CONROE, TEXAS – Stellar efforts in the circle from Genesis Armendariz and Crimson Bryant led #8 UT Tyler to a pair of wins over Colorado Mesa and Washburn on Saturday afternoon.
 
Both arms went the complete game for a Patriots team that moved to 3-1 on the weekend at the 2024 DII First Pitch Invitational. Graduate student Courtney Plocheck went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI in a 10-2 run-rule of Colorado Mesa in game one and then provided the winning run against Washburn with a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to lead the Patriots to a 1-0 victory.
 
Armendariz and Bryant didn't allow a single earned run in their combined 13.0 innings of work in the circle between the two games. Graduate student Audrey Escamilla went a combined 4-for-4 between the two games, driving in a pair of runs and drawing three walks.
 
Game 1
 
UT Tyler struck for six runs in their first two trips to the plate and then rode Armendariz's second complete game without allowing an earned to run-rule Colorado Mesa by a 10-2 final.
 
Plocheck got her 2-for-3 effort started in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI single that scored junior JT Smith, and then came around to score the third run of the frame after a sac fly from sophomore Taryn Barney on a throwing error by the Mavericks. Junior Sam Schott kick-started a two-out rally in the next trip to the plate for the Patriots with an RBI single to left field that was misplayed by Colorado Mesa's leftfielder and allowed two runs to come home.
 
Plocheck's second hit of the game scored the sixth run of the day for the Patriots on a single and provided Armendariz with a 6-0 cushion to work with through two innings of play.
 
The graduate student worked well with runners aboard all game, stranding seven aboard while providing a second-consecutive outing without allowing an earned run. Armendariz struckout six and scattered seven hits.
 
Colorado Mesa scored two-out runs in the third and fifth to cut the deficit to 6-2 before Escamilla reignited the Patriot offense with a solo homer to lead-off the bottom of the fifth inning. UT Tyler enacted the run-rule in the bottom of the sixth with three straight hits to close out the game, including an RBI double down the rightfield line from Escamilla.
 
The double was sandwiched around a pair of RBI singles from Madison Okano and Tara Stewart that combined with the Escamilla extra-base hit to generate the run-rule at 10-2.
 
Escamilla, Plocheck and Smith all recorded multi-hit outings while seven different Patriots notched an RBI in the effort. Escamilla went 3-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.
 
Game 2
 
Bryant was superb in the circle in game two for the Patriots, striking out four while scattering five hits, and moved to 2-0 on the season following the 1-0 win.
 
The Sulphur Springs, native worked with runners aboard in four out of the first five innings and then stranded the bases loaded in the sixth to shine once again for the Patriots in her second career outing. The pivotal sixth inning for Bryant immediately paid off as Plocheck led off the bottom half of the frame with a solo homer to right center that provided the difference in the ball game.
 
UT Tyler managed just three hits in the contest, but advanced runners into scoring position in each of the first two innings and then stranded runners on second and third in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Plocheck's solo shot to leadoff the sixth set the stage for Bryant to close out the 1-0 victory in the top of the seventh with a pair of quick outs and then a final pop out to close the books on her second victory to open her Patriot career.
 
Escamilla finished the second game of the afternoon 1-for-1 at the plate and drew an additional walk. Graduate student Michelle Arias joined Plocheck and Escamilla with the third hit of the ball game for the Patriots.
 
Up Next
 
UT Tyler will close out opening weekend tomorrow afternoon with a 2:30 first pitch against Regis.