TYLER, TEXAS – #10 UT Tyler totaled 26 runs and conceded just a single hit in 15-0 and 11-0 wins, each game lasting just five innings, against Eastern New Mexico on Sunday afternoon to move to 4-0 in Lone Star Conference play.
Erin Hill pitched a no hitter, the first such outing in the Division II era for UT Tyler, in the second run rule of Eastern New Mexico (0-4, 0-4 LSC).
Payton Foster limited the Greyhounds to just a single hit in the 15-0 run rule of the Greyhounds in game one, as the UT Tyler pitching staff combined to allow just three base runners in the 10.0 innings pitched combined.
The Patriot offense filled up the stat sheet in the wins as well, hitting .488 for the team for the day with 21 hits, eight of which were for extra bases.
Amanda Marek hit three homeruns to add to the two she hit in Friday's sweep of #17 West Texas to total five for the weekend.
Marek finished the opening week of Lone Star Conference play with seven hits in her 14 at bats, racking up 14 RBI throughout the four games and the aforementioned five homeruns.
UT Tyler scored 10 runs in the first two innings to get the day started on Sunday afternoon with a 10-0 lead over the Greyhounds through two frames. The Patriots plated at least one run in all four trips to the plate in a game that was ended after the top of the fifth inning by way of a run rule.
Marek's second inning two-run homer followed up a first inning that saw UT Tyler draw five straight two-out walks to total four runs on just two hits in the frame. The Patriot offense earned their way on base in the bottom of the second with five hits, including the homer from Marek to break the scoring open and establish a double-digit lead.
Kyle Mach,
Shelby Hughston and Tristen Anders all hit RBI singles in the second straight contest in which the Patriots totaled double-digit hit totals with 11 in the game.
UT Tyler added one run in the bottom of the third and then utilized a
Lauren Harris homer with one out to get a four-run fourth inning started in what would be the final trip to the plate for the Patriots in game one.
Hanna Fradkin and
Audrey Escamilla would post the other three RBI in the inning, as both Patriots came on as pinch hitters in the frame to showcase a deep UT Tyler offensive attack.
Hill took the circle for game number two and worked a perfect game, retiring the first 13 batters she faced in order, before a fielding error allowed the first and only Greyhound to reach base with one out in the top of the fifth. Hill grounded the ensuing batter into a double-play to put an emphasis on a near flawless effort and moved her season record to 6-1 on the year.
The Patriot offense scored in bunches to support the Hill effort in the circle in game number two, beginning the day with five runs in the first and ending the day with six runs in the fourth. Marek hit a two-run homer in that first inning and a three-run shot in the third to finish the 11-0 win with five RBI.
All five of the hits that drove in runs for UT Tyler in game number two stood as extra-base hits as Marek's pair of homers were combined with a three-run shot from
Shelby Hughston in the fourth and a pair of RBI doubles from
Ashley Perez and
Tristin Anders in the second.
Anders has five RBI on the day while going 2-for-3 as four different Patriots totaled two or more RBI for the afternoon between the two games.
Hill finished with four strikeouts on the afternoon in her game two no hitter, while Foster threw 3.0 innings in game number one and allowed just a single base runner for the game. Morgan Alexander and
Chelsea Smith combined to throw 2.0 innings of no-hit work in the fourth and fifth innings of that contest after Foster's day was complete.
UT Tyler combined the dominate day of softball over Eastern New Mexico with 8-1 and 10-3 wins over #17 West Texas A&M to make a statement to the rest of the league that the Patriots will once again be a top dog in LSC play. They will continue on with their league schedule on Friday and Saturday with doubleheaders at UT Permian Basin and Western New Mexico.
