RICHARDSON, TX (02.09.18) - The 2018 season did not begin as was hoped Friday afternoon as the No. 12-ranked UT Dallas softball team was handed a pair of loss to Mary Hardin-Baylor in the season openers for both programs.

The Comets (0-2) will not play UMHB as part of the American Southwest Conference schedule this spring, but the two teams decided to square off in non-conference action to start the new year. The visiting Cru jumped out to an early lead to pull away for an 8-4 victory in Friday's first game before completing the sweep with a 6-4 win in the night cap.

Freshman catcher Emily Schroeder made an impressive debut for the Comets, finishing the night going 4-for-6 with a home run and double.

UTD will officially open ASC play next weekend with a three-game series at Belahven, Feb. 16-17. The two teams will play a single game at 2 p.m. Friday before a 12 p.m. doubleheader Saturday.

GAME 1 - UMHB 8, UTD 4
The Cru plated four runs in the opening frame and extended their lead to 7-0 after four frames before UTD could find any rhythm in a 8-4 UMHB win in the two squads' season opener.

Down 7-0 in the 5th, the Comets finally tallied their first run of the season with a solo home run by Ravin Wilson. UTD added two more runs in the 6th on a sac fly by Kynsee Gesch and a Cru error. The Comets' got a final run in the 7th on a solo homer by Schroeder, who came off the bench to go 2-for-2 with two extra-base hits.

Wilson finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBI.

GAME 2 - UMHB 6, UTD 4
In game two, it was the Comets who grabbed an early lead but UTD could not hold on for victory in a 6-4 loss to the Cru.

Hope Griffith gave the Comets a 2-0 lead in the 2nd on a double to left, but UMHB answered with four runs in the top of the 4th to take a 4-2 advantage. UTD knotted the game in the bottom of the frame on a Cru error followed by a Griffth RBI ground out. The Cru again responded,scoring a run each in the 5th and 6th to earn the victory.

Griffith went 2-for-3 with three RBI while Schroeder was 2-for-4.