MANSFIELD, Texas - The UT Dallas softball team started the 2026 season with a pair of losses at the Lone Star D2 College Classic at the Fields at Station 63 on Friday. The Comets lost the opener to Oklahoma Baptist 12-11 in eight innings, then fell to Missouri-St. Louis 11-3 in six.

vs. OBU
- The Bison (2-0) outhit the Comets 15-12.
- UTD tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the first when senior catcher Avery Martin drove in Claire Pollack with a single to deep left field.
- OBU answered with a six-run second inning to go up 7-1.
- The Comets picked up a pair of runs in the bottom of the second with a Pollack RBI-single, plating Chloe Grimmer and third baseman Rachel Wallace, driving in Pollack.
- Abby Laskowski hit a solo homer to right field for the Bison in the third.
- Pollack drew a bases-loaded walk, and an OBU error led to three runs for the Comets in the third.
- Sophomore shortstop Sarah Olenick knocked in Martin with a single in the fourth. 
- Martin doubled in Cameron Alardin to tie the game at 8-8 in the fifth.
- Pollack put the Comets up 9-8 in the sixth with a RBI-single, scoring Grimmer.
- Laskowski tied the game in the seventh with another solo shot.
- Greenlee Wells gave OBU a 12-9 lead in the top of the eighth with a three-run homer to center field.
- Brooke Bouldin doubled in Olenick and scored on a Pollack sacrifice fly for the final 12-11 tally.

UTD Highlights
- Pollack went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, four RBI, two walks and a stolen base.
- Alardin drew three walks and scored
- Martin was 4-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI.
- Olenick, Bouldin and Grimmer each had a hit and two runs scored.
- Freshman Mere Cavazos took the loss, throwing six innings of relief with two strikeouts.

OBU Highlights
- Wells went 4-for-5 with five RBI.
- Kaley Cook was 3-for-4 with three RBI and two stolen bases.
- Laskowski was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and the two solo home runs.
- Jaycee Shaffer (2-0) earned the win with three strikeouts in the final two innings.

vs. UMSL
- Wallace scored from second base on a wild pitch.
- Pollack drove in Megan DeWitt with an infield single to give UTD a 2-0 lead in the second.
- Wallace scored again on an Audrey Messer single to put the Comets up 3-0 in the third.
- The Tritons (2-0) scored five runs in the third to take the lead, highlighted by a two-run home run by Phoebe Miller.
- UMSL added three more runs in the fifth and ended the game in the sixth with a Gracie Philpot ground-rule double and a Rylie Buchanan two-run single.

UTD Highlights
- Pollack extended her hitting streak to 10 games, dating back to last season.
- Wallace doubled and scored twice.
- Josie Karpinski struck out six batters and only allowed one earned run over four innings in the start.

UMSL Highlights
- Buchanan was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI.
- Miller scored twice and had the two-run homer. She also stole a base.
- Ashley Ware threw four innings of relief to earn the win.

Up Next
The Comets will continue the Lone Star Classic on Sunday with Lewis at 11:15 a.m. and Colorado School of Mines at 1:30 p.m.