BENTONVILLE, ARK. - #8 UT Tyler won 1-0 over Missouri Southern and 9-1 in six innings against Northeastern State on day one of the Alvy Early Memorial Classic.
 
Despite the contrast in styles of victory between the two games, both UT Tyler starters were lights out in the circle for the Patriots. Graduate student Genesis Armendariz tossed her fourth straight complete game effort in as many outings in the 1-0 victory over (RV) Missouri Southern and freshman Crimson Bryant allowed just one hit in 5.0 innings of work in the run-rule of Northeastern State.
 
After posting six hits and the winning run on a squeeze play in the top of the sixth inning in game one, the Patriot offense came to life in game two with 12 hits, five of which went for extra bases. The heart of the Patriot order provided the bulk of the production in that 12-hit performance against Northeastern State as Michelle Arias and Courtney Plocheck both went 3-for-4 and Audrey Escamilla added a three-run homer.
 
The Patriots two victories on Friday extends their win streak to six straight and runs their record to 6-1 to open up the 2024 campaign.
 
Game 1
 
Armendariz picked up right where she left off in last weekend's DII First Pitch Invitational, adding a fourth straight complete game effort to start her UT Tyler career in the 1-0 win over Missouri Southern.
 
The win is her second against an opponent associated with the NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll in as many weeks. The Hobbs, N.M. native allowed just two hits on Friday, both leadoff singles, and struckout three Riverhawks.
 
UT Tyler threatened for the first time at the plate in the top of the third with a pair of one out singles, but couldn't manage to capitalize to keep the ballgame scoreless after a perfect bottom of the third inning from Armendariz. UT Tyler managed six hits in the game, all singles, and didn't feature a single batter with a multi-hit performance.
 
The Patriots broke through with what would end up being the winning run in the top of the sixth inning. Junior Sam Schott was hit by a pitch to begin the frame, bunted over by Arias, and moved to third base on a Plocheck single up the middle.
 
Sophomore Taryn Barney laid down a squeeze bunt, allowing Schott to score from third to make it 1-0. UT Tyler didn't manage any additional runs in the inning and held their 1-0 advantage through the sixth inning after Armendariz retired the Lions in order.
 
A leadoff single and an ensuing sacrifice bunt provided Armendariz with a jam in Missouri Southern's last trip to the plate in the seventh. Armendariz induced a groundout on the ensuing batter and then worked around a walk to close the books on the victory with a groundout.
Game 2
 
UT Tyler opened up the offense in a 9-1 run-rule of Northeastern State in the second game on Friday afternoon.
 
Five extra-base hits, including homers by Escamilla and junior JT Smith, highlighted a 12-hit output for the Patriots. Escamilla finished 2-for-4 at the plate with four RBI while Plocheck and Arias each notched 3-for-4 efforts in the heart of the UT Tyler line-up.
 
Bryant allowed just one hit in 5.0 innings in the circle, striking out seven and allowing just a single walk. The Sulphur Springs, Texas native moved to 3-0 on the year and hasn't allowed an earned run in her first 19.0 innings of collegiate softball.
 
Arias plated the first UT Tyler run of the game with RBI single in the first that scored Smith. Bryant struckout four batters in the first two innings with the 1-0 lead in hand after two innings of play.
 
A four run top of the third inning broke the game open as Arias and Plocheck strung together a pair of singles following a one out double from Schott. The former single off the bat of Arias scored Schott from second to make it 2-0.
 
Escamilla's three-run homer with two outs on the board ran the advantage to 5-0.
 
Bryant returned to work with three straight outs in the bottom of the frame, and then enjoyed two more runs of support in the top of the fourth. Smith put the first of those two runs on the board with a solo homer with one out.
 
An RBI double off the bat of Plocheck a few batters later scored Arias to make it 7-0.
 
An infield single put an end to Bryant's no-hit bid in the bottom of the fourth, but the freshman quickly regained form with a fly out and consecutive strikeouts to end the inning. Neither team managed any offense in the fifth inning before UT Tyler put the run-rule into play in the sixth with a sacrifice fly from Barney and an RBI groundout by Escamilla with the bases loaded.
 
Junior Kaylee Davis saw her first action of 2024 in the circle in the bottom of the sixth inning and kept the run-rule in-tact despite the Riverhawks loading the bases with no outs. Davis surrendered just one run after the early struggles.
 
Smith, Schott and Arias all scored twice for UT Tyler. Arias went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI to go alongside those two runs scored.
 
Up Next
 
UT Tyler will take on Missouri Western State and #13 Southern Arkansas in the final two games of the Alvy Early Memorial Classic.