AUSTIN, Texas—The University of Texas at Tyler Softball (25-2) swept a midweek doubleheader with Concordia University Texas (11-19) Tuesday evening. The Patriots shutout the Tornadoes, 8-0, in the first game before getting a 9-1 win to finish the day.
 
Both teams had their opportunities to take a lead over the first three innings. In each of the first six half innings, the team at the plate put a runner on the base path, but neither team could push a run across home plate until the top of the fourth inning.
 
With one out in the inning, senior infielder Theresa Gonzales (Elgin, Texas) singled to right field before freshman infielder Allyssa Young (Franklin, Louisiana) came in to pinch run. Senior infielder Serena Saldivar (Garland, Texas) followed by reaching base on a walk while senior outfielder Dariann Resendez (Austin, Texas) loaded the bases on a single to center field. The first run of the game scored courtesy of a sacrifice fly to plate Young.
 
The top of the fifth inning began with a double to left field by senior outfield Nicole Garcia (Sugar Land, Texas) before the next two batter were retired. With two outs, freshman infielder Chaney Tart (Malakoff, Texas) picked up a base knock to left field that scored Garcia. Theresa Gonzales put runners on the corners with a single before Saldivar made it a 3-0 Patriot lead with a double to left field.
 
The scoring continued in the top of the sixth inning with sophomore outfielder Haleigh Swinney (Crosby, Texas) reaching on an error and Garcia recording a single to put runners on the corners. Sophomore catcher Ashley Perez (Pflugerville, Texas) hit a sacrifice fly to right field scoring the fourth run before senior infielder Victoria Gonzales (Elgin, Texas) sent a single to right field to plate another and give the Patriots a 5-0 advantage.
 
Two more UT Tyler runners reached to start the top of the seventh inning which set up a three-run homerun over the left field wall for Saldivar. Her second long ball of the season scored the final three runs of the game and sealed the 8-0 Patriot win to open the doubleheader.   
 
Garcia finished the game going 4-5 at the plate with two runs scored while Theresa Gonzales and Resendez both picked up three hits. Senior left-handed pitcher Colleen Bentke (Brenham, Texas) pitched all seven innings and picked up her 13^th win of the season. She allowed just three hits and struck out three batters en route to her fourth shutout of the season.
 
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Patriots jumped out to an early lead with two runs in the first inning. Victoria Gonzales drove in the first two runs with a double to right center field before Theresa Gonzales drove in another on a bunt single later in the inning to give UT Tyler a 3-0 lead.
 
The scoring continued in the top of the second inning after Garcia reached base on a one-out walk. She was brought home after Perez smashed her third homer of the season over the left field wall. The two-run shot made it a 5-0 lead, but the Tornados did get a run back in the home half of the inning.
 
Neither team could add to their run total over the next two innings but the Patriots found themselves with the bases loaded in the top of the fifth inning. Sophomore outfielder Shae Harris (Brenham, Texas) took advantage of a pinch-hit opportunity by reaching on four balls to pick up an RBI. Garcia followed that by driving in two runs on a single back to the pitcher to put UT Tyler on top, 8-1.
 
UT Tyler added a run in the top of the seventh for good measure on an RBI-single by sophomore infielder Mak Dominguez (Austin, Texas).  In their final chance to trim the deficit, Concordia managed to get a runner to third base but the Patriot defense stranded her there. The 9-1 victory gives UT Tyler their 10^th-consecutive win and puts them in position for their third straight series sweep on Wednesday.
 
At the plate, three Patriot batters recorded a pair of hits including Garcia, Perez, and Resendez. Garcia and Perez also led the team with two RBI's along with Victoria Gonzales. Junior right-handed pitcher Whitney Romero (Lafayette, Louisiana) picked up her 10^th win of the season after five innings of work. She allowed one run and struck out four batters before junior right-hander Miranda Leal (San Antonio, Texas) closed out the final two innings.
 
The three-game series between UT Tyler and Concordia will come to a close on Wednesday afternoon when the two teams square off at 3 p.m.