RICHARDSON, TX (02.27.22) - Thanks to a walk-off home run by Avery Markley in the second game of an ASC home doubleheader with Hardin-Simmons on Sunday afternoon, the UT Dallas softball team has already matched its win total from last year. The Comets struggled defensively in Sunday's 12-1 loss to HSU in the opener, but rallied for a 5-4 win in the night cap.

With Markley's second long ball of the season, the Comets (7-2, 4-1 ASC) earned the split with the visiting Cowgirls and will look to take their second straight ASC series to open the 2022 season with the three-game set finale at 12 p.m. Monday at the UTD Softball Field. The Comets posted just a 7-24 record in 2021 and finished ASC play with just five league victories.

GAME 1 - HSU 12, UTD 1
The Cowgirls took advantage of five UTD errors en route to a 12-1 win in Sunday's opener. The Comets kept pace with HSU until a six-run top of the 7th by the Cowgirls.

HSU opened the scoring with a single run in the 1st with the Comets answering with the equalizer in the 3rd when Markley scored from second base after Cole Johnson infield single combined with Cowgirl throwing error. However, HSU regained the lead with three runs in the fourth and single runs in each the 5th and 6th frames.

Emilie Hoelscher (3-1) suffered the loss in the circle for the Comets, giving up five earned runs on eight hits in 6.0 innings of work. Hoelscher struck out four batters with one walk. The Comets collected seven hits in the defeat with Johnson going 2-for-3 as the only UTD player with a multi-hit performance.

GAME 2 - UTD 5, HSU 4
Markley's blast on a full count with one out in the bottom of the 7th lifted the Comets to a 5-4 win over HSU in Sunday's late game.

The Cowgirls (9-4, 7-4 ASC) opened the scoring with a run in the top of the 2nd before UTD took its first lead of the afternoon with a two-run third. Markley knotted the game, 1-1, with an RBI groundout, scoring lead-off hitter Alexia Mullen, and Megan Todd then crushed her team-leading fourth homer of the spring to give UTD a one-run advantage. The Comets pushed two more runs across in the 5th on a Sarah Lewis double to right center, scoring both Markley and Johnson. However, HSU countered with three runs in the top of the 6th to even the game, 4-4.

Comet starter Devyn Yanello gave up three earned runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings pitch, striking out one, but did not factor in the decision. Reliever McKenzie Cutbirth (1-1) earned the victory with a 2.0-inning scoreless appearance with one strikeout. Markley closed the game 1-for-3 with two RBI while Lewis was 2-for-3 with two RBI as well.