RICHARDSON, TX (02.12.16) - The UT Dallas softball opened American Southwest Conference play with two shutout wins over Sul Ross State Friday afternoon. The Comets kicked off the day with a 3-0 victory before completing the sweep with a 5-0 win in the night cap.

The Comets (now 2-4, 2-0 ASC) got strong pitching performances from both junior Lauren McLeod and freshman Allie Stephens as each tossed complete-game victories against SRSU while UTD as a team went 10-for-10 in stolen base attempts.. The two teams will complete their four-game weekend series Saturday with a 12 p.m. doubleheader at the UTD Softball Field.

Game 1 - UTD 3, SRSU 0
McLeod struck out five while scattering four hits as she pitched the Comets to their first win of the 2016 season in Friday's opener. Melissa Livermore was 2-for-4 from the top of the lineup while Sarah Morales finished 1-for-3 with a big two-run single late in the game.

The Comets struck first in the bottom of the 3rd when Aly Hudec pushed across Ravin Wilson with a single to left. In the 5th, Morales came up with the bases loaded and two outs and drilled a single up the middle, scoring Kendall Moore and Livermore. UTD was 5-for-5 in steals in the opener.

Game 2 - UTD 5, SRSU 0
Stephens was equally impressive in the late game, giving up five hits with two strikeouts in her first collegiate victory. Livermore was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a steal while Taylor Ervin came off the bench as a pinch runner and later got a single and three steals.

UTD scored the first run of the game in the 2nd frame on a Stefanie Polderman triple to right-center, scoring Ervin. In the 3rd, the Comets doubled their lead to 2-0 with an Aly Hudec RBI ground out, scoring Livermore. In the 5th, UTD got a run on a bases-loaded single Samantha Halliburton, scoring Livermore, followed by a run-scoring walk by Moore. The Comets completed the scoring in the 6th with a sacrifice fly by Hudec, scoring Sara Navarro.