University of North Texas Athletics
Mean Green Stumbles On Day Two Of Sleep Inn Classic
2/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
DENTON, Texas (2/20/10) - The North Texas softball team went 0-2 on day two of the Sleep Inn Classic on Saturday at Lovelace Stadium. The Mean Green lost to Colorado State, 8-7, and Buffalo, 5-3.
The Mean Green falls to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in the tournament. Colorado State improves to 4-5 overall, while Buffalo moves to 2-2. Drake leads the tournament with a 4-0 record.
Despite a grand slam by Rebecca Waters, North Texas came up just short against Colorado State in the first game of the day. Down 3-1 in the third inning, North Texas loaded the bases with a Rams error, a Mallory Cantler single and a walk by Lisa Johnson. Waters hit her second career grand slam over the left field fence to give North Texas its second lead of the game.
The lead did not last as CSU responded with four runs of its own in the bottom of the inning. Three of the four runs were scored off passed balls. Courtney Bradshaw posted an RBI single in the sixth, and Johnson knocked in a run with a double in the seventh, but the Mean Green finished one run short.
Jennifer Smith took the loss for the Mean Green, pitching three innings and giving up seven runs. Ashley Lail gave up just one run in three innings of relief work.
North Texas could not catch up to Buffalo in the second game. The Bulls took a 3-0 lead in the third inning and added key runs in the fifth and seventh innings.
The top of the Mean Green lineup knocked in two runs in the third inning to cut into the Bulls lead. Megan Rupp led off with a double, and Mariza Martinez knocked her home with another double. Cantler then brought Martinez home with an RBI single.
Cantler doubled in the top of the sixth inning, and Jennifer Smith knocked her home with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 5-3. North Texas left two runners stranded on base in the seventh.
Brittany Simmons took the loss for the Mean Green, pitching a complete game. She gave up five runs off 10 hits.
Cantler posted five hits and two RBI in the two games, while Megan Rupp followed with four hits and three runs scored. Waters led the team with four RBI.
North Texas finishes play in the Sleep Inn Classic with two games on Sunday, Feb. 21.The Mean Green faces Missouri State at 2 pm, and Sam Houston at 4:30 pm
