University of North Texas Athletics
Waters Hits Grand Slam In Mean Green's Doubleheader Sweep
4/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Troy, Ala. (4/17/10) - Rebecca Waters hit her second grand slam of the season to lead the North Texas softball team to a 7-1 victory against Troy on Saturday afternoon at Trojan Softball Complex. Ashley Lail pitched a shutout in leading the Mean Green to a 3-0 win in the nightcap.
North Texas improves to 23-14 and 9-6 in the Sun Belt Conference, while Troy falls to 21-22 and 9-9 in the conference. The Mean Green wins the conference series by taking two out of the three games. North Texas has won four of its five conference series and picked up its fifth straight doubleheader sweep.
Kayla Lawson picked up the opening win for the Mean Green. She extended her record to 5-2 after allowing just one run off four hits in 5.2 innings of work. Ashley Lail recorded her first save of the season, pitching out a bases-loaded jam in the sixth to end the inning. She allowed just one hit in 1.1 innings of work. Ashlyn Williams picked up the loss after picking up the win in game one.
Lail pitched a six-hit shutout in the second game. She won her 11th game and tied a personal best for wins in a single season. She has won 11 games in each of her three seasons at North Texas.
Waters sealed the win in the first game with her second grand slam and the third of her career. With the Mean Green ahead, 3-1, Waters hit her fifth long ball of the season in the top of the seventh to extend the lead. Lisa Johnson went 3-for-4 in the second game with two RBI and one run.
In the first game, North Texas took a 2-0 lead in the third inning with a two-RBI single by Mallory Cantler. Renae Bromley started off the inning with a hit by pitch. Mariza Martinez reached on a fielder's choice with both runners safe on the play. After Johnson put down a sacrifice bunt to advance both the runners, Cantler brought them both home with a shallow single to right field.
Bromley reached base on all three occasions for the Mean Green at the no. 9 position in the lineup. She drew a walk in the fourth and then posted her first triple of the season in the sixth inning.
After Troy knocked in a run in the bottom of the third off a double, Megan Rupp added to the score for the Mean Green with a solo home run in the fifth inning. It was her second home run of the season.
Cantler kept the offense going in the seventh with a single. Rupp reached base on an error, and Courtney Bradshaw drew a walk to load the bases for Waters.
The Mean Green outhit the Trojans, 7-5, in the first game.
In the second game, Johnson helped the Mean Green get on the scoreboard in the fourth inning. With the bases loaded, Johnson hit a single through the left side of the field, scoring two runs. The Mean Green had loaded the bases twice before, but had hit into double plays. The Mean Green hit into three double plays in the game.
North Texas added to the score with an unearned run in the top of the seventh. Johnson posted her third hit of the game and advanced to third off a hit and a sacrifice bunt. She gave the Mean Green a 3-0 lead by scoring off a Trojan error.
With its two home runs today, the Mean Green is now second all-time in home runs in a single-season with 45. The 2009 team set the school record with 49.
With her three walks in game one, Johnson set the single-season record for walks in a season with 24. Susan Waters held the previous record of 23. The three walks ties for the second most in a single game.
