ARLINGTON, Texas – A bases-loaded single followed by a grand slam by UT Arlington erased the ULM softball team's 3-0 lead en route to a 5-4 Maverick win Sunday at Allan Saxe Field. UTA took the second game in the series, rallying for the win. Meagan Smith collected four RBI on her game-winning grand slam, her sixth home run of the year.
 
"Sunday is a new day that we are looking forward to," said ULM head coach Molly Fichtner. "We tell our team all the time – the season is a marathon and not a sprint. We had a lot of hard-hit balls that were hit directly to people today and a couple of things didn't go our way."
 
ULM got on the scoreboard with back-to-back home runs after going the first four innings without a run or a hit. Victoria Abrams's first career home run drove in Korie Kreps who had singled to get on base. Kennedy Page followed Abrams with a solo home run to give the Warhawks a 3-0 lead.
 
UT Arlington responded in the bottom of the inning, using a clutch hit and the long ball to quickly take the lead. A lead-off walk to KJ Murphy, single by Jadyn Erickson and another walk to Morgan Rios loaded the bases. Courtney Ogle hit a full-count single to plate KJ Murphy and then Meagan Smith smacked her first pitch for a grand slam.
 
In the top of the seventh, Abrams tried to help the ULM cause with a double down the left-field line to move Madelyn Fletcher to third base. With a Mavericks' error on Page's ground out, Fletcher scored for a 5-4 deficit. With two outs, Alexis Chavez singled and stole second, but the game ended with two Warhawks left on base.
 
Abrams was two-for-three with two RBI and a run scored. In the circle, she gave up three hits and two earned runs.
 
UT Arlington (14-14, 5-6) was powered by a 2-for-2 outing by Ogle and 2-for-3 outing by Murphy. Pitcher Gracie Bumpurs (6-4) gave up three earned runs and six hits in her complete-game effort. Warhawk Adrianna Chavarria (3-6) took the loss and was responsible for three earned runs in two innings of work.
 
The first pitch for the series finale is set for noon CT on Sunday, April 3. ESPN+ will have the game broadcast and live stats are available on the schedule page at ULMWarhawks.com.