RICHARDSON, TX (03.13.12) - For the first time in four seasons, the UT Dallas softball team notched a win over former national champion East Texas Baptist, winning the first game of a Tuesday doubleheader, 4-3, in dramatic style. ETBU won the second game, 8-5, but not before surviving another furious rally attempt by the Comets.

The Tigers (8-4, 1-1 ASC), just two years removed from their 2010 NCAA Division III national title, had all they could handle against UTD (13-7, 3-5 ASC). UTD had lost 10 straight games to the Tigers since 2008.

Trailing 3-0 in the opening game of the series, UTD battled back against undefeated starter Kaylee Davis, tying the game on a dramatic 7th-inning three-run home run from freshman Hannah Creech. Creech then delivered the game-winning run by singling up the middle with two outs in the 9th.

The Comets almost repeated the script in the second game, battling back from 5-0 down with four runs in the 4th, 5th and 6th innings, and having the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the 7th despite surrendering three more runs in an the top of that last inning.

The Comets, who split a weekend series at Mississippi College over the weekend, have played fairly even softball against the three members of the powerhouse ASC East they have met so far. UTD's next challenge is a non-conference doubleheader at Centenary College this Saturday followed by a divisional rematch at ETBU on March 24.

GAME 1: UTD 4, ETBU 3 (9 innings) (BOX SCORE)
Heather Foust, who picked up her 10th win of the season, did her best to keep the Comets in the first game long enough for her teammates to rally back. Foust scattered five hits and striking out four through nine innings, throwing over 118 pitches. Meanwhile, the Comet defense also shined, throwing three ETBU runners out at the plate.

ETBU finally broke through with the game's first run in the 4th, when a two-out walk came ariound to score on the first hit Foust allowed in the game. In the 6th, ETBU's Shelby Klein made it 3-0 with a two-run shot off Foust after a two-out single.

But the Comets, who had just three hits off Davis until that point, came through with the clutch play in their last at-bat. With one out, Haley Starkey singled and Morgan Anderson walked to put the tying run at the plate. Creech then connected on a high fast ball, sending it well over the deep centerfield wall to tie the game.

Foust then set down seven ETBU hitters in a row before Klein reached on an error, was sacrificed to second, then tried to score on a single from Lacy Liles. Creech came through again, firing a strike to catcher Kayla Moore, who tagged out her third runner of the game.

UTD got the winning run with two outs in the 9th with Starkey coming home when Creech lined a ball sharply over the head and off the glove of ETBU second baseman Beck Young.

GAME 2: ETBU 8, UTD 5 (BOX SCORE)

The Comets looked like they might return to earth in the second game as ETBU built a 5-0 lead against starter Megan Aragones. UTD, however, battled back with four runs going into the final inning.

After Micah Starkey came in and held the fort with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, a fatigued Foust came back off the bench and immediately surrendered a three-run 7th that should have put the game out of reach for ETBU. But in the Comets' last at-bat, UTD again put together a threat. Three of the first four batters had base hits for UTD and Creech scored on an Avery McHugh double before Davis returned to the circle to shut the door, forcing a ground out and strikeout with the game-tying run at the plate.

The Comets had a chance to take an early lead, but Creech was thrown out at home on a ground ball by Avery McHugh.

The Comets did start mounting a comeback in the 4th and made a game of it, scoring four unanswered runs. Brittanie Knowles and McHugh opened the inning with singles and scored on a ground out by Aragones and single to left from Moore. UTD got single runs in the 5th and 6th. Creech reached, stole second, then scored on a Knowles single up the middle in the 5th. In the 6th, Aragones opened the inning with a double and came home on a single by pinch-hitter Rachel Riley to pull to within one at 5-4.