North Texas Daily

North Texas softball’s set of Saturday games resulted in a split losing to No. 11 Oklahoma State University 2-0 and a 9-1 walk-off win against Lamar University in Conroe, Texas. 

Against Oklahoma State, North Texas (2-2, Conference USA 0-0) fell in game one on a complete game shutout by Cowgirls pitcher Carrie Beberle recording eight strikeouts, one hit and three walks. 

The Mean Green’s Saturday was highlighted in the walk-off win over Lamar where freshman catcher Kalei Christensen came away with her first hit, double and home run. Senior pitcher Hope Trautwein earned her second win of the season on a 12 strikeout performance through five innings, at one point making all of her first 30 outs recorded via the strikeout.  

“We still have a ways to go as a team,” Head coach Rodney DeLong said. “Our pitchers threw it really well today and gave us a chance to win both games. We let some at-bats get away from us in both games really, had a couple of opportunities against [Oklahoma State] but didn’t capitalize. Overall it’s about improving and we’re going to continue to get better and I’m excited about what we’ve got here.”

Game One: Oklahoma State 2, North Texas 0

Oklahoma State (4-0, Big 12 0-0) faced North Texas in its second matchup of the day coming off an immediate 11-1 over Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Senior Mean Green pitcher Gigi Wall made her second start of the season and looked to earn her first win against the Cowgirls. 

Wall started the first two innings in the circle keeping Oklahoma State scoreless. The second inning began with back-to-back walks where she caught a line drive and doubled off Cowgirls senior infielder Jordan Doggett.

The Cowgirls scored their only runs of the game in the third inning where junior infielder Kiley Naomi knocked sophomore infielder Karli Petty in an RBI double. Senior infielder Alysen Febrey made it a 2-0 score on an RBI single driving in Naomi. 

Wall finished game one on 4.1 innings allowing two runs on five hits, three walks, three strikeouts and suffered her second loss of the season. Freshman pitcher Janie Wentworth came in for the following 1.2 innings striking out four of five batters faced. 

Beberle kept North Texas off the scoreboard for the first time since the Mean Green’s 7-0 loss to McNeese State in 2020. She recorded a one-hit complete game shutout striking out eight and allowing three walks.  

North Texas mustered five baserunners through the first four innings coming on a catcher’s interference and walk to freshman outfielder Molly Rainey, two walks to freshman first baseman Kailey Gamble and a base hit by senior outfielder Tuesday DerMargosian. The Mean Green offense was unable to cash in with runners on and the final 11 hitters were retired in a row by Beberle. 

Naomi led the Cowgirl offense with a 2-3 game and an RBI including Febrey with a 1-3 game and an RBI. DerMargosian recorded the lone North Texas hit, Gamble and Rainey each reached base twice. 

Game Two: North Texas 9, Lamar 1

North Texas looked to bounce back with a win in game two, facing Lamar (1-5, 0-0 Southland) who fell to Wichita State 19-0 in their first game. 

Trautwein was handed the ball in her second start of the year after a 21 strikeout complete game over Southeastern Louisiana last Saturday in a 6-2 victory.

North Texas tacked on four runs in the second inning where senior second baseman Kourtney Williams recorded an RBI single driving in freshman infielder Rayna Lewis. Sophomore shortstop Candain Callahan later drove in Williams and Christensen on a 2 RBI single, and senior outfielder Tarah Hilton driving home Callahan on an RBI single.  

Trautwein in the top half of innings one through three recorded nine straight punchouts as her first 30 outs recorded of the season come from strikeouts. 

Christensen gave North Texas an added run to expand its lead to 5-0 on an RBI double by Christensen driving in freshman infielder Maia Wark. 

The 30 strikeout streak ended in the fifth inning for Trautwein when Cardinal’s outfielder Savanna Mata flew out to Wark for the first out. The Cardinals brought home a run on a North Texas error as junior outfielder Aleka Xayaseng came across to score. 

Following a Hilton single in the bottom of the fourth, junior infielder Tayla Evans brought Hilton in to score on an RBI triple to make it a 6-1 contest.

Christensen led off the bottom half of the fifth for North Texas with a solo home run. Hilton was a hit-by-pitch victim with the bases loaded with an 8-1 score and nobody out and Evans ended the game on an RBI single bringing home freshman outfielder Lexi Cobb. 

Christensen led the Mean Green offense on a 3-3 game with 2 RBIs, including Callahan and Evans each recording two hits and two RBI’s. Xayaseng recorded the only hit and scored the run for Lamar in the game. 

Trautwein earned her second win of the season on a complete-game pitching five innings allowing one hit, one unearned run and striking out 12. 

“[Trautwein] works her tail off,” DeLong said. “She’s really talented and the results show for her. I’m excited to see what she’s doing and excited about the type of season she’s going to have.”

Up Next: North Texas plays Lamar at 11 a.m. and No. 6 Texas at 3:30 p.m. Sunday to finalize its weekend games in Conroe. 

Featured Image: Junior batter Tayla Evans successfully hits the ball during game against UTM on Feb. 16, 2020. Image by Ryan Cantrell