Softball Opens Conference Play with Wins at MC
March 13, 2008

CLINTON, Miss. – The UT Tyler Patriots softball team opened American Southwest Conference East Division play with two road wins over Mississippi College on Thursday at the Mississippi College Softball Complex.

UT Tyler, ranked No. 2 in the nation according to the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III poll, moves to 18-0 on the year with the wins.

UT Tyler beat the Lady Choctaws 8-4 in game one and 14-0 in the late game.

With Mississippi College leading 4-3 after four innings complete in the first game, the Patriots exploded for five runs in the top of the fifth.  With the bases loaded, Carly Collins drew a walk to score Julie Smith.  Two batters later, Sara DeStefano singled up the middle, scoring Collins and Nicole Willhoite.  Next up, Kristen Akin-Henton singled to load the bases again and Amanda Busby’s single to left field plated DeStefano and Brittanni Hanna to give UT Tyler the 8-4 lead.

Kelsey Harrington got the win for UT Tyler, her seventh of the year. Stacy Shepherd struckout three in two innings of relief work.

In game two, both teams went scoreless through three complete innings before UT Tyler opened the flood gates, tacking on 13 runs in the top of the fourth and one more in the fifth for the run-rule victory. Seven of the Patriots’ ten hits came in the fourth inning.

Hanna was 3-for-3 with four RBIs for the Patriots in the second game and Kelsey Ainsworth picked-up the complete-game victory.

Mississippi College is now 5-5 overall and 0-2 in the ASC.

The Patriots will get some much needed rest before returning to action March 21 at Ozarks.

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