TYLER, Tex.—University of Texas at Tyler Softball (9-0) completed a three-game sweep of Hardin-Simons University (3-5) on Saturday at Suddenlink Field. The Patriots shutout the Cowgirls in both contests with 12-0 and 9-0 contests on Saturday and extended their current win streak to seven games to begin the 2019 campaign.
 
In the home half of the first inning, the Patriots jumped out to a three-run lead after four-consecutive batters reached base with one out. Two batters were walked, another was hit by a pitch, and junior infielder Ashley Perez (Pflugerville, Texas) singled during the span. The second walk to senior infielder Serena Saldivar (Garland, Texas) came with the bases loaded to bring in the first run of the game. The other two runs came on a sophomore infielder Mak Dominguez (Austin, Texas) RBI ground out and a sophomore outfielder Haleigh Swinney (Crosby, Texas) hit by pitch.
 
UT Tyler went up 4-0 in the second inning when, again, four-consecutive Patriot batters reached base. Perez got it started with a tow out walk and was eventually brought home when Dominguez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
 
The Patriots continued to add to their lead in the third inning with an RBI single by senior infielder Victoria Gonzales (Elgin, Texas) and a two-RBI double by Perez. Saldivar also brought in a pair of runs with her second home run of the season over the center field wall to put the Patriots up 9-0 after three innings.
 
Hardin-Simmons gave up three more runs in the fourth inning, all of which were unearned, to give UT Tyler a 12-0 advantage. The score would hold the rest of the way to give the Patriots the win in five innings. Senior pitcher Colleen Bentke (Brenham, Texas) got the start on the mound for the second straight game and pitched four innings of one hit softball. She moved to 4-0 on the season and lowered her ERA to 1.27. Freshman pitcher Payton Foster (Lufkin, Texas) pitched the fifth inning, striking out a pair in her collegiate debut.
 
For the third straight contest, UT Tyler grabbed an early lead in the bottom of the first inning. Senior outfielder Nicole Garcia (Sugar Land, Texas) reached on a walk to start the game. Gonzalez, batting second, got down 0-2 in the count before blasting a pitch over the left field wall to plate two runs. It was her second home run of the season and the second of the day for UT Tyler.
 
Another home run came in the bottom of the second after Swinney and senior outfielder Dariann Resendez (Austin, Texas) reached base to lead off the inning. Garcia put it over the wall in right center to put UT Tyler ahead by five runs. Later in the same inning with a runner on base, senior infielder Theresa Gonzales (Elgin, Texas) recorded the third home run of the game and fourth of the day when she sent it over the wall in left center.
 
Two more runs came in during the inning courtesy of a bases loaded walk and a fielder choice that gave the Patriots their final run and a 9-0 victory. The win sealed a three-game sweep over the Cowgirls while UT Tyler also held their opponent without a run in all three games.
 
Junior pitcher Whitney Romero (Lafayette, Louisiana) got the start in game two and moved to 3-0 on the season after pitching three innings of one-hit softball. Junior pitcher Miranda Leal (San Antonio, Texas) pitched the fourth and fifth innings. She did not allow a base runner while striking out three in her fourth appearance of the season. Leal has only yet to allow a run in 6.2 innings this season. 
 
The Patriots will look to continue their seven-game win streak to begin the season on Wednesday when they host Letourneau University for a double header at 5 p.m.