University of North Texas
32-23
East Carolina
38-19
Softball Drops East Carolina, Advances to AAC Semifinals
5/9/2024 5:38:00 PM | Softball
Gamble hits 10th home run to end Pirates’ season
WICHITA, Kan. – UNT softball advanced to the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Championship after defeating East Carolina 9-1 in six innings on Thursday with a three-run walk-off home run from Kailey Gamble.
"We're finally starting to play our own game," Gamble said. "We're not pressing anymore and we're having fun because, at the end of the day, it is a game."
Earlier in the game, Gamble became the UNT career RBI leader and widened the lead with the three-run blast to reach a current tally of 142. She finished 2-for-3 and matched her career-high mark of four RBI. Gamble also tied her own single season record of 37 walks with one free pass on the day.
"[Gamble] has worked hard and all the records that she attains, she deserves," head coach Rodney DeLong said. "She's a good kid that has stayed loyal to North Texas and any record that goes down for her, I'm excited about it."
The Mean Green (32-23) reached double-digit hits for the 13th time this season and improved to 12-1 when it tallied 10 or more. UNT collected its sixth walk-off hit of the season and fourth via home run in Thursday's win over the Pirates (38-19).
Skylar Savage (W, 10-9) collected her third postseason win of her career, first since her seven-inning complete game effort over then-No. 25 Nebraska on May 21, 2022. She held ECU to one run on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
Eight of the nine batters in the Mean Green lineup tallied a hit with No. 1-4 in the order posting two hits apiece. Leadoff batter Morgan Medford tied season highs with three runs scored and one RBI on two singles while Molly Rainey scored two runs on two hits.
Shortstop Cierra Simon finished 2-for-3 including a triple with three RBI and one run scored. She is tied for both the career and single-season marks in triples with eight and five, respectively. Over her last 10 games, Simon has 11 hits, eight RBI, five runs and one stolen base while recording zero errors on 38 chances.
UP NEXT
No. 3 North Texas faces a rematch against No. 2 Charlotte in The American Championship semifinals from Wilkins Stadium on Friday at noon. For more information on the 2024 American Athletic Conference Softball Championship, click HERE.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Savage, Skylar (10-9)
L: Taylor Apple (14-8)
Batting:
HR: Taylor Woodring 1
RBI: Taylor Woodring 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Taylor Woodring 1
Batting:
2B: Rainey, Molly 1 ; Sparks, Tatum 1 ; Cobb, Lexi 1
3B: Simon, Cierra 1
HR: Gamble, Kailey 1
RBI: Medford, Morgan 1 ; Simon, Cierra 3 ; Gamble, Kailey 4 ; Smith, Mikayla 1
SF: Simon, Cierra 1 ; Smith, Mikayla 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Medford, Morgan 3 ; Rainey, Molly 2 ; Simon, Cierra 1 ; Gamble, Kailey 1 ; Cobb, Lexi 2
SB: Cobb, Lexi 1
