RICHARDSON,TX (02.04.17) - The UT Dallas softball team has now started a season 4-0 for the first time in program history after the Comets stunned No. 7-ranked Texas Lutheran for a pair of non-conference victories Saturday afternoon. UTD took the opener against the Bulldogs, 2-0, before rallying for a 5-4 win in the late game.

The Comets (4-0) will now open American Southwest Conference play next week with a four-game series at Sul Ross State. UTD and the Lobos will open play with a 4 p.m. doubleheader Friday before playing a 12 p.m. twin bill on Saturday in Alpine.

GAME 1 - UTD 2, Texas Lutheran 0
Senior Lauren McLeod fanned a career-high 11 batters and freshman Kendra Litchfield belted a two-run homer in the 2nd inning to lift the Comets to a 2-0 win over the Bulldogs to open Saturday's doubleheader.

McLeod recorded double-digit strikeouts for the first time her career as she scattered three hits and issued three walks in a complete-game performance to improve to 2-0 on the young season. She struck out the side in the 1st inning and then struck out two batters in each the 2nd and 3rd frames.

The Comets threatened in the 1st, putting runners on second and third with one out, but could not dent the scoreboard off TLU ace Matilin Raycroft. Elizabeth Brann would draw a lead-off four-pitch walk to open the 2nd for UTD, setting up Litchfield's first collegiate long ball, a rocket to left on a 2-2 count, to account for all the scoring in the contest. 

The Bulldogs, however, did not go away quietly, as they had runners reach base in each of the final four frames, but McLeod kept TLU in check. The Bulldogs would not get a runner past second base for the entire game.

Melissa Livermore was 2-for-2 from the lead-off spot, swiping two bases.

GAME 2 - UTD 5, Texas Lutheran 4
The second win of the day could not have been any different from the opener for the Comets as UTD had to score four runs in the 6th to rally for a 5-4 win to complete the sweep of the Bulldogs.

Down 4-0 after two, UTD got on the board in the 3rd on a Livermore single up the middle, scoring Heather Gilbert from second base. The Comets would get a hit in each the 4th and 5th, but could not muster any more offense until the 6th frame. 

The Comets opened the sixth three straight singles by Brittany Perkins, Jessica Vlasek and Stefanie Polderman, with Polderman's infield hit bringing home Perkins to cut the TLU lead to 4-2. After a four-pitch walk drawn by Samantha Halliburton and a TLU pitching change, the Comets would knot the game on a single down the right-field line by Hope Griffith, scoring Vlasek and Polderman, and leaving runners on the corners. UTD then took the lead with a double steal with pinch-runner Litchfield beating the throw home for the go-ahead run.

TLU (0-2) threatened in the 7th to re-take the lead, putting runners on second and third with just two outs, before Comet reliever Allie Stephens got a strikeout and fly out to end the game.

Stephens (1-0) earned the win with a 5.0-inning relief appearance of starter Sara Davison. Stephens fanned four while giving up four hits and one walk. Davison allowed four runs, two earned, on three hits and two walks in two innings of work. Vlasek and Polderman were each 2-for-3 while Livermore was 2-for-4.