Wednesday, May 10
Ruston, Louisiana
3:45 PM CT
University of North Texas
33-21
2
vs
1
No. 6 Middle Tennessee
35-18
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
MTSU
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
7
2
UNT
1
1
0
0
0
0
X
2
3
1
Photo by: Zach Del Bello
Wagoner Fires Complete Game as Softball Advances in C-USA Tourney
5/10/2023 7:39:00 PM | Softball
RUSTON, La. – McKenzie Wagoner threw a complete game as UNT softball collected a 2-1 victory over Middle Tennessee in the first round of the Conference USA Championship on Wednesday at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
"The confidence that my coaches have in me is everything," Wagoner said. "I know what my job is and what I need to do for my team. My coaches and my teammates believed in me until the end of the game, and I was a better pitcher because of them."
Head coach Rodney DeLong became the winningest coach in program history with his 162nd win as the Mean Green (33-21, 16-8) advanced to the C-USA quarterfinals. North Texas avenged Sunday's loss versus MTSU (35-18, 13-10) which dropped UNT into the No. 3 seed in the tournament.
Wagoner (W, 12-7) notched her 11th complete game of the season and struck out three over seven innings. She allowed zero earned runs on seven hits and one walk.
Lexi Cobb scored the opening run after she reached on a leadoff walk and a stolen base. The Blue Raiders committed an error on the throw to third base which allowed Cobb to race to the plate and level the score. UNT holds a 19-2 record when scoring in the first inning this season.
Kalei Christensen scored the other run after she tagged a single in the second. She later advanced to third on a pair of bunts and Molly Rainey collected an RBI on a groundout.
Kailey Gamble matched her career high with three walks in three plate appearances. She moved into third on the UNT career walks list with 77 over her three-year tenure.
UP NEXT
North Texas advances to the C-USA Championship quarterfinals against No. 2 UAB on Thursday at noon CT on ESPN+ at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field. The Mean Green trail 12-17 in the all-time series with an 0-1 mark in postseason play.
"The confidence that my coaches have in me is everything," Wagoner said. "I know what my job is and what I need to do for my team. My coaches and my teammates believed in me until the end of the game, and I was a better pitcher because of them."
Head coach Rodney DeLong became the winningest coach in program history with his 162nd win as the Mean Green (33-21, 16-8) advanced to the C-USA quarterfinals. North Texas avenged Sunday's loss versus MTSU (35-18, 13-10) which dropped UNT into the No. 3 seed in the tournament.
Wagoner (W, 12-7) notched her 11th complete game of the season and struck out three over seven innings. She allowed zero earned runs on seven hits and one walk.
Lexi Cobb scored the opening run after she reached on a leadoff walk and a stolen base. The Blue Raiders committed an error on the throw to third base which allowed Cobb to race to the plate and level the score. UNT holds a 19-2 record when scoring in the first inning this season.
Kalei Christensen scored the other run after she tagged a single in the second. She later advanced to third on a pair of bunts and Molly Rainey collected an RBI on a groundout.
Kailey Gamble matched her career high with three walks in three plate appearances. She moved into third on the UNT career walks list with 77 over her three-year tenure.
UP NEXT
North Texas advances to the C-USA Championship quarterfinals against No. 2 UAB on Thursday at noon CT on ESPN+ at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field. The Mean Green trail 12-17 in the all-time series with an 0-1 mark in postseason play.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wagoner, McKenzie (12-7)
L: CARCICH, Kamryn (8-7)
Batting:
2B: SARGENT, Shelby 1
RBI: MEALER, Laura 1
SH: BEHABETZ, Savannah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ECHOLS, Shelby 1
SB: MEALER, Laura 1
CS: MEALER, Laura 1
Batting:
RBI: Rainey, Molly 1
SH: Wagoner, McKenzie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cobb, Lexi 1 ; Christensen, Kalei 1
SB: Cobb, Lexi 1 ; Simon, Cierra 1 ; Gamble, Kailey 1 ; Nicholson, Rylee 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
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