University of North Texas
Missouri
Softball Hosts Tracy Beard College Classic
2/16/2024 8:30:00 AM | Softball
DENTON, Texas – UNT softball opens its home schedule with the Tracy Beard College Classic at the newly-renovated Lovelace Stadium. The Mean Green (2-2) will celebrate its home opener on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. against No. 14 Missouri (5-0) before it meets South Dakota State (3-2) at 4 p.m.
The four-team tournament begins on Friday at 11 a.m. with a meeting between Texas A&M-Commerce (4-2) and Mizzou. South Dakota State will take on the Lions at 1:30 p.m. before the nationally ranked Tigers face the Jackrabbits at 4 p.m.
North Texas will close the tournament with a Sunday doubleheader versus Missouri at 11 a.m. and South Dakota State at 1:30 p.m. All games can be followed at meangreenstats.com.
Historically, UNT holds a 1-1 record against Missouri at home with a 9-2 upset victory over then-No. 11 Tigers on March 30, 2011. The Mean Green dropped a three-game set at Mizzou last season. North Texas has never faced South Dakota State.
The Mean Green split a four-game weekend in Tucson, Ariz. at the Candrea Classic with wins over Utah Tech and Lipscomb. Mackenzie Childers recorded her first career complete-game shutout over 7.0 innings pitched with 12 strikeouts, a new program record in a season opener, against the Trailblazers.
Childers ranks 17th in the nation with a strikeout rate of 11.2 per seven innings and was one of six players in Division I with 12+ strikeouts in their team's season opener. UNT's offense helped support the sophomore with five home runs from Molly Rainey, Rylee Nicholson, Elizabeth Moffitt, Tatum Sparks and Kat Ibarra.
On Monday, Ibarra was recognized as a member of the American Athletic Conference Honor Roll after she finished the tournament with a .500 batting average, three runs scored and two extra-base hits.
Lovelace Stadium completed phase one of its renovation project with new dugouts that flank the first- and third-base lines and LED field lights. The dugouts have been expanded as well as dropped 30 inches below field level and are outfitted with pre-wired camera decks and restrooms.
For the full tournament schedule and tickets, fans can visit our Tournament Central page.
