MGSB Picks up a Pair of Run-Rule Victories

DENTON – First inning grand slams and lights-out pitching were the name of the game as the North Texas softball team picked up a pair of run-rule victories to open the North Texas Invitational. The Mean Green beat Stephen F. Austin 9-1 and Incarnate Word 9-0 on Friday in Lovelace Stadium.

"I was really excited about how we played against Stephen F. Austin, they're a good program that's well coached and have a lot of good players," head coach Rodney DeLong said. "To come out and play that well was pleasing, then we continued to hit in that second game and did a lot of good things. I'm proud of how we performed today."

The Mean Green (6-3) offense exploded for 8 runs in the first inning against SFA (1-5) and six runs in the first inning against UIW (0-2). Game one's offensive output was highlighted by a three-run home run by Tayla Evans and a grand slam off the bat of Molly Rainey. In game two, it was a grand slam by Rayna Lewis that got the offense going.

"Anytime we can get off to a lead early with as well as we throw, it's great," DeLong added. "We want to get off to a lead early and make people fight from behind against our pitching."

North Texas' pitching staff combined to hold both opponents to just one run on eight hits in the two games and struck out a combined seven hitters while issuing zero walks. Hope Trautwein picked up her third win of the year in the first game, going 4.0 innings allowing just one run on a first inning home run and GiGi Wall threw a 3-hit shutout in the nightcap.

The Mean Green got offensive production all throughout the lineup as eight different players notched a hit and seven different players recorded an RBI throughout the pair of games. Senior Miranda Holguin doubled in the night cap for her first hit since the 2018 season after missing an extensive amount of time due to injury while freshman Katy Truitt also drove in a pair of runs in the win over UIW for her first career RBI.

North Texas will continue play this weekend with a pair of games on Saturday. The Mean Green and UIW will square off again at 11:30 a.m. before North Texas takes on SFA again at 2 p.m.

For updates and more information, follow the Mean Green on Twitter and Instagram (@MeanGreenSB) and like Mean Green Softball on Facebook.

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Players Mentioned

Tayla Evans

Miranda Holguin

Rayna Lewis

Molly Rainey

Hope Trautwein

Katy Truitt

GiGi Wall