FARMERS BRANCH, TX (03.06.09) – The UT Dallas softball team missed out on a chance to knock off the nation's 20th-ranked team in the opening day of the American Southwest Conference First Pitch Tournament, but bounced back on Saturday to pick up its second win of the season.
UTD had a 4-0 lead over the nationally-ranked UMHB team before falling 7-4 in the Friday opener, then dropped an 11-1 decision to Schreiner later day. The Comets bounced back to topple Sul Ross, 10-2, Saturday morning, then fell 7-4 to Concordia.
The First Pitch Tournament allows the ASC teams to play four games against competition from the other division. The games do not count toward conference standings.
Freshman
Caysie Norum finished the four-game tournament 9-for-11 with two home runs and 9 runs batted in.
UMHB 7, UTD 4 (boxscore)
belted a grand slam home run in the third inning of a well-played game. But UMHB rallied to tie the score with three runs in in the 6th and won the game with three more in the 7th. UTD managed just one hit after the big third inning.
SCHREINER 11, UTD 1 (boxscore)
The Comets had even less success offensively in their second game of the first day, managing just three hits against Schreiner (5-2). UTD was down 3-0 before ever getting to the plate. When they did, UTD put together back-to-back hits from
Carter Ryan and Norum to drive in their first run; but had just one other hit on the afternoon. The Mountaineers broke the game open with four runs in the 5th, the three more in the 6th to win by the "run rule." Norum picked up the other hit and finished the first day 3-for-6 with 5 RBI.
UTD 10, SUL ROSS 2 (boxscore)
The Comets blew open a close game with a six-run 6th inning and "run ruled" the Lady Lobos, who managed just five hits off Norum, who started again in the circle for the Comets. UTD took a 1-0 lead in the first with an unearned run scored by Ryan, who finished the game 3-for-4 with three runs scored. UTD made it 4-0 in the third with five hits and two more SRSU errors.
Trish Robinson led the way with a 2-RBI double.
After Sul Ross had pulled to within 4-2, the Comets opened it up in the 6th with a two-out rally. Four straight hits, a walk and another Lobo error led the way to a six-run inning. Norum went the distance to pick up the win, striking out eight.
CONCORDIA 7, UTD 4 (boxscore)
A disastrous 5th inning kept the Comets from at least earning a split at the tournament, as Concordia rallied with five runs to erase a 4-1 UTD lead. UTD had taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the 1st on Norum's second home run in two days, then went up 3-1 in the second when freshman
Haley Starkey hit her first homer of the season.
Norum drove in Ryan with another run to give UTD a 4-1 lead after three, but the Comets stopped scoring while Concordia went to work. Two errors and three hits, including a three-run home run, opened the door to five unearned runs in the inning and put the Tornados in front to stay.
