SHREVEPORT, La. (4/9/08) Freshman Courtney Bradshaw posted three hits and drove in three runs to lead the North Texas softball team to a doubleheader sweep against Centenary on Wednesday afternoon at the CC Softball Complex. The Mean Green won the first game, 4-2, and then took the nightcap, 6-4.
With the two wins today, the Mean Green tied a program record for most wins in a season with 22. North Texas extends its record to 22-23, while the Ladies fall to 24-19. NT takes a 2-1 lead in the series.
Senior Heather Bostic recorded the game-winning hit in the top of the seventh inning of the first game, driving in two runs to break a 2-2 tie. Bradshaw had given North Texas the early lead with a solo home run in the second inning and an RBI double in the fourth. After Centenary tied the game with a home run in the sixth, Bostic came through in the clutch with the game-winning single.
Bradshaw gave North Texas a second early lead in the nightcap with an RBI single in the second inning. Sarah Jones started the inning with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice and then scored on the freshman’s base hit to left center field. Mariza Martinez made it 3-0 with her seventh home run of the season in the third inning.
Centenary came back for a second time, tying the game in the bottom of the fifth, 3-3. Rebecca Waters broke the tie with a two-run home run, her seventh of the season, in the sixth inning. Martinez added an insurance run in the seventh with an RBI single, her third RBI of the game.
The top three in the lineup (Katya Muller, Mariza Martinez and Mallory Cantler) posted six of NT’s nine hits in the second victory.
Kayla Lawson picked up her seventh win of the season, pitching a complete game in the opener. She allowed just two runs off four hits. Jennifer Smith picked up the win in the second game after relieving starter Kristina Fowler.
Martinez and Waters are both tied for the team lead with seven home runs. The seven home runs is tied for fifth on NT’s single-season records list. Only Muller and Susan Waters, who graduated last year, have posted more home runs in a single-season.
Cantler posted her 14th double of the season in the opening win. The 14 doubles is tied for the single-season school record. Cantler is tied with Susan Waters who posted 14 doubles during the 2006 season.
North Texas continues its road trip with a three-game conference series against Troy in Troy, Alabama this weekend.
