UT Tyler's Melissa Hinojosa singles in the fourth against Linfield on Friday afternoon at Irwin Field. (Herb Nygren Jr. | Tyler Morning Telegraph)

In a top 10 matchup, national softball powerhouses UT Tyler and Linfield (Ore.) split a doubleheader on Friday at UT Tyler Ballpark.

No. 10 Linfield won the first game 11-2 in six innings while the Patriots, ranked No. 9, rebounded for a 7-1 victory in Game 2.

The Patriots (22-2) return to play Sunday, hosting Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) at UT Tyler Ballpark. The first game of the DH is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.

Linfield (18-2) plays again today against East Texas Baptist in Marshall. The first game of the DH is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.

After seeing their 11-game winning streak halted in the first game, the Patriots struck back early in the second game, scoring five runs in the first inning.

Whitney Burt had the big game at the plate, going 2 for 3, including a home run. She had three RBIs. Karley Geiger had two hits with Lauren Robenalt, Vanessa Carrizales, Shelby Shelton, Jackie Mendez and Kierin Stevens earning a hit apiece.

Geiger had a triple, while Mendez had two RBIs.

Alaina Kissinger was on fire in the circle, going seven innings, allowing four hits while striking out seven.

In the first game, Karina Paavola allowed five hits to the Patriots. Katy Brosig and Lisa Yamamoto led the Wildcats with three hits each. Also, Yamamoto and Danielle Duman had three RBIs apiece and McKenna Spieth had two RBIs.

Spieth had a home run while Erin Carson, Yamamoto (two) and Duman each had doubles.

Shelton had a double for the Patriots, while Robenalt, Geiger, Burt and Melissa Hinojosa had singles.

 

UT Tyler baseball splits DH with UT Dallas

It was a two-game set full of drama as UT Tyler and UT Dallas squared off in front of a full house at Irwin Field on Friday night. UT Tyler won Game 1 in walk-off fashion 4-3 while losing a pitcher’s duel in Game 2, 1-0.

The games put UT Tyler’s overall record at 8-13 with an American Southwest Conference record of 6-8. The two teams square off today at noon in the series finale at Irwin Field.

The Patriots pulled ahead early in Game 1. Sam Lane led things off with a single to left field in the first and later scored was driven in by Buddy McCoy.

UT Dallas tied the game in the top of the fourth. A throwing error allowed Brandon George to reach first safely before Brandon Clouch brought him in with an RBI double.

UT Tyler once again took the lead in the bottom half with Billy Lirely hitting a double to right. A wild pickoff throw into center field moved him up 90 feet before he scored on a double by Warren Neely.

UT Tyler added a run in the fifth after Spencer Barton drew a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. A single moved him to third before a sacrifice fly brought him home.

Despite being in a two-run hole, the Comets fought back to tie the game in the sixth. After Matt Olszewski doubled to left, George hit a home run over the leftfield wall to tie the game at 3.

Lane led off the bottom of the seventh with another single before a sacrifice bunt moved him to second and a passed ball put him on third. McCoy then hit a walk-off single to bring in Lane and secure the 4-3 win.

Patrick Michon earned the win, pitching one inning, allowing two hits while walking one and striking out one.

Game 2 turned into a pitcher’s showdown between UT Dallas’ Micah Easterling and UT Tyler’s Michael Blevins. Both pitchers retired the first nine batters with neither allowing a hit until the fourth inning.

Despite getting runners on the bases throughout the game, the Patriots were unable to get a runner to third while the Comets brought the lone run of the game around the bases in the eighth inning on a Patriots error.

Olszewski scored the winning run following a throwing error after a single by Jimmy Norris.

Easterling completed the shutout to split the doubleheader with a 1-0 win for the Comets.

Blevins was tagged with his third loss of the season to move to a record of 2-3. He pitching the full nine innings, allowing six hits and one unearned run while striking out seven and walking none.

— Jarah Wright

 

TJC felled by Coastal Bend

BEEVILLE — Coastal Bend rallied for three runs in the seventh to score a 4-2 win over the Tyler Junior College Apaches on Friday in a Division III baseball game.

It was the first home game for the Cougars.

The two teams play again on Saturday in a doubleheader. The first game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

TJC (16-10) tied the game at 1-1 in the sixth as Tim Hunter reached on a bunt single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Manny Galvan. Anthony Soriano singled to drive in Hunter.

The Apaches took a 2-1 lead in the seventh as Connor Wrye singled and eventually scored on a passed ball.

The Cougars (2-9) then scored three in the bottom of the inning for the 4-2 lead. Justin Sanchez was 2 for 4 with two RBIs.

Hunter was 2 for 4 for TJC, while Soriano was 2 for 5.