University of North Texas
4-1
Central Michigan
1-4
DeLong Collects 200th Program Win
2/9/2025 1:10:00 PM | Softball
The Mean Green move to 4-1 to match its second-best start in program history
TROY, Ala. – UNT softball head coach Rodney DeLong recorded his 200th program win with a 6-3 victory over Central Michigan on Sunday at the Troy Softball Complex.
"I'm thankful to be a part of such a great university," DeLong said. "I have had the opportunity to work with some great assistant coaches and solid players through my tenure here. Most of all, I'm excited about our future as a program."
By all metrics, DeLong is the winningest head coach in UNT history and is the first to hit the 200-win mark. He is the third active head coach from the American Athletic Conference to reach the milestone with their current team, joining Ken Eriksen from South Florida and Kristi Bredbenner from Wichita State.
After Central Michigan (1-4) tied the game in the top of the fifth inning, the Mean Green (4-1) responded with a three-run bottom half to steal momentum from the Chippewas. Senior Cierra Simon spearheaded the effort as she scored her third run of the game on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Madison Conley to break the 3-3 tie.
Simon finished the game 2-for-3 with a double, stolen base and tied her career high with three runs scored. Rylee Nicholson posted an RBI double in the fifth while Conley and Kailyn Bearpaw each recorded two RBI. Freshman Taylor Platt scored her first career run after she entered as a pinch runner for Bearpaw in the fifth inning.
Starting pitcher Anneca Anderson (W, 3-1) spun five innings before Skylar Savage (SV, 2) held CMU hitless over the final two innings with two strikeouts.
NEXT UP
North Texas travels to Starkville, Miss. for The Snowman: Alex Wilcox Memorial presented by Newk's Eatery at Nusz Park. The Mean Green open against Southern Illinois at 10 a.m. on Friday before meeting hosts No. 24 Mississippi State at 12:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Anderson, Anneca (3-1)
L: Laska (0-2)
S: Savage, Skylar (2)
Batting:
2B: Hollo 1 ; Lotus 1
RBI: Sleeman 1 ; Hollo 1 ; Koenig 1
SH: Briggs 1
SF: Sleeman 1 ; Koenig 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Diekman 1 ; Bila 1 ; Lotus 1
SB: Lotus 1
Batting:
2B: Simon, Cierra 1 ; Nicholson, Rylee 1
RBI: Bearpaw, Kailyn 2 ; Conley, Madison 2 ; Nicholson, Rylee 1 ; Moffitt, Elizabeth 1
SH: Moore, Ausha 1
SF: Conley, Madison 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Sparks, Tatum 1 ; Simon, Cierra 3 ; Platt, Taylor 1 ; Nicholson, Rylee 1
SB: Simon, Cierra 1
