HAMMOND – UT Arlington took a pair of hard-fought victories over Southeastern Louisiana to open a three-game non-conference softball series Saturday afternoon at North Oak Park.
 
In the opener, Southeastern (12-7) left eight runners on base in a 3-1 loss. Senior shortstop Katie Lacour led SLU with two hits, while senior first baseman Amber Sather drove in Lacour for the team's only run. Senior Taylor Bishop (7-3) received her second tough-luck loss in as many starts, as the Lady Lion ace scattered six hits and struck out four in a complete-game effort.
 
UTA (17-0) broke a 3-3 tie with a five-run fifth inning on the way to an 8-3 victory in the nightcap. Sather, sophomore Brittney Wingate and freshman Angelica Gutierrez each drove in runs for the Lady Lions, who again left eight runners on base.
 
The series wraps up with an 11 a.m. contest on Sunday. Live stats and live video (LionVision subscription required) will be accessible at www.LionSports.net. A Cub Club Celebration will be held in conjunction with Sunday's game, as Cub Club members will receive a special craft and free pizza courtesy of Southeastern Athletics Marketing and Promotions.
 
Game One – UT Arlington 3, Southeastern Louisiana 1
Southeastern jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning against UTA freshman Sam Clakley (7-0). Lacour led off the game with a bunt single and advanced to third on a Clakley throwing error. Later in the frame, Sather launched a fly ball that freshman centerfielder Krista Rude ran down on the centerfield warning track, allowing Lacour to easily score and stake SLU to a 1-0 advantage.
 
UTA tied the game up in the top of the second inning. Junior third baseman Shelbi Sikes drew a leadoff walk and later scored on an RBI single by sophomore second baseman Sandra Mendoza to knot the score at 1-1.
 
Bishop and Clakley matched zeroes until UTA scratched across a run in the top of the fourth inning. Freshman Kayci Moore pinch ran for senior first baseman Rebecca Stokes after a one-out walk. Moore stole second, moved to third on a Lacour error and scored on a sacrifice fly by Mendoza to give the Mavs a 2-1 lead.
 
Southeastern mounted a threat in the bottom of the fifth inning. Singles by freshman catcher Whitney Sullivan and Lacour, as well as a walk drawn by freshman outfielder Jaquelyn Ramon loaded the bases with one out. Claykley left the bases loaded by retiring junior pinch hitter Lacey Fritz and sophomore outfielder Kelsey Nichols to maintain UTA's one-run lead.
 
UT Arlington added an insurance run in the top of the sixth. The Mavs plated an unearned run off a SLU error to extend their advantage to 3-1.
 
Southeastern would again threaten in the bottom of the sixth. Junior third baseman Mychal Truxillo, freshman outfielder Taylor Estain and Gutierrez all reached to load the bases with two outs. However, Claykley again pitched out of trouble, retiring freshman pinch hitter Taylar Fuselier to get out of the jam. Claykley retired the Lady Lions in order in the bottom of the seventh inning to close out the victory.

Game Two – UT Arlington 8, Southeastern Louisiana 3
UTA took the early lead in the top of the second inning against SLU freshman pitcher Peyton Pigniolo. Junior outfielder Mallory Foster reached on an infield single, moved to third on consecutive sacrifice bunts and scored when a Pigniolo pitch in the dirt got past Sullivan.
 
Southeastern put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the second inning. A Truxillo single and consecutive walks by Sullivan and Gutierrez loaded the bases, but UTA junior starter Brooklynne Simbeck retired Ramon to get out of the inning unscathed.
 
UTA added to its lead and chased Pigniolo from the game in the top of the third inning. An RBI single by freshman shortstop Laura Curry and an error by Whittington gave the Mavs a 3-0 edge.
 
Southeastern got a run back in the bottom of the third inning with clutch two-out hitting. Consecutive singles by Nichols and Sather put runners at the corners, then Wingate blooped a single in front of Rude in shallow center to score Nichols and slice the deficit to 3-1.
 
The Lady Lion tied the score in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sullivan drew a leadoff walk, then Gutierrez laced a double into the right centerfield gap to easily score senior pinch runner Amanda Livaudais. Ramon drew a walk, then Lacour singled to load the bases with no outs. UTA junior reliever Sam Montes (5-0) retired senior Sydney McCullough and Nichols, but then walked Sather to force in the tying run. Montes recovered to force Wingate into an inning-ending groundout to keep the score tied at 3-3, as the Lady Lions left the bases loaded for the fourth time on the day.
 
UT Arlington retook the lead in the top of the fifth inning against SLU senior reliever Madison Vige' (0-1). The Mavs sent 10 the plate in the frame, scoring five runs and breaking out to an 8-3 lead.
 
Southeastern junior pitcher Kasey Nielson tossed 2.2 innings of no-hit relief to keep SLU within striking distance, but Mendes retired the final 10 Lady Lions she faced to complete the doubleheader sweep.