RICHARDSON, TX (03.09.18) - The UT Dallas softball team was handed a pair of losses Friday night as the Comets dropped both ends of an American Southwest Conference doubleheader with No. 14-ranked East Texas Baptist, 13-12 and 7-4.

The Comets (5-5, 5-3 ASC) and Tigers (9-3, 5-0 ASC) will wrap up the three-game set with a single contest at 12 p.m. Saturday at the UTD Softball Field.

GAME 1 - ETBU 13, UTD 12
The Comets were on the brink of a run-rule defeat to ETBU, trailing 12-3 in the 5th only to rally back and bring the winning run to the plate but fell short in a 13-12 defeat.

The Tigers opened the game with a lead-off homer by MacKenzie Anderson, sparking a three-run 1st for ETBU, but the Comets battled back in the bottom of the frame with a two-run single by Hope Griffith to cut the deficit to 3-2. ETBU then added three more in both the 2nd and 4th to grab a 9-2 advantage.

UTD plated a single run in the bottom of the 4th on a sac fly by Jessica Vlasek before the Tigers added three more runs in the 5th to take a nine-run lead. UTD rallied with four runs in the 5th and five more in the 6th to build the excitement for the final inning.

In the 5th, Melissa Livermore opened the scoring with a run from second on a ETBU error. Emily Schroeder then knocked in a pair of runs with a single up the middle. UTD's final run in the 5th came on a Kendra Litchfield single down the left field line, scoring Schroeder. After the Tigers got a single run back in the top of the 6th to take a 13-7 lead, the Comets then used five hits and another ETBU error to plate five runs and draw within one.
Stefanie Polderman opened the scoring with a single up the middle, scoring Livermore, and Amber Williams brought home two with a double to left. Williams then scored on a Litchfield single to left and Livermore added her second hit of the inning as she plated Litchfield with a bases-loaded single. 

After a scoreless top of the 7th by the Tigers, UTD got a lead-off single by Polderman to open the Comets' half of the inning. After a sacrifice by Schroeder to move the tying run to second base, the game would end on a double play line out to left field.

Karen Crane (3-2) was handed the loss, giving up six earned runs on nine hits, in 3.1 innings of work. Blaire Evans tossed the final 3.2 innings, giving up four earned runs on five hits and five walks. Livermore was 4-for-5 with three runs scored while Litchfield was 3-for-4 with two RBI.

GAME 2 - ETBU 7, UTD 4
The Tigers used a three-run 6th inning to open up a close game and take a 7-4 decision over the Comets in Friday's nightcap.

ETBU opened the scoring with a two-run blast by Anderson, her third of the doubleheader, to take a 2-0 run lead in the 3rd, but the Comets responded with a single run in the bottom of the frame with a Polderman single to center, scoring Livermore from second base. The Tigers then plated three runs in the 5th and two more in the 7th to pull ahead 7-1.

In the bottom of the 7th, the Comets were able to bring the tying run to the plate after plating three runs on three hits. With the bases loaded and two outs, Griffith drew a walk to draw UTD within five runs, 7-2. Williams then collected two more RBI, singling in Livermore and Polderman, before the game ended on a fly out to left.

Allie Stephens (2-2) tossed the full 7.0 for the Comets, giving up five earned runs on 12 hits with one strikeout. Livermore was 3-for-3 with two runs scored while Polderman was 2-for-4.

ETBU pitcher Jordan Anderson (4-1) struck out 14 Comets as she gave up four runs on eight hits and five walks.