TUCSON, AZ (03.19.19) - The UT Dallas softball team wrapped up its short Spring Break road trip with a pair of losses Tuesday, giving the Comets a 2-2 mark over their four games at Lincoln Park this week.
After earning two wins Monday, the Comets (11-10) opened Tuesday with a 7-3 loss to No. 15-ranked Central before falling to Wisconsin-Platteville, 7-5, later in the day.
UTD will return to Texas and to American Southwest Conference play with a three-game series at No.6-ranked East Texas Baptist. The two teams will play a 5 p.m. doubleheader Friday before closing the set Saturday with a 1 p.m. single game Saturday in Marshall.
GAME 1 - CENTRAL 7, UTD 3
The Comets out-slugged Central, 12-10, but managed ust three late runs in a 7-3 loss to the Dutch to open the squad's second day in Arizona.
Down 2-0 in the 4th, the Comets got on the scoreboard with a
Melissa Livermore RBI single to centerfield, scoring
Ravin Wilson to trim the Central lead to a single run. However, the Dutch answered with two runs in the bottom of the 5th to extend their lead to 4-1.
UTD drew back within two runs in the top of the 6th thanks to a two-out, two-run double down the leftfield line by
Hope Griffith, but Central responded with three final runs in the bottom of the frame to snap the Comets' six-game winning streak.
Livermore was 3-for-4 from the lead-off spot with two steals, an RBI and a run scored while
Emily Schroeder was 3-for-4 as well.
GAME 2 - UWP 7, UTD 5
In their final game of the trip, it was the Comets who jumped out to an early lead but they could not hold on for their third Arizona win, eventually falling to Wisconsin-Platteville, 7-5.
The Comets sent eight batters to the plate in the 1st inning to snag an early 3-0 lead, thanks to a sacrifice fly by Griffith and a two-run single by Wilson. Up 3-1 in the 2nd, UTD continued the scoring with a RBI single by Griffith, scoring Livermore.
After a scoreless 3rd by both teams, the Pioneers drew within a score in the top of the 4th with a runs, but UTD answered with an RBI groundout by Griffith, scoring Livermore, in the bottom of the frame to maintain a two-run cushion, 5-3.
UWP, however, plated two runs each in the 6th and 7th, to rally for the win. The Comets loaded the bases with three consecutive singles to open the bottom of the 6th after UWP knotted the game, but failed to plate a go-ahead run.
Livermore was 4-for-4 with three runs scored and two more steals,, giving the NCAA Division III all-time lead now 186 career swipes. She will return home from the Comets trip to Arizona with eight swipes and ranked 12th all-time among all NCAA divisions.
Vlasek was 2-for-4 while Griffith was 1-for-3 with three RBI.
