ABILENE, TX (02.22.20) - The UT Dallas softball team wrapped up the first weekend of American Southwest Conference play Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader split at Hardin-Simmons. The Comets outlasted HSU, 15-14, in the opener before falling to the host Cowgirls, 5-4, in the series finale.

The Comets (now 3-8, 1-2 ASC) belted out 22 hits, four shy of a program record, in Saturday's first game and used a late rally in the night cap before HSU (now 4-7, 2-1 ASC) took the victory with a run in the bottom of the 6th. UTD dropped Friday's series opener to the Cowgirls, 7-5.

UTD will continue ASC play next week when the Comets host McMurry for a three-game series. The two teams will play a single game at 2 p.m. Friday before a 11 a.m. doubleheader Saturday at the UTD Softball Field.

GAME 1 - UTD 15, HSU 14
The Comets jumped out to big lead early on to have to hold off HSU late for a 15-14 win over the Cowgirls to open Saturday's twin bill.

Down 3-0 after the 1st inning, the Comets plated six runs in the 2nd, five more in the 3rd and three in the 4th to pull ahead 14-3. However, HSU answered with three runs in the bottom of the 4th and five in the 5th to draw back within three runs, 14-11. UTD added an insurance run in the top of the 6th, which proved to be crucial, as the Cowgirls plated three in the bottom of the 6th to close the scoring.

Every UTD starter recorded a hit in the victory with lead-off hitter Matee Simon and Elizabeth Brann each collecting four-hit performances. Gabi Langille was 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored.

Langille got things started in the 2nd with a two-run single to center, scoring Emily Schroeder and Jessica Vlasek, before Simon knotted the game, 3-3, with a double to right, plating Langille. The Comets added RBI hits by Ashley Ambrosy, Brann and Megan Todd in the 2nd to take a 6-3 lead. UTD then added five runs on five hits in the 3rd, getting RBIs from five different players, to extend its lead to 11-3. Langille opened the 3rd with her first home run of the season and the Comets added two runs on a Brann single followed by a HSU error.

After the Cowgirls drew back within three runs in the 5th, UTD got a final run in the top of the 6th on a Brann single to left, brining home Nicole Peters from second base. HSU brought three runners home in the bottom of the 6th to draw back within one, but left the tying run on third base. 

The Comets had a chance to add to their lead in the 7th after a pair of walks and a single by Avery Markley, but left a pair of runners on base. HSU got the game-tying run on base in the bottom of the 7th on a Comet error, but failed to get the runner to second base.

GAME 2 - HSU 5, UTD 4
Markley's three-run home run in the top of the 6th inning knotted the game, but HSU plated the game-winning run in the bottom of the inning to secure a 5-4 win over the Comets in the series finale.

Down 4-1 after five innings, Markley blasted her third long ball of the spring on an 0-1 count, scoring Vlasek and Langille. Vlasek had doubled to right center with one out in the frame before Langille drew a five-pitch walk. However, HSU's Mason McCord gave the Cowgirls the series with a solo shot with one out in the bottom of the inning.

HSU opened the scoring with a run in the 3rd, but the Comets answered in the 4th on a lead-off homer by Megan Todd, her first of the season. The Cowgirls then plated three runs in the bottom of the 4th to take a 4-1 lead.

Peters went 3-for-4 as the only Comet with a multi-hit performance.