RICHARDSON, TX (04.27.18) - In a battle for fourth place in the American Southwest Conference standings, the UT Dallas softball team split a pair of hard-fought home games with Concordia Texas on Friday afternoon, setting up a pivotal series finale on Sunday morning in the regular-season finale for both squads.

The Comets (23-16, 19-10 ASC) opened Friday's twin bill with CTX with a 4-3, walk-off victory, but would drop the night cap by a 5-3 decision, giving up five late runs to the visiting Tornados. UTD will celebrate Senior Day on Saturday with a 11 a.m. single game with the Tornados, with the winner taking the No. 4 seed at next week's ASC Tournament.

GAME 1 - UTD 4, CTX 3
The Comets were able to open the three-game weekend series with Concordia Texas Friday afternoon with a 4-3, walk-off win as UTD took advantage of two-out error by the Tornados in the bottom of the 7th inning.

After CTX knotted the in the top of the 7th with an RBI double by Brittani Whitten, the Comets opened their half of the frame with a walk by Hope Griffith, who soon advanced to third base on a Melissa Livermore single followed by the first of two Tornado errors in the inning. Two batters later, Elizabeth Brann hit a slow roller down the third-base which was booted by CTX third baseman Anissa Garcia, allowing Griffith to come home for the game-winning run.

The Comets opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st with a two-out RBI single by Samantha Halliburton, scoring Ravin Wilson. Halliburton would later scoring in the inning on a Amber Williams infield single followed by what would prove to be the first of five CTX errors in the contest.

CTX cut the lead in half in the top of the 5th on a solo home run by Jorden Russell, but the Comets countered in the bottom of the frame when Livermore singled, stole second and third and scored on an error. The Tornados drew back within a run in the top of the 6th on a Comet error with the bases loaded.

Karen Crane (14-7) picked up the win as she limited CTX to just two earned runs on nine hits in a complete-game effort. Crane struck out three Tornados without issuing a walk. Livermore was 2-for-4 from the lead-off spot as the only Comet with a multi-hit performance, adding three stolen bases.

GAME 2 - CTX 5, UTD 3
The Comets jumped out to an early lead, but a three-run top of the 6th by CTX would be enough to hand UTD a 5-3 defeat in the second game of the doubleheader.

UTD plated a run each in the 1st and 2nd to grab a quick 2-0 advantage, but the Tornados countered with two runs in the top of the 4th and three more in the 6th, including a two-run homer by Summer Harper to turn the tables. The Comets got one run back in the bottom of the 6th and had the tying run at the plate in the 7th, but could not complete the comeback.

In the bottom of the 1st, the Comets opened the scoring as Livermore led off the frame with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a Wilson single to right, and then scored on ground out by Halliburton. UTD doubled its lead in the 2nd with a Stefanie Polderman single, a steal of both second and third followed by a CTX throwing error by the catcher. The Comets' sole run in the 6th was a home run by Amber Williams, her fourth of the season.

Allie Stephens (8-6) suffered the loss, giving up five runs on 11 hits in 7.0 innings of work. She struck out three with two walks. Livermore was 4-for-4 with a steal, her NCAA Division III-leading 50th of the season. Wilson was 2-for-4 as the only other UTD player with multiple hits.