Cajuns Finish Series Sweep in Mobile on Sunday
MOBILE, Ala. – 17th-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball collected a series sweep of South Alabama on Sunday at Jaguar Field with a 4-2 win in the resumption of Game 2 of the series and a 9-4 win in the series finale.
The Ragin' Cajuns (23-5, 6-0 Sun Belt) extended their school and Sun Belt Conference record of consecutive conference series won to 31 straight (dates back to March 2013). The sweep of the Jaguars (19-12, 2-7 Sun Belt) was the first in Mobile since 2011 and only the second in six trips.
Louisiana returns to action Saturday-Sunday, April 1-2 in Statesboro, Ga., for a three-game Sun Belt series at Georgia Southern. Action begins at 12 p.m. (CDT) both days with a doubleheader slated for Saturday and a single game on Sunday.
Alex Stewart initiated a double play off a bunt attempt by Kristian Foster when play from Saturday's second game resumed, then picked up where she left off by retiring the Jaguars in order in the fifth inning.
DJ Sanders led off the sixth inning with a solo home run to bring the lead to 4-0. USA answered with a solo shot by Abby Krzywiecki in the bottom half to end Stewart's stranglehold.
Foster brought the Jaguars within two runs in the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly after a leadoff triple by Megan Harris. Stewart retired the next two batters to lock up the series win.
Sanders finished 3-for-3 at the plate in the game with two home runs and accounted for three of Louisiana's four runs. She had a solo homer in the second inning and RBI single in the third inning on Saturday prior to the suspension of play.
Stewart's final line included three hits over seven innings and a season-high nine strikeouts. She had opened the game with three consecutive hitless innings on Saturday.
For the third straight time in the series, Louisiana took the lead in the second inning as Beth Ashley opened the scoring in the finale with a solo homer.
Sanders, who was 2-for-4 at the plate, posted all four of her RBI off a grand slam in the third inning that gave the Cajuns a 5-0 lead. The home run was her third of the series and 16th of the season.
South Alabama chipped away at the lead in the bottom of the third on a two-run double from Amanda Minahan down the left field line that trimmed the Cajuns lead to 5-2. Back-to-back strikeouts with the bases loaded recorded by Alyssa Denham, who took over for starter Macey Smith, ended the Jaguars threat for more in the inning.
USA would add single runs in the fourth (RBI groundout) and fifth (RBI infield single) to close within one at 5-4 before Stewart closed the door. Kaleigh Todd popped up to Haley Hayden for the final out of the fifth inning, then Stewart closed her relief appearance by retiring the final six Jaguars she faced.
Stewart was afforded more cushion in the sixth inning. Kara Gremillion beat the throw for a two-out infield single to start the rally. Hayden doubled down the left field line to move Gremillion to third who then scored on a wild pitch. Aleah Craighton followed with a two-run homer, her seventh of the season, to stretch the Ragin' Cajuns lead to 8-4.
Abby Sterling closed out the scoring with a pinch-hit RBI double in the seventh inning. It was the third straight pinch-hit chance in which she's collected an RBI.
Stewart (10-3, 1.99 ERA) picked up the win in relief by striking out five and holding the Jaguars to two hits over the final three innings. The relief effort brought her strikeout total in the series to 14 over 10 innings. The win improved her career Sun Belt Conference record to 24-1.
DIAMOND NOTES
- Haley Hayden scored twice in the series finale to up her career runs scored total to 219 which moves her past Holly Tankersley (218 runs) for third place on the career runs list.
- Kara Gremillion was 2-for-4 at the plate in the series finale marking her seventh multiple-hit game of March and 10th of the season. Gremillion is hitting .425 (17-for-40) in March.
- The two home runs by DJ Sanders in Game 2 of the series was her fifth multiple-home run outing of the 2017 season. She finished with three home runs in the series, increasing her season total to 16 which is two shy of her personal single-season best 18 hit as a sophomore in 2016.
