ARKADELPHIA, Arkansas - The UT Tyler Softball team played day two of the Ronnie Hawkins Invitational on Sunday. The Patriots played host Ouachita Baptist and 2018 Heartland Conference Champion, Rogers State. UT Tyler defeated RSU 3-1 before downing OBU 5-2 in. UT Tyler is now 4-0 to start the season and 4-0 against NCAA Division II competition. 

GAME 1: UT Tyler 3 - Rogers State 1
The Patriots played their third game of the tournament against 2018 Heartland Conference Champion, Rogers State University. The Hillcats were set to be future Lone Star Conference opponents before joining the MIAA earlier this year. 

Colleen Bentke took to the circle for the third game of the series, tossing six innings while picking up her second win of the season. Bentke struck out four and allowed just one run on three hits in her outing. The win pushed her to 2-0 to start the season. Miranda Leal tossed the final inning, picking up her second save of the season. 

A game that remained scoreless until the sixth saw UT Tyler come from behind to win their third straight game 3-1. Rogers State tallied a run in the top of the sixth inning before UT Tyler picked up three runs in the bottom of the frame. 

Victoria Gonzales doubled to open the scoring for UT Tyler. The two RBI double scored Nicole Garcia and Dariann Resendez. Gonzales put the Patriots ahead before Ashley Perez singled in Breanne McElderry to seal a 3-1 win for the Patriots. 

GAME 2: UT Tyler 5 - Ouachita Baptist 2
Whitney Romero took to the circle in the final game of the tournament against host, Ouachita Baptist. Romero would toss six innings, striking out two Tigers en route to her second win of the season. Leal would toss the final inning, picking up her third save. 

Victoria Gonzales would put the Patriots ahead 2-0 in the fifth behind the power of a two-run homerun. Gonzales's homer would score Nicole Garcia. Theresa Gonzales put UT Tyler ahead 3-0 in the sixth with a solo homerun. Dariann Resendez followed with an RBI single to score Mak Dominguez, giving the Patriots a 4-0 lead. Garcia put the Patriots ahead 5-0, driving in Chaney Tart after an error. 

Two homers from OBU cut the lead to three before Leal picked up the save. 

Head Coach Mike Reed commented, "It was a great weekend. Our players were very eager to compete. We played some really good teams and to go 4-0 speaks volumes of our team."

UT Tyler is off next week before returning to action at Suddenlink Field on Friday, February 15. UT Tyler opens ASC play when they host Hardin Simmons in a three game series.