Softball winning streak snapped in first doubleheader of conference play
North Texas freshman utility player Harley Parella (3) slides into second base on a stolen base against Nicholls State during the Mean Green Spring Fling Tournament. Dylan Nadwodny | Staff Photographer
Clay Massey | Staff Writer
Mean Green softball opened conference play against the University of Texas at San Antonio, but North Texas (13-8) was stuffed by the Roadrunners (8-16).
Two streaks were ended on the day for North Texas. Its five game win-streak came to an end, and junior infielder Kelli Schkade’s school record 19 game hit-streak was snapped after a 0-for-3 first game.
“They’ve been fighting for the final out all year,” said head coach Tracey Kee. “But the thing I’m probably most disappointed with are the 18 outs prior to. We just let opportunities slip. We’ve got to do a better job of getting out of the gates earlier and not sitting around waiting for the final inning.”
North Texas 2, UTSA 3
The two teams traded long-balls into extras to open conference play, but it was the Roadrunners who knocked it out of the park the final time.
Junior infielder Randee Crawford went yard twice, her third and fourth home runs of the season, including the game-winning solo shot to left-center field for the win in the eighth inning. Crawford first homered in the bottom of the third with a one-run shot to left making the score 2-0 for the Roadrunners.
Another junior infielder got the party started for UTSA in the top of the first when Kaley Pyles also went deep to left-center for a solo shot, her first of the season.
Junior pitcher Jessica Elder went 7.1 innings with seven strikeouts, but she could not limit the long ball, allowing three earned runs and earning only her third loss of the season.
“It was pretty difficult to keep the ball low,” Elder said. “Whenever they did get a hit, it was crucial.”
North Texas struck with a dinger of its own when freshman Rhylie Makawe hit a two-run shot in the fourth to tie the game at two, but the offense stalled from there. North Texas had the go-ahead run at third in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings, but could not get the runners home, setting up a walk-off win for UTSA in the eighth.
“I was trying to get out of a bad at-bat, and it ended up being very good,” Makawe said. “I was happy with that, but we talked about it. We have to have continuous hitting throughout the game.”
North Texas 6, UTSA 8
The two sides played yet another close game, but the Roadrunners scored five runs with two outs in the sixth to hold off a threatening North Texas rally in the final frame. The Mean Green had its chances, but stranded eight runners.
“So many times this year we’ve just never got that timely hit,” Kee said. “We had our runners in scoring position, and we just didn’t deliver on that.”
Junior right hander Stacey Underwood got the start for North Texas, going 6.0 innings with 10 hits and six strikeouts. The ten hits are the most Underwood has allowed this season.
UTSA started the scoring in the bottom of the first when sophomore infielder Chelsea Thomas doubled to right center, but the Mean Green answered in the top of the second when junior outfielder Danielle Gregory went deep to center. It was her second home run of the season.
Crawford struck with the long-ball again, with a two-run shot in the third inning, her third home run of the day, to make the score 3-1 in favor of the Roadrunners.. North Texas answered again when freshman utility player Casady Webb hit an RBI single to make the score 3-2.
The Mean Green tied the ballgame in the fifth when freshman infielder Harley Perella whacked an RBI double to left center to tie the game up.
UTSA scored five runs with two outs on the board to make the score 8-3, but the Mean Green did not go quietly into the afternoon. Senior Karly Williams started it off by continuing her 1.000 day at the plate with a deep solo shot. Then, senior catcher Bryana Wade followed up with a two-run blast to deep center.
The Mean Green brought the tying run to the plate, but she struck out swinging.
North Texas is back in action at 1 p.m. against the Roadrunners on Sunday in San Antonio for the series finale.
Featured Image: Freshman utility player Harley Parella (3) slides into second base on a stolen base during the Mean Green Spring Fling Tournament. Dylan Nadwodny | Staff Photographer
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