- DJ Sanders ended the series with team-highs in average (.545), hits (6), doubles (2), home runs (3) and RBI (7). Her final line was 6-for-11 (.545) with four runs scored, two doubles, three home runs and seven RBI.
- The Cajuns pitching staff has held foes to five runs or fewer in all 28 games.
- The weekend series marked the first road games of the season for the Cajuns after beginning with 25 consecutive home games at Lamson Park.
- Louisiana increased its all-time series lead over South Alabama to 27-11 and now holds an 11-6 edge in meetings at Jaguar Field.
- With the sweep, the Ragin' Cajuns moved within eight wins of the program's 300th Sun Belt Conference win (record now stands at 292-48).
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Bobcats Down ULM 2-1 For Series Win
MONROE, La. – Randi Rupp struck out 11 and the Texas State lineup scored just enough runs as the Bobcats downed ULM 2-1 on Sunday.
The win clinched the 2-1 three-game series win against the Warhawks, improved the Bobcats to 24-5 overall and 7-1 in Sun Belt play. ULM falls to 19-12 (4-5 Sun Belt).
Rupp registered her 10th complete game of the season and moved her record to 15-2. She finished with 11 strikeouts, marking her sixth game of the season with at least double-digit strikeouts. The junior allowed only four Warhawk hits and walked one.
Kimberlin Naivar and Jaelyn Young each went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the Bobcat hitters. Naivar doubled and singled, while Young roped two doubles. Both scored a run.
Texas State scored in the top of the first for the early 1-0 lead. Naivar led off the frame with a double to the fence in left-center. She took third on a passed ball and came home on a sacrifice fly out to left off the bat of Christiana McDowell.
In the home half of the second back-to-back Warhawks reached base via a walk and hit-by-pitch, respectively. However, Rupp induced a chopper back to herself that she turned into a force out at third before ending the inning by retiring pinch hitter Brie Wrobel with her fourth strikeout.
Texas State loaded the bases in the fourth, but were unable to find a base knock to score insurance runs. Young led off the frame with a double and pinch runner Jaclyn Molenaar moved to third on Taylor Webb's single to left. Three batters later Sara Rupp loaded the bases with a walk before ULM's Melanie Coyne got Bailee Carter to fly out left to end the Bobcat threat.
In the bottom of the fourth ULM advanced a runner to third with two outs, but Rupp stranded her 60 feet away with her fifth strikeout looking of the contest.
The Bobcats scored an insurance run in the sixth as Kennedy Cline doubled home Young, who had doubled two batters earlier.
The insurance run paid immediate dividends as the Warhawks plated a run in the sixth, cutting the Bobcat's' lead to 2-1. Coyne, who had reach on a single through the right side, came around to score on Naivar's error in left on a well-hit ball by Jessie Watts.
The Warhawks' Coyne (12-6) suffered the loss, giving up one run and three hits in her 4.0 innings.
UP NEXT
Texas State travels to College Station on Wed., March 29 for a nonconference game against No. 7/7 Texas A&M. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast the SEC Network .
BOBCATS GO4THEGOAL BY LACING UP FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER AWARENESS ON APRIL 5
Texas State softball and baseball will support the Go4theGoal organization by participating in Lace Up 4 Pediatric Cancer games on April 5. Both games will be played in San Marcos with softball hosting Texas (6 p.m.) and baseball UTRGV (6 p.m.). Both program will wear gold shoe laces in support of the initiative. Fans are encouraged to wear gold to the games and will have a chance to donate to Go4theGoal's mission of improving the lives of children battling cancer by providing financial support, developing and implementing unique hospital programs, funding innovative research and granting personal wishes. For more information, visit GO4THEGOAL.ORG.
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JENNINGS, BLACKWELL LEAD PANTHERS TO SERIES SWEEP
ATLANTA - Georgia State (21-11, 7-2 SBC) finished off a series sweep of Appalachian State with a 9-4 win on Sunday. The Panthers came back from down four to score nine straight runs and win the finale.
