UT Tyler third baseman Ashley Endsley tags out Trinity's Kayleigh Kinlaw during Sunday's softball doubleheader at UT Tyler Ballpark. Photo by Jake A. Waddingham

The UT Tyler softball team trailed in both games on Sunday against Trinity, but that didn’t matter to the Patriots.

The No. 9 team in the country rallied to score 5-4 and 9-1 victories in their home debut on a sunny and windy day at UT Tyler Ballpark.

The Patriots (4-0) return to play Friday and Saturday in the American Southwest Conference First Pitch Tournament in Farmers Branch. UT Tyler plays Texas Lutheran (10 a.m.) and Sul Ross State (3 p.m.) on Friday and Howard Payne (12:30 p.m.) and Schreiner (5:30 p.m.) on Saturday.

UT Tyler’s next home game is March 13 against Mississippi College.

Game One

After bolting to a 2-0 lead on an RBI single from Raven Rodriguez and an RBI fielder’s choice from Joey Cronin.

Trinity (2-6) then plated four runs in the fourth for a 4-2. However, with two runners on, UT Tyler got out of trouble when the Patriots turned a double play, getting base runners off third and another trying to go to second. Catcher Brittney Batten, second baseman Vanessa Carrizales, third baseman Ashley Endsley and shortstop Rodriguez were all involved.

UT Tyler tied the game, 4-4, with two runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Carli Wheeler and Heather Abshire.

In the fifth, the Patriots plated the eventual game-winning run on a deep sacrifice fly by Wheeler that scored Batten, for a 5-4 lead.

Abshire got the win in the circle, going seven innings.

Game Two

Once again UT Tyler trailed as the Tigers went on top 1-0 in the first inning.

However, the Patriots’ big bats got going.

Abshire, Endsley and Taylor Sells all belted homers for UT Tyler.

Abshire was 2 for 3 with four RBIs. Batten was 2 for 2 with an RBI.

Freshman pitcher Kelsie Batten pitched five innings, giving up just five hits and striking out four in garnering her second win of the young season.