ARLINGTON, Texas - Georgia Southern softball split a Sun Belt Conference doubleheader with host UT Arlington on Friday evening at Allen Saxe Field in Arlington, Texas. The Mavericks took game one, 7-1, but the Eagles won the nightcap, 10-3.

Georgia Southern moved to 16-13 overall and 3-5 in the Sun Belt with the split, while UT Arlington moved to 15-14 overall and 5-3 in the league. With thunderstorms expected throughout the day on Saturday, the two teams will wrap up their three-game Sun Belt series with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

"It was a quality day, splitting with a great team like UTA," Georgia Southern Head Softball Coach Kim Dean said. "I felt the score in game one didn't truly reflect the competitiveness we had in the game. We had several hits that were right at few people, and we were able to get a good amount of baserunners on. UTA was just able to string a few hits together with runners in scoring position. But it kept our spirits up, and our energy levels high. We performed at a higher level in game two, getting those timely hits. We're looking forward to resting up tomorrow and getting back at it on Sunday." 

GAME 1: UTA 7, GS 1

Randi Phillips limited the Eagles to one run and seven hits and the Mavericks broke open a close game with a four-run sixth inning to claim game one of the doubleheader.

Faith Shirley's fifth home run of the season in the top of the seventh inning was the only run for the Eagles. 

Phillips (8-7) walked three and struck out two in the complete-game performance for UTA. Ashleigh Morton (6-4) took the loss for the Eagles, giving up six hits and five runs - four earned - in 3 1/3 innings of work, walking one. 

Hannah Farrell had a pair of hits for the Eagles, while UTA's Reagan Wright and Brittany Wyllie had two hits apiece.

GAME 2: GS 10, UTA 3

Georgia Southern started quickly in the nightcap, getting a two-run double from Mekhia Freeman, then RBI singles from Shelby Wilson and Ashlynn Gunter to take a 4-0 lead in the second inning.

UTA responded with three runs in the bottom of the second, but the Eagles pushed the lead back out to four thanks to a solo home run by Macy Coleman and a two-run home run from Logan Harrell.

Shelby Wilson then added the exclamation point with a three-run blast in the top of the seventh.

Rylee Waldrep (4-6) spun a complete-game five-hitter, retiring 11 in a row at one point. She gave up three runs - one earned - and walked three in notching the win. Jo Jo Valencia (3-3) took the loss for the Mavericks, giving up five hits and four runs in 1 2/3 innings of work, walking two and striking out two.

Freeman went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI for the Eagles, while Shelby Wilson went 3-for-5 with a double and a home run. Her double in the sixth inning was her 100th career hit for Georgia Southern.