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By JEREMY COTHAM
Sports Correspondent

Errors can cost a team a game and for the UT Tyler Patriots softball team, it cost them a game and their season.

After winning their first elimination game of the day, 4-2, against La Verne (Calif.), the Patriots committed three errors en route to a 5-3 season-ending loss to the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor Saturday at UT Tyler Ballpark.

With the loss, UT Tyler ends the year at 43-9, the most wins in history of the program.

“They fought to the bitter end and what a special year it has been for them. It was a very amazing season,” said Patriots coach Mike Reed. “When the players get past the initial hurt, they can look back and see how special this season really was.”

Mary-Hardin Baylor, with the win, advances to the championship round of the NCAA Division III Softball West Regional at noon today at UT Tyler Ballpark against Louisiana College.

Louisiana College defeated UMHB in the first game on Saturday, 10-2, to advance to the championship round.

If UMHB wants to win the regional and clinch a berth in the NCAA Softball World Series, May 16-20 in Salem, Va., they must defeat the American Southwest Conference Champions twice where the Lady Wildcats only need one more win.

UT Tyler 4, La Verne 2

The Patriots went into the game matching up against the team that sent them to the loser’s bracket. UT Tyler built an early 2-0 lead after the first inning.

In the inning, Megan Richardson hit a grounder to Trisha McCormick at second who tried to throw out Lindsey Peters who was called safe at the plate as the tag was just a tad late.

Richardson then made her way around the bases to score the second run of the inning on a Carly Collins infield single.

The Patriots extended the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the second on a single to right field by Peters, scoring Kristen Akin-Henton.

An insurance run by the Patriots came in the fourth when Richardson knocked in Akin-Henton on a sharp single up the middle.

After finally getting on the board with one run in the sixth, La Verne added one more in the seventh to cut the deficit to 4-2.

Jodi Lindsay came up to the plate for La Verne with two outs and runners on second and third.

Reed then took out starting pitcher Kelsey Harrington to bring in Lauren Scruggs to close out the game, which she did by striking Lindsay out and recording the save, her first of the season.

Harrington went 6 2/3 innings, giving up both earned runs to improve her freshman season record to 17-2.

Mary-Hardin Baylor 5, UT Tyler 3

After defeating La Verne, the Patriots immediately turned around and faced UMHB to see who would advance to the championship round of the regional tournament.

Playing in their fifth game since Thursday afternoon, the Patriots hurt themselves by committing three errors, which gave UMHB four unearned runs in the 5-3 victory.

The Patriots jumped on the board in the first inning again as Amanda Busby drove in Richardson to record the quick 1-0 lead.

UMHB scored their only earned run in the top of the second as Erica Salazar singled to left field to score Charlsie Cope, tying the game at 1-1.

In the third inning, the Patriots got into a two-out jam with runners on second and third. Cope hit a grounder to Busby at shortstop whose throw was low at first and got past Kate Bell, scoring both Megan Bohne and Kelsey Greeson to give the Lady Cru a 3-1 lead.

In the sixth inning, UT Tyler cut the deficit to 3-2 when Sara DeStefano’s fielder’s choice scored Courtney Carrizales.

In the top of the seventh, UMHB added two more insurance runs, unfortunately, the Patriots gave it to them again as Katina Penter drove in Kacie Kripner and Greeson after Peters’ fielding error.

In the bottom of the final inning, the Patriots tried to build another comeback against UMHB, like they did at the American Southwest Conference tournament, but the bid fell short.

Brittanni Hanna’s single to center field scored Richardson to make it 5-3.

Carrizales came up the plate with one out and runners on second and third but struck out looking. Kate Bell the struck out swinging to end the game.

Greeson started the game for UMHB and came out of the game with one out in the seventh as Daphne Kahlig relieved her for just one batter as Greeson came back to finish out the final two batters of the game.

“I thought the end of this game is a representation of what we have done all year. We got in a bind but still came back and fought to the end,” Reed said. “The girls battled and I told them as long as they leave everything in their heart on the field, then we will live with it. That is what we did today and I am real proud of them.”

With the loss, the careers of three Patriots come to an end in Peters, Akin-Henton and Sarah Roeten, all members of the inaugural Patriots softball team.

“It’s a tribute to these seniors and what their leadership has brought to us in accomplishing the most wins ever in a season and getting to our first playoff appearance,” Reed said. “Now we can take the experience we got of being in this tournament and move forward with it. There is nothing but bright things for the future of UT Tyler softball.”