RICHARDSON, TX (02.26.21) - The UT Dallas softball team opened American Southwest Conference play Friday night with a pair of shutout losses to Howard Payne, 3-0 and 4-0.

The Comets (now 0-7, 0-2 ASC) will wrap up their three-game set with HPU at 10 a.m. Saturday at the UTD Softball Field. Saturday's game was originally scheduled for 12 p.m., but has been moved up to beat the incoming weather in the area.

GAME 1 - HPU 3, UTD 0
Ashley Ambrosy was 3-for-4 from the lead-off spot, but accounted for all of the Comets' hits as UTD dropped a 3-0 decision to the Yellow Jackets to open Friday's doubleheader.

Ambrosy picked up her first hit, an infield single, to open the bottom of the 1st frame and the Comets would added two more base runners with a hit batter and a walk to threaten early. However, HPU pitcher Bree Cason struck out a pair of Comets to get off the mess, setting the tone for the rest of the game. The Yellow Jackets then score a single run in each of the next three frames to grab a 3-0 advantage.

The Comets would not manage another hit until the bottom of the 5th, when Ambrosy singled to second base, followed by a steal of second base. However, UTD could not bring Ambrosy, stranding her at second base. The Comets were retired in order in the 6th before Ambrosy got her third hit, a single to shortstop, with two outs in the 7th.

Despite managing just three hits, the Comets left eight runners on base in their second shutout loss of the season.

GAME 2 - HPU 4, UTD 0
The Yellow Jackets plated a run in the 1st, two in the 3rd and a final run in the 5th en route to a 4-0 win over UTD to close Saturday's twin bill.

The Comets managed five hits off of HPU pitcher Tia Campos with Ambrosy and Jordan Evans each going 2-for-3 from the top two spots in the order. Sarah Lewis collected the other UTD hit, going 1-for-3.

Down 3-0 early, the Comets had a chance to collect their first offense of the night in the bottom of the 3rd after Ambrosy and Evans picked up back-to-back two-out singles, but Campos was able to get out of the jam by inducing an inning-ending ground out. Ambrosy and Evans would later open the Comets' half of the 6th with back-to-back singles, but the Comet offense gave up three quick outs on just five pitches to halt  the rally.