ARLINGTON, Texas - UT Arlington scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break open a close game and claim a 5-0 Sun Belt Conference series-opening softball victory over visiting Georgia Southern on Friday afternoon in Arlington.

The Mavs improved to 18-17 overall, 8-8 in the Sun Belt with the victory, while Georgia Southern fell to 9-22 overall and 4-9 in the league. The two teams will wrap up their three-game series with a Noon doubleheader on Saturday.

UT Arlington plated a in the first inning on an RBI double by Morgan Rios to take a 1-0 lead, then Gerogia Southern starter Rylee Waldrep settled into a pitcher's duel with Mavs starter Jessica Adams. 

The one-run score remained until the bottom of the sixth inning, when a KJ Murphy three-run home run highlighted a four-run frame, putting the game out of reach.

Adams (11-11) would finish with a three-hit shutout for the Mavs, striking out five, to notch the win. Waldrep finished the game giving up eight hits and five runs - only one earned - in six innings of work, walking one while striking out two.