TYLER, Tex.—University of Texas at Tyler Softball (9-0) swept a pair of contests with Letourneau University (5-2) Wednesday evening at Suddenlink Field. The Patriots came from behind in the first game to win, 11-7, before using a 15-run second inning in game-two to make it a sweep with an 18-11 victory.
 
The Patriots got out to an early lead in the first game with runs in each of the first two innings. The Yellowjacket bats came alive in the top of the fourth with Letourneau taking a 5-2 advantage heading into the bottom half. The first four batters of the bottom half reached highlighted by singles form sophomore infielder Mak Dominguez (Austin, Texas) and senior outfielder Dariann Resendez (Austin, Texas). UT Tyler trimmed their deficit to two, 5-3, after four innings.
 
Plating eight runs in the bottom of the fifth, UT Tyler's bats came alive and stayed red hot the rest of the evening. Six-consecutive batters reached with one out in the inning with three being hit by pitches. The ninth, 10^th, and 11^th batter of the inning all sent doubles to the gaps which put the Patriots back on top, 11-5.
 
In the top of the seventh inning, the Yellowjackets showed signs of a comeback platting two runs and loading the bases with one out. After senior pitcher Colleen Bentke (Brenham, Texas) got the start, she re-entered the game to record the final two outs and seal a Patriot victory. Junior pitcher Miranda Leal (San Antonio, Texas) pitched in relief between the Bentke appeared. She recorded her first win of the season after 3.1 innings of work.
 
Senior outfielder Nicole Garcia (Sugar Land, Texas) and sophomore infielder Ashley Perez (Pflugerville, Texas) led the UT Tyler offense with three hits each. Perez added three runs-batted-in and scored a run of her own. Garcia had a pair of RBI's and two more runs scored.
 
Game-two started strong for the Patriots with three doubles in the home half of the first inning coming from senior infielder Victoria Gonzales (Elgin, Texas), senior infielder Theresa Gonzalez (Elgin, Texas), and senior infielder Serena Saldivar (Garland, Texas). The Patriots plated two runs in the inning before the offense exploded in the bottom of the second.
 
UT Tyler batted around the lineup twice in the second inning to score 15 runs. The first eight batters of the inning reach with Nicole Garcia and Victoria Gonzales both picking up RBI singles during the span. Both picked up RBI hits later in the inning when they came back up to bat while Dominguez and freshman utility Lauren Harris (Sugar Land, Texas) also earned two hits in the inning. By the time the third out was recorded, the Patriots had managed 15 runs on three hits and led the game 17-0.
 
A final Patriot run came in the bottom of the fourth courtesy of a Yellowjacket with two runners in scoring position. Letourneau did add a run in the top half of the fifth but could not muster another run. The Patriots put away the second game, 18-1, to seal the doubleheader sweep.
 
Junior pitcher Whitney Romero (Lafayette, Louisiana) picked up her fourth win of the season after four innings of one-hit softball. She struck out seven batters before freshman pitcher Payton Foster (Lufkin, Texas) closed out the final inning. Dominguez and Victoria Gonzalez each picked up three hits in the game while Nicole Garcia led the game with four RBI's. Three other Patriots added three RBI's including Victoria Gonzalez, Theresa Gonzales, Saldivar.
 
The Patriots will now get more than a week off before starting a three-game series with McMurry University on March 1. The two teams will square off at 4 p.m. in a doubleheader on March 1 at Suddenlink Field before playing a single game on Saturday beginning at noon.