North Texas Daily

One problem the Mean Green have not had this season has been scoring runs. Unfortunately for them, in day two of the North Texas invitational, that was their major issue.

North Texas (7-7)  collected a total of one run on 10 hits in Saturday’s two losses against the University of Texas-Arlington (9-7) and Nicholls State University (10-7).

“Today was just an all around bad day,” head coach Tracey Kee said.” We just couldn’t get things done. I just think we didn’t have discipline at the plate and went into the box without a mindset or a plan.”

After starting out the season 4-0 at Lovelace Stadium, the Mean Green have now dropped three consecutive games at home in the first two days of their home tournament.

University of Texas-Arlington 10, North Texas 0

UTA put on a hitting clinic against North Texas, while also defensively shutting down the big bats of the Mean Green.

The Lady Mavericks brought in nine of their 10 runs in the fifth and six innings.

Freshman Hope Trautwein started out the game for Kee, going 4.1 innings while allowing three runs and striking out three. Freshman Ally Lindsey took over for Trautwein in the fourth. The Lady Mavericks seemed to have Lindsey’s number from the jump.

UTA quickly tacked on three runs before Lindsey got out of her first inning. However, UTA got right back to action with a lead off home run that would spark a six-run inning. Lindsey eventually finished the game with 1.2 innings pitched, five earned runs and a strikeout.

“It’s really just trying to figure out on how to take that mindset from the bullpen and understand when you pass the ball off what your job is,” Kee said. “That’s just something you have to grow into. They’re going to figure it out.”

North Texas went three up, three down to end the game in the sixth via the mercy rule.

The Mean Green had multiple opportunities to score early, but failed to capitalize with runners in scoring position. North Texas left a total of six base runners on base throughout the game.

“We talked about it, you just can’t leave runners on,” Kee said. “That has hasn’t been an issue for us so far this season, but today it really bit us.”

Nicholls State University 6, North Texas 1

In a few of North Texas’ losses this year, one bad inning made all the difference.

That same bug came back to haunt them once again against the Nicholls State Colonels.

Freshman Maria Preist kept the game at a 1-0 deficit all the way into the seventh inning, hoping to give the Mean Green a chance to win the game. However, the Colonels had a different plan in mind and used a couple of doubles and a single to add on two more runs and extend the lead. After Trautwein came in to relieve Priest with only one out and a couple runners on, a big three-run homer would increase the deficit to five and unofficially put the nail on the coffin.

Sophomore outfielder Hannah Rebar refused to go down without a fight. Rebar came up in the bottom of the seventh and ripped a solo shot over the left wall to avoid the shutout.

“I just think we, as a team, need to come out and string together more hits,” Rebar said. “I just feel we haven’t been able to tie hitting, pitching and defense all together at the same time. That’s been our biggest problem.”

The Mean Green hope to find their stride again heading into the final day of the North Texas Invitational and will look to get the bats going again.

“We’re going to leave those losses in the past, there’s obviously nothing we can do about them now,” Rebar said. “We’re going to come out tomorrow fired up and ready to go.”

Up next: North Texas strives to get back on its feet when the team hosts Nicholls and UTA once again at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.

Featured image: North Texas sophomore Nicole Ochotnicki slides into third base., Saturday, Mar. 3, 2018, Lovelace Park in Denton, Texas. Jake King/