JACKSON, MS (02.25.17) - After falling the series opener, 5-1, the No. 18-ranked UT Dallas softball team split a doubleheader at Belhaven to wrap up a three-game weekend series with the Blazersk
The Comets (11-3) return to action Tuesday night with a non-conference doubleheader at the University of Dallas. First pitch for game one is set for 5 p.m. in Irving.
GAME 1 (FRIDAY) - BU 5, UTD 1
The Comets had their second five-game winning streak of the season snapped with Friday loss and will look to bounce back Saturday in a 12 p.m. doubleheader at Belhaven before heading home.
UTD opened the scoring in the top of the 3rd with a solo home run by
Jessica Vlasek, her fourth of the season, but the Blazers countered with five runs in the 4th to earn the victory. Comet starter
Allie Stephens (3-1) suffered the loss, giving up five runs on six hits in 3.2 innings of work.
Melissa Livermore went 1-for-4 from the lead-off spot with her 16th stolen base of the season.
GAME 2 (SATURDAY) - UTD 14, BU 6 (5 inn.)
The Comets exploded for six runs in the 2nd inning to bounce back from Friday's loss with a 14-6, five-inning victory over the Blazers to open Saturday's twin bill.
UTD scored in every inning as the Comets collected a season-high 18 hits and stole a school record nine bases in lop-sided win.
Stefanie Polderman had four of UTD's nine swipes, matching the individual program record.
The Comets opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly by Vlasek in the 1st, scoring Livermore, and then plated six runs on seven hits and a Blazer error to extend their lead to 7-0. Five different Comets picked up an RBI in the frame with
Hope Griffith responsible for a pair of runs with a double.
Belhaven answered with two runs in the bottom of the 2nd and then both teams scored twice in both the 3rd and 4th innings as UTD took an 11-6 advantage into the 5th. The Comets then got an RBI double from
Heather Gilbert and a two-run single from
Ravin Wilson to extend the lead to eight runs.
Gilbert was 4-for-4 while Livermore was 4-for-5 with three runs scored from the lead-off spot. Polderman was 3-for-4 with three runs scored. The previous UTD record for stolen bases in a game with eight, set against LeTourneau in the 2007 season.
GAME 3 (SATURDAY) - BU 2, UTD 1
The two teams combined for just five hits as Belhaven won a pitcher's duel, 2-1, in the series finale.
The host Blazers plated two runs in the in the 2nd to take an early lead and it was not until the 6th inning when the Comets made a serious comeback attempt. Gilbert would reach with a one-out single to left and later score from first on a BU error on a Vlasek fly ball to right. However, UTD would strand Vlasek at third base and go down in order in the 7th.
Griffith finished the game 2-for-3 from the plate while UTD managed just three hits off of BU pitcher Taylor Surrento. Stephens limited the Blazers to just on earned run on two hits, but issued five walks in the loss.