North Texas Daily

The Mean Green softball team split a doubleheader for the third time this season, once again winning the first game of the day but failing to win the second.

North Texas (3-5) held on to a one-run lead against Lamar University after scoring their only two runs in the top of the third. They never managed to take the lead against Grand Canyon University in the second game.

North Texas 2, Lamar 1

Sophomore pitcher Lauren Craine earned her first win of the season after working six innings and gave up only one run on three hits. After throwing a 1-2-3 first, Craine was almost flawless in the circle before allowing Lamar to score its only run of the game with 2-outs in the fifth.

“I knew that Lamar was a good hitting team and I was going to work as in the zone as well as I could and try to work off the plate,” Craine said. “I knew if I left anything over the plate, they were going to attack.”

Craine came out after the sixth inning and allowed just three hits while striking out two.

“For [Lauren] I think it was a matter of getting that confidence and she was dealing,” Head Coach Tracey Kee said. “Lamar is a great hitting team. It should be a boost in her confidence but she’s been throwing well and we want to keep that going.”

Senior pitcher Stacey Underwood came out to close the game in the seventh. After striking out the first batter she faced, Underwood allowed a single and a fielder’s choice that created a bit of a jam late in the game.

But the senior was able to stand the runner on second to record her first save of the season.

North Texas scored its only runs in the third inning after freshman first baseman Lacey Gregory came up with a two-RBI double.

Grand Canyon 9, North Texas 3

The Mean Green lost to Grand Canyon for the second day in a row after the Antelopes took an early lead in the first inning and never let it go.

Grand Canyon (9-1) broke open the game in the fifth inning after a throwing error by senior pitcher Jessica Elder with one out. The error was followed by a passed ball and a walk and Elder was pulled in favor of Craine after going  4.2 innings.

Craine got off to a rough start, allowing a single and home run to the first two batters she faced. Craine pitched 2.1 innings and gave up two hits and two runs while striking out one.

Elder gave up seven runs on 10 hits and two walks and was credited with the loss.

“I felt a little nervous,” Craine said. “I knew going into the game today they knew every pitch I had because they saw everything I had yesterday, so I tried to stay low and utilize my off-speed to throw off their momentum. They’re just a good-hitting team.”

Next up: North Texas will face Baylor University at 11 a.m. tomorrow in their final game of the Getterman Classic.