LUBBOCK, TEXAS - #2 UT Tyler began Lone Star Conference play in style on Friday afternoon with 1-0 and 12-4 road wins over #8 Lubbock Christian.
Junior
Tatum Goff one-hit Lubbock Christian in game one, retiring 21 of the 22 batters she faced, before the Patriot offense took over in game two with 12 runs off nine hits. Goff struckout seven batters and carried a perfect game into the bottom of the sixth inning before stranding the lone baserunner of the ballgame for Lubbock Christian after a leadoff double.
Redshirt sophomore
JT Smith, who scored the only run Goff needed in the game one victory, went 3-for-3 with four RBI and three runs scored in the 12-4 run-rule of the Lady Chaps in game two. Smith finished the day 5-for-6 at the plate with four RBI, four runs scored, four stolen bases and a three-run homer.
Smith reached on an error to lead off game one, and then stole second, advanced to third on a single from sophomore
Cassidi Mullen, and scored on a double-steal attempt that saw Mullen draw the throw to second that allowed Smith to advance home. UT Tyler added just one more hit throughout the ballgame after that opening frame, but rode 15 straight retired batters from Goff to start the game to victory.
Goff gave up her lone hit of the day on the first at-bat for Lubbock Christian in the bottom of the sixth, but then quickly slammed the door with five outs in the next opportunities at the plate for Lubbock Christian to secure the 1-0 victory for UT Tyler.
The Rusk, Texas native is now 6-0 in 2023, and has allowed just three earned runs in 34.0 innings of work.
Game two was a different story for the UT Tyler offense as they quickly seized control of the ballgame with an eight-run top of the second. Smith made it 1-0 on a sac fly from junior
Courtney Plocheck in the top of the first, and then broke the game open in the second with a three-run homer that made it 5-0.
That blast to right center followed an RBI double from junior
Michelle Arias. The 5-0 advantage was extended to 6-0 on a wild pitch that scored Mullen, and then eventually to 9-0 on a sac fly from redshirt
Keely Castillo and back-to-back passed balls and wild pitches on the ensuing batters for another pair of runs. Lubbock Christian answered with a run in the bottom of the second, but RBI from Smith and Plocheck once again in the top of the third made it 11-1.
A three-run homer of their own for Lubbock Christian chased starter
Kaylee Davis from the ballgame in the third, but graduate student
Shea O'Leary took over and retired all seven batters she faced to ensure the run-rule after a solo homer from Farr in the fourth.
O'Leary collected the win and moves to 2-1 on the year after her seven consecutive outs to end the ballgame.
Smith filled up the box score on her 3-for-3 performance in game two with a homer, three runs scored, four RBI and another stolen base to complete her incredible day for the Patriots. Farr also had hits in all three at-bats including the solo homer and a pair of singles.
The win begins the back-to-back Lone Star Conference Regular Season Champions quest for another regular season title with two wins over the LSC's highest nationally-ranked team entering the weekend.
UT Tyler will look to close out the series with a sweep tomorrow afternoon with a 12 p.m. first pitch.