Kinsley Jennings picked up her second win of the series to improve to 8-4 on the year. Jennings entered the game in the first inning with the Panthers down 4-0, but allowed just three hits over the final 6.2 innings, holding the Mountaineers scoreless. Jennings struck out 10 batters on Sunday, a new season high for the GSU pitching staff.
After falling down 4-0, the Panthers got all the runs back with one swing of the bat, a grand slam by Mandy Blackwell. Blackwell’s first home run of the season tied the game and was the beginning of nine straight runs by Georgia State.
After going up 5-4 in the fourth, Georgia State piled on in the fifth with a two-run homer by Kensey Caldwell followed directly by a solo shot by Megan Litumbe. It was Caldwell’s fifth of the year and Litumbe’s sixth of the year, her third of the series.
Georgia State tacked on an extra run in the bottom of the sixth as Blackwell drew a bases-loaded walk to earn her fifth RBI of the day.
Next up for the Panthers is a midweek contest at Georgia Tech on Wednesday.
Follow along with Georgia State on Twitter (@GSU_Softball) for the latest news.
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Softball Crushes UTA in 8-0 Win
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - The Georgia Southern softball team clenched the Sun Belt conference series against UTA with a 8-0 win on Sunday afternoon. The Eagles split with the Mavericks in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon but were able to come back in impressive fashion today after a ten-inning loss in game two yesterday. The Eagles recorded 10 hits on the day and tacked on 8 runs, improving their record to 15-15 overall, 5-4 in Sun Belt play.
The Eagles got on the board in the top of the third when Mekhia Freeman's bunt ended in a throwing error by the Mavs, allowing India Davis to come around and plate the first GS run of the day. The Eagles struck again in the top of the fifth when senior Morgan Robinson knocked a 2-RBI double to the wall in centerfield, scoring Emily Snider and Mekhia Freeman and bringing the GS lead to 3-0.
The Eagles were able to push across five runs in the sixth inning, which started with a two-run RBI single from Lydia Witkowski. Mekhia Freeman then stepped up with two runners on and knocked her fourth homerun of her freshman season, extending the Eagles lead to 8-0.
Dixie Raley (W, 9-10) went the distance for GS and picked up a one-hit shutout. At the plate, Lydia Witkowski had three hits to lead the way while Mekhia Freeman and Morgan Robinson each had two.
UP NEXT:
The Eagles will travel to Athens to face off against the Georgia Bulldogs in a midweek matchup on Wednesday evening. The two teams are scheduled to play at 6 p.m.
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Softball Scores Late to Defeat Troy
Conway - Coastal Carolina University scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pick up a come-from-behind 6-5 win over Troy in Sun Belt Conference softball action and earn a sweep in the weekend series.
CCU trailed the first five innings of the game until the bottom of the sixth when Payton Hanson led off the inning with a pinch hit single and moved to third on a double from Adriana Toro. From there Chelsea D'Avilar singled in both runners to even the score and later scored on Taty Forebes sacrifice fly for the game winner.
CCU (24-8, 4-4 Sun Belt) picked up the sweep in the series with Ashley Guillette (8-4) coming on in relief and picking up the win.
The Chants had seven hits with Toro picking up two and Forbes, Mellen, Alvino, D'Avilar, Hanson and Buccilli picking up a hit each. Mellen had two rbi's along with D'Avilar with Forbes and Amanda Daneker picking up the other rbi's.
Devin Wallace pitched the first six inning giving up three hits and five runs, four earned, with six strikeouts.
Troy had three hits on the day with Becca Hartley the big blast, hitting a three-run home run in the top of the second to give Troy a 3-0 lead. Meg Willis (0-1) came on in relief and took the loss.
