University of North Texas
Memphis
Softball Advances To Champ. Game vs. Texas
2/9/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Austin, Texas (2/9/13) - The North Texas softball team went 2-0 on day two of the Texas Classic and advances to the championship game on Sunday against No.7 Texas. The Mean Green defeated Texas A&M Corpus Christi, 11-3, and Memphis, 9-1, on Saturday at McCombs Field.
The Mean Green improves to 3-1 this season, marking the best start in school history through four games. North Texas now leads the series against Memphis, 3-1, and the Islanders, 5-4.
The Mean Green offense scored runs early and then sealed the two wins with run-rule victories in the fifth innings.
Tori Bice made her first career start against Texas A&M Corpus Christi and picked up her first win, while senior Brittany Simmons (1-1) picked up her first victory of the season. Simmons pitched a shutout through four innings before giving up an unearned run in the fifth.
In both games, the North Texas offense scored four runs in the first innings and stayed ahead the rest of the way. Sarah McGann ended the second game against Memphis on a run-rule with a solo home run to left field in the fifth. It was her first home run of her career and the Mean Green's first long ball of the season.
In the opening game, Bice pitched three innings, gave up three runs off three hits but walked six. The freshman struck out two batters in the first inning and picked up a third strikeout in the second but lost a little control in the third.
In the third inning, Bice walked three, leading to two runs. The freshman gave up a solo home run to start off the fourth and then loaded the bases before being relieved by Lauren Poole. The lefty pitched out of the jam and was effective in her relief effort. She pitched two innings and gave up no hits.
North Texas took an early 4-0 lead in the first inning against the Islanders. Jackie Miller posted her first career triple, ripping a shot down the right-field line. Two runs scored on the play. Miller later scored off an illegal pitch. Jordan Terry plated her first run of the season with a single.
The Islanders responded with runs in the third and fourth inning, but the Mean Green offense kept pace with runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings. The three runs in the fifth inning sealed the run-rule victory. All three runs in the fifth inning were caused by illegal pitches.
Taylor Schoblocher knocked in the team's only run in the third inning with a single up the middle. Brooke Foster posted her fifth career triple in the fourth inning, knocking in two runs. The shortstop went 2-for-3 in the game.
The Mean Green tacked on four runs in the first inning against Memphis. Lesley Hirsch led off with a double, Foster and Schoblocher both walked, and Terry brought everyone home with a double to left center field. Dani Hoff scored Terry with a single over the second baseman's head.
Hoff plated a second run in the third inning with a bases-loaded single up the middle that scored pinch runner Madison Tierney. With the bases loaded again, Karly Williams knocked in two runs with a single to right field to put North Texas ahead, 7-0.
Jennifer Beardsley recorded a pinch-hit RBI single in the fourth, and McGann sealed the win as the lead-off hitter in the fifth. A Mean Green error allowed a Tigers run to score in the fifth, ending Simmons' shutout.
North Texas returns to action on Sunday when it faces No. 7 Texas at noon. The game will be seen on Longhorn Network.
