TYLER, TEXAS - #4 UT Tyler turned a one-run game through five innings of play into a 10-0 run-rule victory over St. Mary's on Wednesday afternoon.
 
The Patriots plated nine runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to close out the series sweep of St. Mary's and extended their win streak to 16 straight. Graduate student Genesis Armendariz went 5.0 innings before turning the ball over to Christin Haygood in the sixth, who retired three Rattlers in a row despite inheriting runners on second and third with no outs.
 
UT Tyler totaled 10 of their 12 hits in the game in the final two trips to the plate, eight of which came in the bottom of the sixth inning. Four different Patriots notched two hits in the game, including Courtney Plocheck and JT Smith, who hit the two UT Tyler homers.
 
The Patriots have swept five straight Lone Star Conference opponents with the win over St. Mary's.
 
Plocheck's solo shot in the bottom of the fourth inning turned a 0-0 game through three innings of play into a 1-0 lead in favor of the Patriots. Armendariz scattered four hits in her first five innings of work before running into trouble in the top of the sixth.
 
St. Mary's led off the inning with a single and double to put runners on second and third with no outs. Haygood took over for Armendariz, induced a fielder's choice out at home, a groundout to the catcher and a foul out to escape the jam without conceding a run.
 
UT Tyler loaded the bases with one out in their half of the sixth and scored a run in the next six consecutive at bats to turn the 1-0 differential into a 7-0 game. Cassidi Mullen, Michelle Arias, Nicole Price, Plocheck and Audrey Escamilla all notched RBI singles over that stretch and Sam Schott a sac fly to right to put the six runs on the board for the Patriots.
 
Smith then ended the game on the ensuing at bat with a three-run homer to center that ran the score to it's eventual 10-0 final.
 
Armendariz moved to 14-5 on the year and Haygood collected her second save of the year to combine for the shutout of the Rattlers.
 
Plocheck finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Seven different Patriots drove in a run.
 
Price, Escamilla and Mullen all went 2-for-3 and all scored a run and drove in an RBI.
 
UT Tyler will host their final Lone Star Conference series of the regular season on Friday and Saturday against Lubbock Christian at Irwin Field.