The Chants will have a midweek home game when they host Winthrop in a double header Tuesday, March 28. The first game is slated to begin at 1 p.m. The next conference action will have CCU hosting Louisiana-Monroe April 1-2. Saturday's double-header will begin at 1 p.m., with Sunday's single game slated for a noon first pitch.
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JAGUAR SOFTBALL DROPS TWO TO NO. 17/20 LOUISIANA
MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team (19-12, 2-7 SBC) dropped a pair of games Sunday afternoon to No. 17/20 Louisiana (23-5, 6-0 SBC) as the Ragin' Cajuns picked up a Sun Belt Conference series sweep at Jaguar Field.
The Jaguars will continue league play with a midweek contest versus in-state rival Troy. First pitch versus the Trojans is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday night at Jaguar Field.
"I thought we hit the ball well today as we had 11 hits in game three against a quality pitching staff," South Alabama head coach Becky Clark said. "I'm happy to see our hitting starting to come around. I thought our team showed a lot of fight today. There are some mistakes that we are continuing to make that we can't afford to keep making, but at the same time we are fighting, so I think that is something that we can get behind going forward. I think we gave ourselves something to work off of as we head into this week and if we maintain that effort and competitiveness, then I think things will come together for us."
SATURDAY'S SUSPENDED GAME: NO. 17 LOUISIANA 4, SOUTH ALABAMA 2
In a continuation of Saturday's suspended game, the Ragin' Cajuns picked up a two-run victory over the Jaguars in the first action of the day with a 4-2 win.
Alex Stewart (9-3) picked up the win for LA allowing just two runs on three hits in her seven innings of work, while striking out nine and not giving up a walk.
DJ Sanders provided most of the offense for Louisiana in the win as she was 3-for-3 at the plate – two home runs – with two runs scored and three RBI.
Kaleigh Todd, Megan Harris and Abby Krzywiecki recorded South's three hits in the contest. Destin Vicknair (9-5) took the loss for the Jags and allowed four runs on eight hits, with three walks and two strikeouts.
Louisiana took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second as Sanders took a 2-2 pitch from Vicknair and homered to straight-away center field – her 14th home run of the season.
The Ragin' Cajuns added two more runs an inning later after quickly loading the bases with a pair of hit and a four-pitch walk by Kara Gremillion. The first run of the inning came when Sanders drove in her second run of the game with a RBI single through the left side of the infield, plating Kelli Martinez who had reached on an infield single to start the inning. One batter later, Vicknair and USA looked as if it might get out of the inning allowing just the one run. Daniella Chavez grounded a ball back up the middle that was fielded by Todd at second, who attempted to turn two on the play. Chavez though was ruled to have beat the throw to first, allowing Gremillion to score and extend ULL's lead out to 3-0.
For the second time in the game, Sanders led off an inning with a home run – this one to left field – as she opened up the sixth with her 15th long ball of the spring on a 2-2 pitch, extending the LA lead to 4-0.
USA would get a run in each of its final two at-bats. Krzywiecki blasted a solo shot deep over the wall in the home half of the sixth – her second home run of the season and first since Feb. 11 – to put the Jags on the scoreboard.
In the seventh, Harris tripled to the gap in left center and then came home on a sacrifice fly to left by Foster, cutting the deficit in half at 4-2. Stewart though would settle down and record the final two outs of the contest to seal the win for the Ragin' Cajuns.
SUNDAY'S GAME: NO. 17 LOUISIANA 9, SOUTH ALABAMA 4
In the series finale, South Alabama trailed by five, but pulled within a run, before Louisiana scored four runs over the final two innings to take a 9-4 victory and clinch the series sweep.
South Alabama out-hit LA in the finale, 11-10.
Devin Brown (9-6) took the loss for the Jaguars as she allowed five earned runs on five hits, three walks and one strikeout in 3.1 innings of work. Chandler Sparkman also gave up four earned runs on five hits and a walk, while striking out two.
