RICHARDSON, TX (02.08.16) - The UT Dallas softball team made things interesting, but couldn't quite get over the hump in dropping both ends of a season-opening home doubleheader to nationally-ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor, 3-1 and 11-10, Saturday afternoon.

The Comets were tied 1-1 going into the sixth inning of the opener before the No. 22-ranked Cru rallied for two runs in their last at-bat. Then, after trailing 5-0 and 11-7 in the nightcap, the Comets (0-2) rallied twice before coming up one run short of pulling an upset.

Senior Jessica Vlasek homered in both games for the Comets and finished the day 3-for-7 with two runs scored and four RBI. Freshman Ashley Ambrosy made an impressive debut, going 4-for-5 at the plate while newcomer Matee Simon was 3-for-6 with a pair of runs scored in her first collegiate game. 

GAME 1: UMHB 3, UTD 1

UTD starting pitcher Devyn Yanello, a transfer from Clarendon JC, dominated UMHB from the circle through the first three innings. The first hit she surrendered was a solo homerun to Cru freshman Elissa Elliot in the 4th inning. Vlasek then tied the game up in the bottom of the frame with a solo shot of her own. But Yanello then got victimized by Elliott again for her second home run of the game to open the 7th, breaking the tie. A hard-hit single down the line ended the day for Yanello and the Cru added another run to finish off the scoring at 3-1.

The Comets did work out of a 1st inning jam with runners at second and third and no outs, then mounted a threat of their own in the bottom of the 1st when they loaded the bases, but could not push across a run.

GAME 2: UMHB 11, UTD 10

After committing four early errors and falling behind 5-0, UTD erupted for an 8-hit, 7-run third inning to take over the lead, 7-5. With two runners on, Vlasek went deep again to start the rally. Megan Todd and Emily Schroeder followed with back-to-back doubles, setting the stage for RBI singles by Gabi Langille, Ambrosy and senior Elizabeth Brann.

But the Cru answered in the 5th, putting six runs on the board with five more hits. Down 11-7 in their half of the sixth, UTD started the inning with three straight hits, including an RBI double the left center off the bat of Todd. Another run scored on a ground out, then Nicole Peters brought home Todd for the third run of the innings and still just one out. But Langille had the misfortune of hitting into a rare 9-3-5 double play to end the threat one run shy.