University of North Texas Athletics
Mean Green Competes In Oklahoma/NIke Tournament
2/18/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
DENTON (2/18/05) - The North Texas softball team returns to tournament action this weekend when it competes in the Oklahoma/Nike Classic in Norman, Oklahoma. The Mean Green faces Lipscomb and Creighton twice before closing out play with No. 14 Oklahoma on Sunday.
Win No. 1
North Texas recorded its first win of the 2005 season with a 2-1 victory against Texas State on Tuesday night. The Mean Green (1-5) scored two runs off four hits, while Texas State (3-5) scored its lone run off a homer in the seventh inning but left 14 baserunners stranded in the game. Head coach Kelly Burns also picked up first win as the North Texas head coach and at the helm of a Division I program.
Softball Makes Appearance At Mean Green Basketball
The North Texas softball team stopped by the Mean Green basketball doubleheader on Thursday night to show its support. The squad signed autographs in between the games and was recognized at halftime of the men’s game.
Maxey Earns First Win
Freshman Kristina Fowler started the game against Texas State, while sophomore Katy Maxey (1-2) earned the win in relief. Fowler pitched two shutout innings and was relieved by Maxey in the top of the third inning with North Texas ahead, 2-0. Maxey spread out four hits over three innings, and Mandy Hacker earned the save despite giving up a home run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Hacker Impressive In Three Appearances
Seior Mandy Hacker holds a 1.40 ERA over three appearances. Despite an 0-2 record, the lefty has allowed eight hits in 15 innings of work, giving up three earned runs.
Fowler Records NT’s First Run
Sophomore Heather Bostic hit a two-out double in the second inning against Texas State, scoring Kristina Fowler who had reached base on an error. Fowler’s run represented North Texas’ first run of the 2005 season, while Bostic recorded the first RBI for the Mean Green.
Waters’ Knocks In Gamewinner
Susan Waters’ sacrifice fly in the third inning, scoring sophomore Kelei Walker, proved to be the gamewinner. Walker started off the inning with a bunt single and was moved around the bases by a Stephanie Cranmer sacrifice bunt and a Hacker single.
The Schedule
The 2005 schedule is once again filled with some of the top teams in the country. The Mean Green faces five teams that are ranked in the 2005 USA Today/NFCA Top 25 Poll from Feb 13: No. 5 Louisiana-Lafayette, No. 10 Texas, No. 11 Baylor, No. 14 Oklahoma and No. 24 Florida International.
The Mean Green has already faced nationally-ranked Texas A&M and plays No. 14 Oklahoma this weekend. Texas A&M Corpus-Christi received votes in this week’s poll. North Texas lost to the Islanders, 1-0, at the UTSA Fastpitch Express Classic last weekend and faces them again at the North Texas Mean Green Classic.
Upcoming Opponents
North Texas will play Lipscomb for the first time this weekend. The Mean Green defeated Creighton, 8-0, last year for one of its largest
margins of victory. North Texas defeated three teams last year by a margin of eight runs. Creighton will open its 2005 season at the OU/Nike Classic, while Lipscomb is currently 1-0 after defeating Austin Peay.
The Mean Green is 0-2 all-time against Oklahoma, who is currently ranked No. 14 in the NFCA Top 25 Poll. NT lost to No. 4 Oklahoma by scores of 7-2 and 5-4 at Norman last year in a doubleheader.
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