Young Faces Sister As Mean Green Down Butler CC

DENTON - North Texas softball defeated 2016 NJCAA National Champions Butler Community College 18-4 Friday evening. The Mean Green move to 4-0 in the fall schedule. Lacy Gregory went 4-for-4 with 2RBI.

North Texas started the game by getting through its batting order with no outs. North Texas struck for six runs in the first. Tayla Evans hit her second home run of the fall, a two-run shot in the second to make the score 9-0. Saleen Donohoe also hit a two-run homer, her second as well making the score 12-3 in the third.

Ariel Thompson and Hope Tratuwein pitched well for the Mean Green. Thompson went 4.0 innings, her longest outing so far, striking out seven. Trautwein struck out five in two innings of work.

"We were impressive at the plate tonight," head coach Rodney DeLong said. "Our kids are really locked in, laying off of bad pitches. We've got some talent offensively, and I think we got a glimpse of it today. Ariel can move the ball. She's impressing and growing. We're happy with where she is at right now."

The night was special for Kenzie Young who got the start in left field. Young was facing off with her former school in Butler. She was part of the 2016 National Championship team. But she was not the last of the Young family to attend Butler - Kenzie's sister, Madi is a freshman infielder for the Grizzlies.

In a funny moment, Kenzie flew out to her sister at short-stop in the 7th.

"It was very fun," Madi said after the game. "It was nice to finally be on the field with her again, it's more fun playing with her of course. I knew how much she loved Butler and her time here, so it's very special to be able to follow in her footsteps."

Out of high school, Kenzie did not have many offers, until she found a home in Butler. A home that she saw a lot of similarities in when she began exploring her transfer to North Texas after a brief stint at Ole Miss post Butler.

Kenzie knew she had found a good spot in North Texas.

"If you talk to everyone at Butler they say they don't want to leave after their two years," Kenzie said. "I loved my time at Butler. When I first met Coach DeLong, despite him being in his first year here, he acted like he had been here forever. That was huge to me. I came to practice and all the girls were having a good time. The family aspect was very apparent here. It reminded me a lot of Butler."

The sisters last played together in high school in Derby, Kansas. Madi was a freshman during Kenzie's senior season. The two attribute much of their competitive spirit to days spent pitting themselves against each other.

Kenzie said she was admittley hard on her little sister in high school, but it was all in good fun.

"I always knew if I messed up I could look back and see her laughing at me," Madi said. "Definitely everything is a competition between us. A lot of what I do as a player, I got it from playing games with her, even when we were little. I always wanted to win. It always ended up with someone crying because something happened."

It was a special night for the family. Most of the family was in Denton to see the two play.

"We just love playing the game," Kenzie said. "Family is of course so important to us. They all get to see Madi and I play, but really, seeing them in the stands makes me just as happy as they are seeing us. I just know I'm happy that they're here to see us."

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Saleen Donohoe

Tayla Evans

Lacy Gregory

Ariel Thompson

Kenzie Young

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