STATESBORO, Ga. - The Georgia Southern softball squad nearly overcame a big deficit against UT Arlington in Sunday's final Sun Belt series contest, but the Mavs prevailed by a 10-7 score to take the series.
UTA keeps ahold of a Top 4 spot in the Sun Belt standings with the series win, improving to 22-19 overall and 10-7 in the league. The Eagles fall to 22-20, 7-11 in the Sun Belt and will look to regroup when it takes on its final non-conference opponent on the schedule, Jacksonville University, on Wednesday at 5 p.m. in Jacksonville, Fla.
The Mavericks jumped on Georgia Southern starter
Kierra Camp (11-8) in the first inning, tagging her for three hits and five runs to build a 5-0 lead before the Eagles got a chance to bat. Aileen Garcia's three-run home run was the big blow in the inning.
UTA built on that lead with a single run in the fourth inning with an RBI triple by Melanie Mendoza, and two runs in the top of the fourth on a Reagan Wright RBI single and an RBI groundout for the 8-0 advantage.
The Eagles started their comeback in the bottom of the fourth inning, getting a sacrifice fly by
Shelby Wilson, then a two-run home run from
Sydney Fisher, her second home run of the weekend.
Georgia Southern would pull within one run with a four-run fifth inning, thanks to a
Logan Harrell RBI single and a three-run blast from
Allyssah Mullis.
The Eagles had a great chance to at least tie in the sixth, getting two runners on with nobody out, but reliever Randi Phillips (13-7) escaped the jam in the sixth and gave up only a hit in the seventh to preserve the win.
Phillips hurled 3 2/3 innings of relief to notch the victory for the Mavs, giving up six hits and five runs, walking three while striking out two.
Kaylee Ramos hurled 6 1/3 innings of relief for the Eagles, giving up eight hits and five runs - four earned - to keep Georgia Southern in the contest.
Fisher went 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Eagles offensively, while Mullis ended the day 2-for-4 with three RBI. Melanie Mendoza's 2-for-2 with two RBI day paced the Mavericks.
