North Texas Daily

North Texas softball swept The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff over the weekend after rain forced the series to take place on Sunday and Monday. Senior RHP Hope Trautwein became the first pitcher to ever throw a perfect game for the Mean Green on Sunday afternoon.

“[North Texas] pitchers threw really well today and pounded the strike zone,” Head coach Rodney Long said of his team’s performance Sunday. “[The pitchers] really carried [North Texas] today and overall we played really good defense except for one inning.”

Game 1 (April 11): North Texas 3, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 0

Trautwein made history as she became the first pitcher in North Texas (19-9, C-USA 2-2) history to throw a perfect game. The senior pitched seven innings Sunday afternoon, striking out all 21 batters she faced, becoming the first pitcher in NCAA Division I history to do so. Junior Shakeidria Hubbard took the circle for UAPB (1-19, SWAC 1-6), going all seven innings for the Golden Lions, and earning three runs on six hits.

The game’s only runs were in the top of the fourth when freshman infielder Candain Callahan hit a two-run double, which was followed later in the inning by an RBI groundout by freshman outfielder Lexi Cobb that scored Callahan, making the contest 3-0.

Trautwein finished what she had started in the bottom of the seventh inning, striking out the side to give the senior righty her sixth win of the season and the first perfect game of her career and in school history.

Game 2: North Texas 5, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 2

The second game of the double-header saw freshman southpaw Janie Worthington take the circle, with the young lefty striking out seven and going four innings, allowing one run on three hits. Freshman lefty Alexis Smith was in the circle for UAPB, pitching four innings, striking out two and allowing five runs on five hits.

The scoring began in the second inning for the Mean Green.

Cobb hit in her second RBI of the day to put North Texas on the board first. Cobb would steal home later in the inning to give the game a 2-0 score to end the second.

North Texas added its third run on junior infielder Tayla Evans’ fifth home run of the season.

In the fourth inning, senior infielder Tarah Hilton and Evans would add two runs to the Mean Green tally on a couple of singles, providing a five-run cushion.

Freshman infielder Samaria Jackson put UAPB for the first time of the day on an RBI groundout.

Worthington would be relieved by graduate Gigi Wall in the fifth inning, with Worthington in line for the win.

Jackson’s second RBI of the game came in the sixth inning on an RBI single, easing the Golden Lions. within three runs going into the seventh.

Sophomore right-hander Ariel Thompson came in to close out the contest in the seventh, which she was able to do.

Worthington earned her fifth win of the season in the game, while Smith lost her fourth game of the season.

“Definitely struggled at the plate, but [we’ll] keep chipping away and we’ll get something going,” DeLong said after the conclusion of Sunday’s contests.

Game 3 (April 12): North Texas 8, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 0

North Texas completed the sweep of UAPB with a five-inning run-rule victory.

Thompson started in the circle for North Texas, going four innings, striking out seven and allowing no runs on four hits. Freshman Kirsten Schmidt started for Arkansas-Pine Bluff, pitching three innings, striking out none and allowing six runs — only two being earned — on three hits.

The Mean Green got the scoring started in the first inning as graduate outfielder Tuesday DerMargosian scored on a freshman outfielder Rayna Lewis groundout.

Freshman catcher Ashlyn Walker hit a sac-fly later in the first to extend North Texas’ lead to two. Freshman Kalei Christensen would extend the lead to three with a fielder’s choice that would score the runner from third.

Evans would make the score 4-0 in the top of the second on a sac-fly that scored DerMargosian.

Lewis hit her third home run of the season on a three-run blast in the fourth inning, extending the Mean Green lead to seven.

The eighth and final run of the game came in the top of the fifth inning. Hilton singled to score freshman infielder Mikayla Smith to put North Texas in a run-rule situation.

With an 8-0 lead, DeLong entrusted junior righty Bailey Tindell to close the game out. Tindell surrendered a hit but was able to end the game after five innings.

Thompson earned her first win of the season, while Schmidt suffered her first loss.

“Any success we have is good for us,” DeLong said after Monday’s series ender. “The next 6-8 games are going to be tough on the road and we’ll have to come with a little more energy than we had this weekend.”

Up Next: North Texas comes back to Texas and takes on DFW rivals University of Texas-Arlington (13-22, 6-6 SBC) at Allen Saxe Field in a Wednesday night matchup. The game will serve as the rubber match between the teams after splitting the first two games against each other in 2021.

Featured Image: Sophomore batter Tayla Evans successfully hits the ball during the UNT vs. UTM softball game on Feb. 16, 2020. Image by Ryan Cantrell