UTA softball suffers back-to-back losses to University of Arkansas in season-opening doubleheader

The UTA softball team (0-2) was swept by the University of Arkansas in their season-opening doubleheader Monday at Allan Saxe Field.

Game 1: Arkansas 10, UTA 6

Trailing behind 8-0 after two innings, senior pitcher JoJo Valencia came in relief to start a Mavericks comeback.

In the bottom of the third, senior catcher Courtney Ogle scored on an RBI double from junior infielder Kimber Cortemelia, putting the Mavericks on the board 8-1.

By then, with sophomore outfielder Reagan Hukill on third, a groundout to the shortstop allowed her to score, cutting the Arkansas deficit to 8-2.

After Arkansas extended its lead to 9-2 in the fourth inning, the Mavericks put up three runs in the fifth inning to bring the Razorbacks’ lead down to 9-5 entering the sixth inning.

In the top of the sixth, Audrie LaValley, sophomore second baseman for Arkansas, hit a home run, leading to junior pitcher Laura Henriksen being called in to relieve Valencia.

Valencia finished allowing two runs on three hits and struck out three batters in 3.1 innings.

In the Mavericks’ bottom of the sixth, Cortemelia hit a solo home run with two outs, bringing the Razorbacks’ lead down 10-6.

In the seventh inning, the Mavericks started off with a single but followed that with three straight outs, giving the Razorbacks the 10-6 victory in the first game of the doubleheader.

Game 2: Arkansas 4, UTA 3

In the final game of Monday’s doubleheader, freshman pitcher Gracie Bumpurs started in the circle and pitched four scoreless innings in her Maverick debut.

In the top of the fifth, Arkansas broke through with two runs driven in from junior first baseman Danielle Gibson from a double to right center.

In the sixth, LaValley hit a solo home run to extend the Arkansas lead 3-0, ending Bumpurs’ night.

The Mavericks responded in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out home run from Ogle to cut the Arkansas lead 3-2.

Junior outfielder Hannah McEwen gave Arkansas an insurance run with a lead-off home run in the seventh to bring the lead up 4-2.

Down to their final out, sophomore first baseman Lindsey Franklin cut the Arkansas lead down to one run at 4-3 after hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh.

The Mavericks were unable to capitalize off the Franklin home run, dropping the second game to Arkansas 4-3.

UTA returns to the field versus Baylor University at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Getterman Stadium in Waco, Texas.

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