TYLER, TEXAS - #1 UT Tyler softball moved to 8-4 on the season with a doubleheader sweep of New Mexico Highlands in the final two games of the UT Tyler Classic at Irwin Field on Monday.
 
GAME ONE: #1 UT Tyler 6 | New Mexico Highlands 3
 
Game one of the day on Monday saw the Patriots get another spirited performance from Kearston Gooch and added timely hitting to take a 6-3 win.
 
Gooch worked around a first inning single, not allowing that runner to reach second with a fielder's choice and a strikeout to end the frame after a leadoff groundout. She allowed a walk and a single in the second, but again got around it with another fielder's choice and groundout.
 
While Gooch worked, the Patriots struck first in the second as Laci Berecochea led off with a double to center. Megan Lau dropped a perfect bunt single, and moved up to second on a steal to put two in scoring position. That brought Keona Wells to the plate in a big spot, and she came up clutch with a single up the middle to plate both runners.
 
Gooch settled in, going 1-2-3 in the third and fourth innings with four groundouts and two strikeouts. In the home half of the fourth, the Patriots got a one out single from Wells before back-to-back triples from Kaylee Cavazos and Kaelyn Lerma plated two. Lauren Granger would add another in a groundout to shortstop, making the lead 5-0.
 
The Cowgirls got one run in the fifth with an RBI single, and then plated two more in the sixth with a two run home run to right center as they cut the lead down to just two. Lerma would add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth with a sacrifice fly to right, and Gooch got back on the horse with a flyout and two strikeouts to end the game.
 
Gooch posted her third complete game of the year and moved to 4-2 after going all seven innings while allowing six hits, three runs, one earned run, and posting seven strikeouts and a walk.
 
Keona Wells led the offensive charge, going 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs. Kaylee Cavazos was a perfect 2-for-2 with one RBI and one run while also drawing two walks.
 
GAME TWO: #1 UT Tyler 12 | New Mexico Highlands 3
 
Game two of the day had a slightly different start as the Cowgirls got to starter Kendall Selitzky with two singles to plate the first run of the game before she posted two straight strikeouts to end the frame.
 
The Patriots offense had her back, going getting two singles, an RBI double from Kiara Wiedenhaupt, a two RBI triple from Berecochea, and a two run homer from Layne Reh to bust open the game at 5-1 after just one inning.
 
Selitzky would give up two more runs from two singles and a groundout, but again settled in with a strikeout to end the frame. She worked a 1-2-3 third, then handing the ball off to Kaylee Harris in the fourth, who worked her own 1-2-3 inning.
 
The Patriots added an insurance run in the fourth with doubles from Reh and Cavazos, doubling their lead at 6-3. The Cowgirls threatened with two singles and a walk in the fifth, but Harris navigated the traffic to perfection, getting a strikeout looking to leave three runners stranded. Alli Kimball would come on for the sixth, getting her own 1-2-3 inning capped off by a strikeout.
 
In the home half of the sixth, the Patriots caught fire again, taking care of business to get the run-rule win. After a pair of groundouts around a walk, the Patriots got a single up the middle for the first run of the frame. Three straight walks followed, including another RBI from Reh. That set up Dezirae Lopez with the bases loaded, and she ended the game with a looping blast down the left field line that stayed fair for a grand slam and a 12-3 win.
 
Layne Reh went 2-for-2 in the game with three runs and three RBI while adding a walk. Eight other Patriots added a hit, and five others added an RBI, including Berecochea with two and Lopez with four.
 
UT Tyler gets back to action on Saturday, opening up Lone Star Conference play against Texas Woman's on the road in Denton, Texas. They will next play at home on February 28^th as they host St. Edward's.