Thursday, May 13
Bowling Green, KY
2 PM
University of North Texas
38-10
4
vs
1
(4) Western Kentucky
28-13
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
WKU
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
2
0
North Texas
2
1
0
0
0
1
X
4
4
0
MGSB Downs WKU to Move Into Semifinals
5/13/2021 4:55:00 PM | Softball
BOWLING GREEN – Ky. – Hope Trautwein set the program wins record with the 61st of her career as North Texas (38-10, 16-2 C-USA) downed Western Kentucky (28-13, 10-6 C-USA) on Thursday to open play at the 2021 Conference USA Championship. The Mean Green now await the winner of Charlotte and UAB in Friday's semifinals at noon.
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The Mean Green will be appearing in the unbeaten semifinal game for the first time in program history after extending their program best winning streak to 13 consecutive games. The win over WKU was also the first for North Texas in postseason play since becoming Conference opponents in 2014.
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"We have to win two more games by taking it one game at a time," head coach Rodney DeLong said. "We're playing good softball and hopefully we continue to do that and continue to bring the energy."
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Trautwein earned the win after tossing career complete game number 49, moving her into third place in program history, the senior struck out nine while allowing just one run on two hits while issuing just one walk.
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"Hope was solid, got herself out of a jam there late in the game. She really commanded the game and threw a lot of strikes," DeLong added. "Some big hits from our freshmen, some home runs, a good team effort."
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Freshmen Lexi Cobb and Ashlyn Walker sparked the North Texas offense as the pair both went deep, Walker's homer was the first of her young career. WKU started the game off with their leadoff hitter reaching on a walk, but Trautwein would retire the next three hitters in succession for a clean inning.
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North Texas picked up a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning on four WKU walks with a pair coming with the bases loaded to make the score 2-0. Trautwein would keep the momentum in the Mean Green dugout by retiring the side in order in the top of the second.
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Cobb would make the score 3-0 in the bottom of the inning when she hit her second home run of the season. Trautwein would retire 10 of the next 11 batters she faced to take a 3-0 lead into the sixth inning. WKU would break into the scoreboard with a solo home run with one out in the inning to make it 3-1.
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Walker would get the lead back to three with her first career home run in the bottom half of the inning as she drove the first pitch of the at-bat out to left-center field. Trautwein would set the Hilltoppers down in order in the seventh to seal the Mean Green's first opening win in the Conference USA Championship since 2014.
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The Mean Green will be appearing in the unbeaten semifinal game for the first time in program history after extending their program best winning streak to 13 consecutive games. The win over WKU was also the first for North Texas in postseason play since becoming Conference opponents in 2014.
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"We have to win two more games by taking it one game at a time," head coach Rodney DeLong said. "We're playing good softball and hopefully we continue to do that and continue to bring the energy."
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Trautwein earned the win after tossing career complete game number 49, moving her into third place in program history, the senior struck out nine while allowing just one run on two hits while issuing just one walk.
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"Hope was solid, got herself out of a jam there late in the game. She really commanded the game and threw a lot of strikes," DeLong added. "Some big hits from our freshmen, some home runs, a good team effort."
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Freshmen Lexi Cobb and Ashlyn Walker sparked the North Texas offense as the pair both went deep, Walker's homer was the first of her young career. WKU started the game off with their leadoff hitter reaching on a walk, but Trautwein would retire the next three hitters in succession for a clean inning.
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North Texas picked up a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning on four WKU walks with a pair coming with the bases loaded to make the score 2-0. Trautwein would keep the momentum in the Mean Green dugout by retiring the side in order in the top of the second.
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Cobb would make the score 3-0 in the bottom of the inning when she hit her second home run of the season. Trautwein would retire 10 of the next 11 batters she faced to take a 3-0 lead into the sixth inning. WKU would break into the scoreboard with a solo home run with one out in the inning to make it 3-1.
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Walker would get the lead back to three with her first career home run in the bottom half of the inning as she drove the first pitch of the at-bat out to left-center field. Trautwein would set the Hilltoppers down in order in the seventh to seal the Mean Green's first opening win in the Conference USA Championship since 2014.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Trautwein, Hope (13-3)
L: Shelby Nunn (10-4)
Batting:
HR: Paige Carter 1
RBI: Paige Carter 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Paige Carter 1
CS: Jordan Ridge 1
Batting:
HR: Cobb, Lexi 1 ; Walker, Ashlyn 1
RBI: Cobb, Lexi 1 ; Gamble, Kailey 1 ; Walker, Ashlyn 2
SH: Holguin, Miranda 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DerMargosian, Tuesday 1 ; Cobb, Lexi 1 ; Evans, Tayla 1 ; Walker, Ashlyn 1
SB: DerMargosian, Tuesday 1
Game Leaders
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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