RICHARDSON, TX (03.29.18) - The UT Dallas softball team plated five runs on five hits and five steals in the opening frame as the Comets held on for a 5-0 win over LeTourneau Thursday night to open a three-game American Southwest Conference three-game series.

The Comets (12-11, 8-5 ASC) will wrap up the set with LETU with a 12 p.m. doubleheader Friday at the UTD Softball Field.

UTD hurler Karen Crane (8-4) scattered seven hits as she picked up her second shutout victory of the season. Crane struck out four Jackets without issuing a walk as her office gave her all the offense necessary in the bottom of the 1st.

Melissa Livermore led off the Comets' half of the 1st with an infield single, stole second and advanced to third on an LETU error. Ravin Wilson then singled in Livermore to push across the first run and then quickly stole second. Two batters later with runners on second and third, Amber Williams used a single up the middle to score Wilson to double the Comets' lead. UTD would then add an RBI single by Stefanie Polderman, scoring Elizabeth Brann, and picked up fourth run on a Samantha Halliburton RBI ground out, scoring Williams. The Comets tallied their final run on a double steal, allowing Polderman to come home.

LETU starter Julie Martinez (1-6) then settled down as she gave up just two more hits to the Comets over the next five innings. The Yellow Jackets threatened the scoring on multiple occasions, but the Comet defense denied every attempt.

Wilson finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI as the only Comet with a multi-hit performance. UTD finished with stolen bases as a team, the second-highest total by the squad this season.