Madi McDonnell, sophomore right-hand pitcher, pitches during a game against Southeastern Louisiana University on March 5 at Allan Saxe Field. McDonnell had four assists.
Southeastern Louisiana University (15-9) beat UTA (8-13) 5-0 and held the team hitless Thursday at Allan Saxe Field.
Southeastern Louisiana scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning with an RBI single from senior catcher Cydnee Schneider. The run gave the team an early 1-0 lead.
A walk from senior first baseman Dee McClarity in the bottom of the first inning accounted for one of the two base runners UTA got all night.
Kelsey Creech, fifth-year right fielder, sprints to first base during a match against Southeastern Louisiana University on March 5 at Allan Saxe Field. Creech had one strikeout.
Southeastern Louisiana, on the other hand, continued to score by putting up three runs in the top of the third inning. A two-RBI single from Southeastern Louisiana senior left fielder Colleen Kulivan gave the team a 4-0 lead en route to the team’s 16-hit performance. Meanwhile, UTA was still searching for its first hit of the game.
Junior catcher Mia McNulty, who leads the team with 23 hits on the season, went 0-for-3 and said the team sat on the outside pitch and struggled with the downspin on Southeastern Louisiana graduate student pitcher Cera Blanchard’s pitches.
“If we come back, make the adjustments, we’ll get her next time,” McNulty said.
UTA pulled sophomore pitcher Maddie Furniss after she gave up four runs on eight hits in three innings. Sophomore pitcher Madi McDonnell went in and gave up one run over four innings of work, including escaping a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning without allowing a run.
Junior catcher Mia McNulty prepares to catch the ball during a match against Southeastern Louisiana University on March 5 at Allan Saxe Field. McNulty had three at-bats.
UTA’s second runner of the game came in the form of a walk from freshman left fielder Kaylee Schweitzer in the bottom of the sixth inning, but still the hit would never come.
Southeastern Louisiana’s Blanchard shut the Mavericks down through six full innings. Senior pitcher Tyler Oubre came in the game in the seventh inning and sealed the combined no-hitter, ending the game at 5-0.
Head coach Kara Dill said Blanchard kept the team off-balance. She said the UTA’s timing was a little off, but said she isn’t worried, as it’s a long season and the Mavericks have proven they can score a lot of runs in seven innings.
Junior shortstop Peyton Holland, right, pats Madi McDonnell, sophomore right-hand pitcher, on the shoulder during a game against Southeastern Louisiana University on March 5 at Allan Saxe Field. Holland had one strikeout.
She praised the defense for keeping calm against Southeastern Louisiana’s chaotic base runner style and said they’ll continue to make adjustments.
Looking ahead, UTA will have six days of rest before its next game. Dill said the break will benefit the team, as they’ve played a good chunk of their games in preseason tournaments and have learned a lot.
The Mavericks will take on Prairie View A&M University at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Lady Panthers Softball Stadium in Prairie View, Texas.
“This off weekend is going to be a great opportunity to just let that sink in and settle in and then come back Monday ready to go for Prairie View on Wednesday,” Dill said.
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