with Buffalo at 7 p.m.