TYLER, TX (04.29.17) - FOR THE FIRST TIME IN PROGRAM HISTORY, THE UT DALLAS COMETS ARE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONS!!!

The Comets defeated top-seeded and tournament host UT Tyler, 7-5, Saturday afternoon on the Patriots' Suddenlink Field to claim the title with four straight wins in the tournament, including a pair over the Patriots, the nation's No. 2- ranked team. The wins were the first over UT Tyler in 12 seasons. The title was UTD's first in the 16-year history of the softball program.

POST-GAME INTERVIEWS: Coach Rich Wieligman & Senior Lauren McLeod

The Comets (36-8), ranked 12th in the latest NFCA Division III national poll, became the first No. 3 seed in ASC Championship Tournament history to claim the title, and earned the ASC's automatic berth into the NCAA Division III national tournament May 11-14, the first regional qualification ever for the UTD team. 

The championship was the fifth ASC title won by a UT Dallas team in 2016-17.

UTD, which advanced to the title game Friday with a walkoff win over the Patriots in the final winner's bracket game, jumped on the Patriots early Saturday, plating four runs in the first two innings; then survived a scare in the 7th inning when UTT scored three runs without a base hit and had the tying runs on base. The Comets added three important runs with a three-run 5th inning and missed a couple of chances to add more to their totals when a controversial double play ended the 4th inning, and a runner was gunned down at the plate to end the 5th.

The middle third of the Comets batting order led the way in pounding out nine of UTD's 12 hits, and drove in six of the team's seven runs. Shortstop Heather Gilbert led the way with a perfect 3-for-3 afternoon, scoring once and driving in two. Jessica Vlasek, Stef Polderman and Kendall Moore each went 2-for-3 and Moore knocked her third home run of the season for the Comets's third run of the day to lead off the 2nd inning.

Senior Lauren McLeod went the distance in the circle for her 18th win of the season, allowing just 5 hits to one of the top offensive squads in the nation. She walked just one hitter and struck out three.

Sophomore outfielder Melissa Livermore set the tone for UTD defensively with the game's very first batter, robbing UTT's Katie Prather of a potential leadoff home run by making a dramatic lunging catch over the top of the left field wall. The Comets then came to the plate and promptly got Livermore and Hope Griffith in scoring position after a single, walk and sacrifice bunt. A Samantha Halliburton sacrifice fly scored Livermore and Vlasek then deliverd a double down the left field line, scoring Griffith to make it 2-0 Comets after just one inning.

Moore then kept the momentum going in the bottom of the 2nd, launching a leadoff home run over the left field wall to make it 3-0. Gilbert then reached on an infield hit and scored the fourth run on a bang-bang Livermore ground out. 

It looked like UTD would add to its total in the 4th when Gilbert beat out an infield hit and Ravin Wilson reached on an error to start the inning. But with one out, a hard shot to second base that allowed Gilbert to come home was ruled a line drive out and the inning ended with Wilson doubled off first. After protest, game officials discussed the call for some time, but let the ruling stand.

The game came to a halt due to lightning in the Tyler 5th inning after a leadoff double. The Patriots plated their first run after play resumed 45 minutes later with a two-out RBI hit, cutitng UTD's lead down to 4-1.

But the Comets responded immediately. With two outs in the bottom of the 5th, Polderman, Moore and Gilbert each delivered consecutive singles up the middle, scoring Vlasek, Polderman and Moore before Gilbert was thrown out at the plate to end the rally.

The Patriots tacked on a single run in the top of the 6th with a leadoff home run, cutting the lead to 7-2. But after a three-up, three-down turn from the Comets in the 6th, UTT had UTD shuffling for every out in their last turn at the plate. A pair of hit batters and an error loaded the bases, then a second UTD error allowed two runs to come home, cutting the lead down to 7-4. A sacrifice fly then plated a third runner and the Patriots were within two runs when they had two more runners reach base, representing the tying runs. But a ground ball to Moore at third base ended the game and the Comets had their long-awaited title.

Moore, along with Samantha Halliburton and Vlasek were named to the ASC's All-Tournament team. McLeod, who picked up two wins in the tournament, was named the Tournament MVP.

UTD will learn its reginal fate on Monday, May 8, when the NCAA's national bracket is announced. UT Tyler, which won the national championship last season, has been pre-selected as a regional host.