Mean Green softball stays undefeated in second day of invitational
Chris Scarborough // Contributing Writer
On the second day of the Lovelace Invitational in Denton, the Mean Green softball team finished undefeated with wins against the University of Northern Iowa and Southern University during its Saturday outings.
Northern Iowa
The Mean Green’s only lead of this game was the 8-6 final score.
The team got off to a rough start against Northern Iowa by giving up five runs in the first inning against what head coach Tracey Kee called the best offensive line-up the team has faced so far.
“We could have easily just rolled over and been mercy ruled, but we didn’t. So credit to the student athletes.” Kee said.
Encouragement from Kee helped the team stay levelheaded and climb back into the game. Senior infielder Brooke Foster and junior infielder Dani Hoff scored in the first inning to soften the damage.
“Coach Kee told us after the first inning, ‘We don’t have to get all five runs back right now. We just have to get up on the board and keep working hard with it,'” freshman pitcher Kenzie Grimes said.
UNT entered the bottom of the seventh inning down 6-5 after a two-run home run by Hoff in the third inning and a run by freshman catcher Shelbie Smith in the fifth.
Sophomore utility player Taylor Schoblocher delivered the victory for the Mean Green with a three-run home run to right field in the seventh inning to end the game.
“I was a little nervous,” Schoblocher said. “I’m used to that kind of pressure, so that helped me get the bat going. I felt it coming.”
Southern
The second game pitted the Mean Green against Southern University (0-5), which the team beat 9-0 on Friday. The game ended after five innings in a 9-1 UNT victory.
UNT enjoyed a hot start with five runs in the bottom of the second inning. Senior infielder Jordan Terry and junior outfielder Kat Strunk scored four of the runs on back-to-back two-run doubles.
Grimes captured the first win of her UNT career. She allowed one run on two hits through the whole game.
“It felt really good today,” Grimes said. “I felt like I was still working with my pitches. But it felt good to be able to get through it and still get a win.”
This win keeps UNT undefeated in the showcase, which wraps up on Sunday.
“It shows everybody that we’re here to win, just do our job and get things done.” Schoblocher said.
Next, the Mean Green will finish the invitational with a rematch against Northern Iowa at 11:30 a.m. Sunday at Lovelace Stadium.
Feature photo: Junior infielder Dani Hoff swings at an incoming pitch that led to a double. Hoff had three hits, one stolen base and a walk against Nicholls State University on Friday afternoon at Lovelace Stadium. Photo by Edward Balusek / Staff Photographer
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