TYLER, TEXAS - #3 UT Tyler guaranteed a third consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II World Series on Wednesday afternoon with a 3-0 victory over Oklahoma Christian in the 2024 NCAA Division II South Central Super Regionals.
 
The Patriots claim the South Central Regional Title for a third consecutive season in each of the program's first three years of NCAA Division II postseason eligibility. UT Tyler will represent the South Central Region as one of eight teams set to compete in the NCAA Division II World Series in Longwood, Fla. on May 19-25.
 
UT Tyler stranded a total of five Eagles aboard in Oklahoma Christian's final two trips to the plate in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings on Wednesday. Centerfielder JT Smith made a pair of improbable diving catches in left and right centerfield in both of those innings to help keep the shutout and 3-0 advantage for UT Tyler in-tact.
 
The Patriots started early in the top of the first inning as graduate student Courtney Plocheck drove in Sam Schott with an RBI single to put UT Tyler ahead 1-0 early. Starter Christin Haygood kept Oklahoma Christian at bay offensively, working through the first four innings unscathed.
 
A costly fielding mistake by the Eagles doubled the UT Tyler lead to 2-0 after a bunt from Cassidi Mullen was misplayed and thrown into rightfield, allowing Michelle Arias to score all the way from first base on the play. Junior Clarissa Zapata added a third run on the board in the ensuing at-bat, driving in Mullen on a sac fly to leftfield.
 
Haygood finally ran into trouble in the bottom of the sixth after a trio of Eagle singles loaded the bases with two outs on the board. Oklahoma Christian's first batter that reliever Genesis Armendariz faced drove a hard-hit, lined shot to right center that Smith tracked down and made an outstanding diving catch on.
 
That catch saved a minimum of two, possibly three runs and sent the game into the seventh inning with the 3-0 score still in play.

Another heroic catch by Smith, this time in left center in the bottom of the seventh, helped junior Kaylee Davis ensure the save and the Patriots trip back to the NCAA DII World Series. Davis came on for Armendariz after a walk and single to leadoff the inning and kept both runners at first and second base with an infield pop-up, a second diving catch from Smith for the second out and a routine groundout to the pitcher for the third and final out.
 
UT Tyler needed just three hits as a unit to sweep the Eagles in South Central Regional play on Wednesday, leaning heavily on the combined shutout effort in the circle and outstanding defensive play in the field all game.
 
The Patriots will head to Longwood, Fla. for the eight team double elimination tournament set to begin on Sunday. UT Tyler has finished as national semifinalist in each of their first two trips to the tournament in 2022 and 2023.