RICHARDSON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team swept the University of Texas Dallas in the Cru's season opener Saturday in Richardson, earning a 3-1 and 11-10 win over the Comets.
The first game played scoreless until the fourth inning UMHB's
Elissa Elliott and UTD's Jessica Vlasek traded solo home runs, knotting the game at 1-1. Elliott hit another solo shot in the top of the seventh inning, giving UMHB a one-run lead before
Milly Cesare scored off a walk, putting UMHB up 2-0. Kat Reed pitched a shutout inning in the bottom of the seventh, forcing a pop up before UMHB's defense converted a double play for the 2-1 win. Elliott led the Cru with two runs and two hits. Reed earned the win in the circle for the Cru, pitching a complete game with six hits and six strikeouts.
Allie Dalle gave UMHB a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, scoring off an RBI from Elliott. Dalle and Elliott teamed up again for another run in the top of the third inning before
Korbyn Bassett,
Hannah Wolfe and
Ashley Estrada hit back-to-back-to-back singles for a 5-0 UMHB lead. UT Dallas responded with a seven-run inning in the bottom of that frame. Vlasek opened with a three-run home run before four other Comets put up RBI hits to give UT Dallas a 7-5 lead. UMHB responded with six runs in the top of the fourth inning. Wolfe scored on a sacrifice fly from
Milly Cesare before Elliott used an RBI single to score
Ashley Estrada.
Korbyn Bassett highlighted the inning with a grand slam, scoring
Whitney Flournoy, Elliott and Dalle for an 11-7 lead. UT Dallas scored three more runs in the bottom of the sixth, but the Cru held on to an 11-10 lead for the win. Dalle, Bassett, Wolfe and Estrada each recorded three hits while Dalle led the Cru with three runs.
CeCe Darilek earned the win in the circle for the Cru. Darilek threw 2.2 innings with four hits and one run allowed.
UMHB returns to action in a 4 p.m. doubleheader against defending national champions Texas Lutheran University on Tuesday, February 18
th at 4 p.m. in Seguin.