Offensively, USA had four players finish the contest 2-for-4 at the plate – Todd, Harris, Minahan and Vicknair. Todd scored twice, while Harris and Vicknair – making her first start in the designated player role – also scored a run, and Minahan drove in a pair.
The Ragin' Cajuns were led by Gremillion, Hayden and Sanders, who each had two hits apiece. Gremillion, Hayden and Aleah Craighton scored twice, while the latter also drove in two and walked two times. Sanders drove in a game-high four runs and finished the series with 6-for-11 (.545/1.545/.545) with two doubles, three home runs, 17 total bases and seven RBI.
Stewart – who went the distance in game two of the series – entered in relief for the Ragin' Cajuns and picked up the win after allowing just two hits in three scoreless innings of work. Stewart struck out five and improved to 10-3 on the spring.
LA took a 1-0 lead on in its half of the second on Beth Ashley's one-out home run to left – her third of the season and the visitor's fourth of the series – on pitch from Brown.
UL-Lafayettte loaded the bases without the benefit of a hit in its next at-bat as Gremilion was hit by Brown's first pitch of the inning and Hayden and Craighton both walked on five pitches. Sanders then continued her stellar day as she lifted a 3-2 pitch from over the wall in left center. The grand slam was Sander's third home run of the series
South was able to get a pair of runs and threatened to do more in the home half of the third. Todd and Harris both singled to put runners at the corners and then with one away, Minahan lined a one-out double into the leftfield corner, scoring pair two. The Jags looked to do more damage, loading the bases after a single by Vicknair and a walk to Krzywiecki, but Alyssa Denham – who entered in relief earlier in the inning – struck out Jaguar pinch hitters Dayla Gulledge and Morgan Lutticken to end the threat and get out of the jam.
USA cut into the Cajun lead with an unearned run the next half inning. Todd reached on an infield single and moved into scoring position on the play when Gremillion's throw got past Hayden at first. Harris then moved Todd up a bag with a single through the left side of the infield and Foster's ground out to Sanders at short, allowed Todd to score and trim the deficit to 5-3.
The Jaguars added another run in the fifth to pull within a run (5-4). Vicknair started the inning off with her second hit of the game – a single to right – and then after moving up to second on a wild pitch, Mayo put runners at the corner with one out after a she dropped in a single behind the bag at second. Two batters later, MC Nichols lined a ball off Gremillion;s glove at third for an infield single, bringing Vicknair into score and making it a one-run game.
LA answered back with three runs in the next half inning all coming with two outs. Gremillion reached on a bang-bang play at first to get things started and then moved to third on Hayden's double down the leftfield line. With runners at second and third, Sparkman's 2-1 pitch was wild, scoring Gremillion. Two pitches later, Craighton drove a ball deep over the wall in left center – her seventh of the season – extending the Ragin' Cajuns lead back out to 8-4.
Louisiana added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Abby Sterling recorded a pinch-hit RBI double off the wall in center to score Comeaux, who had walked to begin the inning.
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Hartley Sets New Career High; Troy Falls to Coastal Carolina
CONWAY, S.C. - Becca Hartley led her team with a three run home run in the top of the second inning, but Troy fell 6-5 to Coastal Carolina in the final game of the series. Hartley now has 12 home runs on the season, a new career high. She posted 11 last season and 10 in 2015. Troy now moves to 15-19 on the season and 3-6 in Sun Belt Conference play.
Coastal Carolina put up its first run in the bottom of the fourth after a SAC fly to right field advanced the runner from third.
In the top of the sixth Erica Davis led things off and got on base with a hit by pitch and Meg Willis followed with a single to left field. A SAC bunt from Carli Kayler advanced the runners to second and third. A wild pitch scored Davis from third and a Coastal Carolina error on the play brought in Taylor Corbett, who pinch ran for Willis to give Troy a 5-3 lead.
