MIAMI SHORES, FLORIDA - #4 UT Tyler Softball swept Barry on Saturday afternoon in a doubleheader as they stretch their overall record out to 25-4 on the season.
 
GAME ONE
 
The Patriots and Buccaneers battled their way through a pitchers duel in the first three innings, as Tatum Goff got the ball to start in the circle. Through three innings, Goff gave up just two hits and one walk while striking out two batters. Just one Buccaneer hitter was able to make their way past second base, but Goff got two big groundouts to end any threat in the bottom of the third.
 
The fourth inning saw the #4 UT Tyler bats get going, with JT Smith leading off the inning with a hit by pitch and promptly stealing second. Audrey Escamilla drilled a double down the right field line and the Patriots had the lead. A reach on an error followed, and Courtney Plocheck singled through the left side to drive in another run for a 2-0 lead. That brought Michelle Arias to the plate, and she came through in the clutch by slugging a three run blast to left field to give the Patriots a 5-0 lead.
 
Goff went right back out for the fourth inning, and worked around a double and a walk with another strikeout, groundout, and a popout to hold the Buccaneers scoreless. In the fifth, Goff was right back at it, working a 1-2-3 inning.
 
In the sixth inning, the Patriots tacked on two more runs thanks to yet another Arias blast that drove home Avery Farr. The lead climbed out to seven, and the Patriots found themselves just six outs away from a game one win.
 
In the bottom half, the Buccaneers finally got themselves on the board with a leadoff home run. Goff answered with a strikeout, but the Buccaneers responded by loading the bases with a walk and two singles. That meant Shea O'Leary would come into the game, but Barry grabbed another two runs with a walk and a single before O'Leary induced an infield fly and a groundout to end the inning.
 
The Patriots were unable to plate a run in their half of the seventh, but O'Leary settled in and delivered a 1-2-3 inning to close out the game and give the Patriots the win.
 
Cassidi Mullen and Michelle Arias each had two hits in the game, with Arias going 2-3 with five RBI and two runs scored.
 
Tatum Goff moves to 16-0 on the season after going 5.1 innings and allowing three runs on six hits and giving up three walks to five strikeouts.
 
GAME TWO
 
Shea O'Leary trotted right back out after finishing game one to get the start in game two. After the Patriots offense went down in the top of the first, O'Leary worked a 1-2-3 bottom half to keep the game tied.
 
In the second inning, the Patriots would break the scoreless tie with some small ball as the Patriots scored their run on no hits. Avery Farr led off with a hit by pitch, and was moved over with a groundout and a fielder's choice. Amanda Marek stepped in, and she hit a tough grounder to second base that was mishandled and allowed Farr to score from third.
 
O'Leary worked two more 1-2-3 innings in the second and the third, tacking on three more strikeouts while not allowing a hitter to reach base.
 
Her dominant form cued up the offense again in the fourth inning, and after a pair of hitters reached base, Cassidi Mullen singled into center field to plate another run. JT Smith followed with her own RBI groundout, and Mullen herself would come around to score on a wild pitch to give the Patriots a 4-0 lead.
 
In the bottom half of the fourth inning, O'Leary continued to shut down the Buccaneers hitters despite allowing the first runner of the game on a walk. In the fifth, she again struck out two hitters on her way to a 1-2-3 inning in just 11 pitches.
 
The Buccaneers would finally get their first hit of the game in the sixth inning after another strikeout and a groundout, but despite stealing second, O'Leary dealt another strikeout to shut off the rally.
 
The only run of the game for Barry came in the bottom of the seventh, as they strung together two hits for the first time in the entire game. Both of those hits would go for extra bases, but O'Leary responded with two more popups to finish off the contest and seal the win.
 
Shea O'Leary moves to 5-2 on the year after going seven full innings and allowing just three hits and one run. She dished out only one walk, and struck out eight hitters on the way to the win.
 
Three different Patriots drove in runs on the day, as Mullen, Smith, and Marek all drove in runs. The Patriots also drew four walks and four hit by pitches to create havoc all game long.
 
#4 UT Tyler now gets a few days rest as they return back to the friendly confines of Irwin Ballpark as they host Midwestern State in a three game series on March 17-18. That series kicks off with a 3 p.m. first pitch on the 17^th.