RICHARDSON, TX (04.15.16) - The UT Dallas softball team kicked off the final home weekend of the season Friday with a doubleheader split with Ozarks in American Southwest Conference play. The Comets opened the day with an 8-0 win over Ozarks before falling to the Lady Eagles, 7-2.

The Comets (now 18-18, 14-12 ASC) return to the field Saturday for a 12 p.m. single game with Ozarks. Prior to Saturday's game, the UTD senior class will be recognized in a pre-game ceremony.

Game 1 - UTD 8, Ozarks 0 (6 inn.)
Freshman Melissa Livermore went 3-for-3 with three stolen bases and three runs scored as UTD cruised to an 8-0, six-inning victory over Ozarks Friday afternoon to open a three-game ASC weekend series.

The Comets collected 12 hits and scored in four of six innings, including a four-run 3rd frame, en route to run-rule victory over the Lady Eagles.

UTD opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Livermore reached with a lead-off bunt single and Sara Navarro blasted her second home run of the season to give the Comets a quick 2-0 lead. The Comets then plated four runs in the 3rd on six hits and an Ozarks error. In the 3rd, Livermore again used a lead-off single to kick things off and later scored on a Lady Eagle throwing error. Stefanie Polderman then plated a pair with a double down the left field line and later scored on a Kendall Moore single. The Comets added a run in the 4th on a sacrifice fly by Brittany Perkins, scoring Livermore, and ended the game with no outs in the 6th on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Ravin Wilson.

Junior right-hander Lauren McLeod (11-7) recorded her school-record eighth shutout of the season, scattering five hits with seven strikeouts. Polderman and Moore were each 2-for-3.

Game 2 - Ozarks 7, UTD 2
The guest Lady Eagles used a five-run fifth inning to pull away late and hand the Comets a 7-2 loss in the second game of Friday's doubleheader.

Ozarks opened the scoring in the 1st with a run on a pair of hits and a UTD error, but the Comets answered in the 2nd with a sacrifice fly by Moore, bringing home Polderman. But, the Lady Eagles used a grand slam home run in the 5th to cap a five-running frame to pull away. Down 7-1 in the 6th, the Comets plated a final run on a single up the middle by Halliburton, scoring Perkins, but would lead two runners on base in both the 6th and 7th.

Livermore was 2-for-3 from the leadoff spot, finished the day 5-for-6, while Navarro ended the second game 2-for-4.