Coastal Carolina bounced back and took the lead in the bottom of the sixth as a base hit and a double put two runners on. A single to the third baseman bounced off the fielder’s foot and landed in the dugout resulting in the runner advancing to second and two runs coming home to put the Chanticleers up 6-5.
In a last chance effort at the plate Katie Webb got on base with a walk to bring up Stephanie Snyder. Snyder hit a high pop up to the pitcher who was able to turn the double play and pick off Katie Webb at first to end the scoring opportunity for the Trojans.
Claire Graves got her 14th start in the circle for the Trojans. After striking out the first batter she faced, Graves allowed five hits in five innings pitched. Meg Willis came in as relief to throw the final inning, but after giving up the run for Coastal Carolina to take the lead, Willis was given the loss to move to 0-1 on the season.
NOTEWORTHY
• Troy is the conference leader in doubles. The Trojans have posted 44 doubles on the year as Becca Hartley, Stephanie Snyder and Erica Davis all lead the team with seven each.
• Madeline Porter has reached base in 12 consecutive games, a career-high and current team high.
• Hartley now has 35 career home runs, just three away from taking solo possession of the third place spot in the Troy record books.
UP NEXT
Troy will continue conference play as it travels to Mobile, Ala., to face in-state rival South Alabama on Wednesday, March 29 at 6 p.m.
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App State Drops Series Finale to Georgia State
DECATUR, GA. – Appalachian State University fumbled to the Georgia State Panthers in Game Three of the weekend conference series on Sunday at the Robert E. Heck Softball Complex in Decatur, Ga.
After jumping out to a four-run lead in the opening inning, Appalachian State (12-16, 0-6 SBC) faltered in the second half giving up a grand slam to tie up the score, and Georgia State (21-11, 7-2 SBC) tacked on five more to take the conference sweep, 9-4.
App State mustered up eight hits with Natalie Orcutt (Peachtree City,Ga./Starr’s MIill) and Cara Parker (Valdosta, Ga./Lowndes) both smacking out two apiece and four knocked in RBI including Jenny Dodd (Mocksville, N.C./West Forsyth), Haley Stewart (Belmont, N.C./South Point), Ally Walters (Orange City, Fla./University) and Keri White (Hampstead, N.C./Topsail).
On the mound, Vanessa Ciocatto (La Habra, Calif/La Habra (Delaware State)) (1-5) started the game pitching 4.1 innings with two strikeouts and yielded two earned runs and two walks, and Annaleise Kennedy (Kents Store, Va./Fluvanna) came in relief and pitched 1.2 innings with two strikeouts, and relinquished two earned runs and three walks.
Game Three: GSU 9, App State 4
App State started the game rolling opening the inning with three-straight singles which set the stage for a cascade of RBI to take the early 4-0 lead.
Dodd knocked in Orcutt to break the scoreboard first then Katie Mathewson (Hickory, N.C./Hickory) stepped up to the plate and drew a walk to load that bases. After that, Appalachian’s batters pounded out a stream of singles and drew one walk to shove the Panthers in a hole.
Despite the deficit, the Panthers matched Apps’ runs off a grand slam in the bottom half of the inning and broke the tie with a RBI single at the bottom of the fourth.
At the top of the fifth, the Mountaineers threatened the Panthers’ lead loading the bases with two outs, but GSU stopped the Black and Gold in their tracks with a strikeout and added four more runs to the board to snatch the series sweep by five runs.
Up Next
App State softball will return to Boone on Wednesday, March 29 at 3 p.m. for a midweek doubleheader with USC Upstate
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Warhawks Fall in Sunday Finale Against Texas State
MONROE, La. - The ULM softball team wrapped up its weekend series on Sunday against Sun Belt Conference foe Texas State as the Warhawks came out on the wrong end of a 2-1 decision against the Bobcats.
TURNING POINT
-With the score tied heading to the sixth inning, the Bobcats picked up a run on an RBI double by Kennedy Cline that would prove to be the difference in the game.
