VIERA, Fla. - The UT Dallas softball started the Space Coast Spring Games at the USSSA Space Coast Complex with a two extra-inning losses Sunday. The Comets (7-5) fell to Minnesota Crookston 3-1 in eight innings, followed by an 8-7 defeat to Franklin Pierce in nine.
vs. Minnesota Crookston
The Golden Eagles (12-15)Â broke open a scoreless game in the top of the fourth when first baseman Hannah Trazinski led off with a walk and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Whitnee Curry.
In the sixth, UTD freshman shortstop
Sarah Olenick started with a double and was driven in by third baseman
Addison Caddell's single up the middle to tie the game. Later in the inning, the game was halted by a 90-minute weather delay.
The game remained 1-1 after regulation, which allowed the international tiebreaker rule to take affect. With pinch runner Haley Koch placed on second to begin the eight, Trzisnksi moved her to third on a ground ball then Irelyn Spencer was hit by a pitch and stole second. Curry drove in both runs with a single up the middle to make the game 3-1. UMC pitcher Delaney Penner managed three straight outs in the bottom of the eighth to secure the victory.
The Golden Eagles outhit the Comets 6-4 overall and led in walks 4-1.
Penner (3-0) went the distance, striking out six batters while allowing four hits, one run and a walk over the eight frames. Freshman
Madelyn Denn (5-1) suffered her first loss of the year with six hits allowed, one earned run, one walk and two strikeouts over five innings of relief.
Curry drove in all three runs for UMC. Hoffman and Olenick each had doubles for the UTD.
vs. Franklin Pearce
The nightcap, was a wild, three-hour contest, where the Ravens (8-6) recorded 11 hits and six walks while the Comets had nine hits and eight walks.
Olenick walked with one out in the first and was driven in by
Gracelyn Taylor to give UTD a 1-0 lead. FPU answered with a two-run single to right center by Raylee Gilbert. The Ravens went up 3-1 after scoring on an error in the second.
Caddell,
Cadence Hernandez and
Kasey McAtee each drove in a run in the top of the third to put the Comets back on top at 4-3. Taylor singled to right field, allowing Olenick to score from second in the sixth to make the game 5-3.
FPU went up 6-5 in the bottom of the sixth with three runs on three hits and two walks. Catcher Charlit Hartenstein had the big hit of the inning, knocking in two with a single through the left side.
Olenick drove in
Cole Johnson and
Blair Collier with a ground ball in the seventh to put UTD back in the lead at 7-6. The Ravens tied it again on a Danielle Belliveau RBI-single.
Both teams were held off the board in the eighth. In the top of the ninth, the Comets had runners on the corners before the Ravens escaped without allowing a run. Gilbert was placed on second in the bottom of the ninth, was bunted over and scored the walk-off run on Belliveau's single to left.
Hoffman had two hits, including a double and Olenick was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Taylor also drove in two runs on two hits.
Belliveu finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and a walk. Anna Erikson recorded a double and a sac bunt.
Kennedy Morris (6-1) earned the win in relief. She allowed four hits, two earned runs and two walks with three strikeouts.
Allison Koch (1-2) struck out four batters, giving up six hits and one earned run over 3.1 innings in the losing effort.
Up Next
The Comets will face Southern Connecticut State in a double-header beginning at 11:15 a.m. CT in the second day of the Space Coast Spring Games.
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