The UTD softball team spent its spring break touring California, but they weren’t hopping from beach to beach.
Instead, they hopped from diamond to diamond, surviving a grueling six-games-in-four-days schedule with a 2-4 record against nationally-ranked opponents.
The Comets (7-7, 3-1) opened their West Coast swing with an 11-3 shellacking of Albion (MI) College March 8. UTD broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth as the first seven Comets reached base, and five came around to score.
Later that day, UTD banged out seven hits but failed to score in a 7-0 loss to Rhode Island College.
Two days later, the Comets squared off against Cal-Lutheran in a doubleheader. UTD led both contests heading into the bottom of the seventh and final inning, but twice suffered through Cal comebacks.
In game one, a two-out, run-scoring triple by Cal sent the game into extra innings where the Comets fell 3-2 in the ninth.
UTD built up a four run lead in the nightcap, only to let it slip away in the final frame, losing 6-5.
The Comets rounded out their California tour March 11, thrashing Medaille (NY) 9-0 before succumbing to nation powerhouse Chapman, 9-4.
Against Medaille, senior first baseman Candace Felts led the Comets at the plate, going 2-for-3 and driving in two runs.
UTD put a scare into the Chapman squad, jumping out to a 3-1 lead after four innings, courtesy of towering homeruns by Felts and freshman catcher Amanda Craig.
Chapman stormed back in the fifth, swatting four straight hits and plating four runs in the frame. The Comets couldn’t mount a comeback as they managed only five hits in the contest.
Before hitting the road, UTD opened up conference play downing Schreiner, Concordia-Austin and Sul Ross State and losing a 1-0 nailbiter to Texas Lutheran.
The Comets tasted success in their March 17 home-opening doubleheader against Greenville College, scoring at least one run in every inning they played.
UTD won game one, 7-0, behind a one-hit shutout by junior Jenelle Morrison, and claimed the second contest, 9-1, by the mercy rule.
Senior outfielder Shaunna Lawrence scored three runs on 4-for-5 hitting while stealing two bases.