University of North Texas
30-21, 17-8
Charlotte
34-16, 19-6
Softball Drops Road Doubleheader
5/3/2024 11:18:00 PM | Softball
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – UNT softball fell in both games of its road doubleheader at Charlotte on Friday at Sue M. Daughtridge Stadium. The Mean Green dropped game one 3-2 in nine innings before it lost 7-5 despite a valiant seventh inning surge.
North Texas (30-22, 17-9) fell out of contention for the regular season American Athletic Conference title with the losses and subsequent Florida Atlantic win. Over two games, the Mean Green outhit the 49ers (35-16, 20-6), including 11 hits in game two. Charlotte has not given up 11 or more hits against a conference opponent this season.
In the opening game, Mikayla Smith reached base in all four of her plate appearances, including her 11th home run of the season to open the game's scoring in the fourth inning.
After Smith walked to open the seventh inning, Tatum Sparks broke a 1-1 tie with an RBI double to score pinch runner Emma Grahmann.
Game one starter Skylar Savage (ND) held Charlotte to two hits over 6 2/3 innings – including five perfect frames – with four strikeouts. In conference play, she holds a 7-3 record with an earned run average of 1.87 over 67 1/3 innings pitched.
McKenzie Wagoner (L, 12-6) entered in the seventh inning with two outs and two runners on base. Charlotte scored the game-tying run on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch in the seventh before a walk-off sacrifice fly in the ninth. The Mean Green dropped its second consecutive extra-innings loss after it won the first four of the year.
In game two, Charlotte built a five-run lead through the first three innings before North Texas' bats came alive in the fourth. Kailey Gamble launched her ninth home run over the centerfield wall to score Cierra Simon. The home run pushed her into a tie for the most career RBI in UNT history at 138 with Susan Waters (2004-07).
Later in the fourth inning, Smith tallied her second hit of the game with a double before Sparks knocked her in with an RBI single to cut the lead to 5-3. In the home half of the inning, Sparks moved from her spot at third base and made her collegiate debut at catcher.
After the 49ers plated two more runs in the fifth, the Mean Green faced a four-run deficit heading into the seventh. After back-to-back singles from Saleen Donohoe and Morgan Medford to open the inning, Molly Rainey ripped a two-run single past first base.
Simon followed with her third hit of the game on a bunt single to place two runners on base with one out. Home-run heroes Gamble and Smith would each fly out to end the rally.
UP NEXT
The Mean Green will finish its regular season schedule against the 49ers at 11 a.m. CT from Sue M. Daughtridge Stadium on Saturday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: S. Gress (12-8)
L: Wagoner, McKenzie (12-6)
Batting:
2B: Sparks, Tatum 1
HR: Smith, Mikayla 1
RBI: Smith, Mikayla 1 ; Sparks, Tatum 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Smith, Mikayla 1 ; Grahmann, Emma 1
Batting:
2B: C. Hoffler 1
RBI: E. Chancey 1 ; L. Winters 1 ; M. Mitchell 1
SF: L. Winters 1
Base Running:
RUNS: S. Nguyen 1 ; C. Hoffler 1 ; C. Wellen 1
HBP: M. Mitchell 1