NOTABLES
-Jayden Mount paced the Warhawks with a two-hit day at the plate, while Melanie Coyne and Jessie Watts added one hit apiece. Watts' double in the sixth inning gave the Warhawks their lone run on the day.
-Coyne came out on the wrong end of the decision on Sunday after going four innings and giving up three hits while walking four batters. She gave up one unearned run in her four innings of work on the day.
-Paige Porter and Jessie Watts both also pitched, as Porter threw two innings and gave up two hits and one run. Watts came in for the seventh inning and scattered two hits but kept the Bobcats off the board in her lone inning of work on the day.
UP NEXT
-The Warhawks travel to LSU for a midweek road contest on Tuesday with a 6:00 p.m. first pitch slated for the contest in Baton Rouge. Following Tuesday’s game, the Warhawks will travel to Conway, S.C. to battle Sun Belt Conference newcomer Coastal Carolina beginning on Saturday, April 1.
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SB: Eagles Blank Mavs In Rubber Match
ARLINGTON, Texas - UTA couldn't find an answer for Georgia Southern starting pitcher Dixie Raley, as the Eagles took the rubber match 8-0 in six innings on Sunday at Allan Saxe Field.
The Mavericks, falling to 17-15 and 3-6 in the Sun Belt, were unable to replicate their offense from Game 2 against the GS starter. The Mavs picked up their first hit off the bat of Mallory Foster in the fifth. Georgia Southern improved to .500 for the season at 15-15 and went to 5-4 in league play.
"We have a really inconsistent situation with our pitching staff that needs to be handled immediately," UTA coach Kristie Fox said. "At the plate, that was the freshman of the year of the conference right there, she is tough but we need to make them work harder. You have to be able to win a 1-0 game every once in awhile, when you aren't performing on the mound and defensively it makes it hard to do that."
UTA will take a brief break from league play on Wednesday when it hosts North Texas for the final game of March. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. at Allan Saxe Field.
"Getting run-ruled twice by Georgia Southern should light a fire under them no matter what," Fox said. "We are about to hit the road twice so it is going to be even tougher on the road than it is at home. They have to compete and start taking it personally and we talk about it all the time. This group is so talented but are just missing something inside. They have to choose whether they are going to find it or not."
Sam Montes claimed the loss after pitching four frames. Montes allowed just three runs, two earned, struck out one, walked one and allowed eight hits. Mariah Denson pitched the final two, giving up five runs, four earned, and two hits. Foster claimed the lone hit on the day for UTA, while Cy'Andria Newton also reached on a walk.
"At the end of the day, it is what it is," Montes said. "We have to keep practicing and keep trusting the process and get our heads on straight. We have to just go out there and compete. If we go out there and compete everyday we will be fine."
After Foster and Newton combined in back-to-back innings to make great plays defensively to keep the Eagles off the board, it was an error that put the first run of the game on the board. Looking to push runners over, Georgia Southern put down a bunt that was helped along by a throwing error to send runners around the bases. UTA would prevent further damage with consecutive Eagles thrown out at the dish on the next two at-bats.
UTA threatened in the fourth by putting its first runner in scoring position of the game, but a hard liner was snagged by the centerfielder. Georgia Southern took advantage in the fifth with a two-run, two out double that bounced off the top of the wall.
Another opportunity came in the next frame with UTA placing a runner on third for the first time on the day. However, again it was the GS defense that prevented damage as a fly out to center ended the chance.
The Eagles came right back in the next half with a five-spot that was highlighted by a three-run homer to left-centerfield.
Following the midweek game against UNT, the Mavs hit the road for a pair of SBC series at Troy and Georgia State. Montes added the team needs to learn from the mistakes today to get ready for the stretch.
"For the most part, the girls are hard on themselves," Montes said. "They know that it is what it is and we had a rough game. We have a lot of Sun Belt games to play and they know what we need to do to get back. They understand we have to scatching and keep doing what we are doing so we get a good place for the conference tournament."