TYLER, Texas—The University of Texas at Tyler Softball (23-2) shutout Belhaven University (10-16) on Saturday afternoon, 6-0, to complete a three-game sweep of their American Southwest Conference opponent. The Patriots did not allow the Blazers to score a run in any of the three games during the series.
 
In each of the first three innings, the Blazers put a runner on the base paths but could not plate a runner. Senior left-handed starting pitcher Colleen Bentke (Brenham, Texas) struck out one batter in each of those first three innings to hold Belhaven without a run early.
 
The Patriots also put a runner on base in the first three innings with runners advancing into scoring position in the first and third innings. Just two base runners reached on hits with senior infielder Victoria Gonzales (Elgin, Texas) and sophomore catcher Ashley Perez (Pflugerville, Texas) recording back-to-back singles in the first inning.
 
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Patriot bats came to life with doubles from senior infielder Serena Saldivar (Garland, Texas) and sophomore infielder Mak Dominguez (Austin, Texas). Saldivar sent a shot to right field with one out in the inning and was brought home on the Dominguez double to left field later in the inning to give UT Tyler the first run of the game.
 
Three more UT Tyler runs came around to score in the bottom of the fifth inning after the Blazers went three-up, three-down in the top half of the inning. The first four Patriots of the inning reached base to begin the home half with senior outfielder Nicole Garcia (Sugar Land, Texas) leading off with a single to left field. After a walk to Victoria Gonzales, Perez drove in the second run of the game with a double to right center. That was followed by another double, this time by freshman infielder Chaney Tart (Malakoff, Texas) to drive in two more runs. The scoring continued when senior outfielder Dariann Resendez (Austin, Texas) single to right field to plate Tart and give the Patriots a 5-0 advantage.
 
Perez drove in another run in the bottom of the sixth inning after Garcia reached on a single with one out to go up 6-0. Junior utility Miranda Leal (San Antonio, Texas) came in to pitch the seventh inning and struck out the first batter she faced. She made quick work of the next two batters two to seal another shutout and a three-game sweep.
 
Bentke moved to 12-2 on the season after six innings of work. She allowed just four hits and struck out four more en route to her third solo shutout of the season. At the plate, Perez led all hitters with three hits and drove in a pair of runs. Tart also recorded two runs-batted it while Garcia was the only other batter with multiple hits in the win.
 
The Patriots are back in action next weekend when they travel to Pineville, Louisiana for three contests versus Louisiana College. The series will begin on Friday with a single game beginning at 6 p.m. It wil conclude on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.