UNT Softball Splits Doubleheader
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Waco, Texas (2/25/12) – Brittany Simmons picked up her fourth win of the season, leading the North Texas softball team to a 3-1 win against Stephen F. Austin on Saturday afternoon in second-day action at the Texas Shootout. The Mean Green lost to No. 9 Baylor, 3-2, in its second game of the day.
North Texas now stands at 5-6 overall and 1-3 in the Texas Shootout. The Mean Green will play Baylor on Sunday at 10 a.m. in the third-place game. Texas Tech and Texas State will play in the championship game at 12:30 p.m.
A solid pitching performance by Simmons and timely hits led to the Mean Green’s first win of the tournament against SFA. North Texas outhit the Bears, 6-5, in the second game but was unable to hold off the offense for seven innings.
North Texas took a 2-0 lead against Baylor in the second inning after two illegal pitches by Baylor pitcher Courtney Repka. The Mean Green loaded the bases off three singles and then moved ahead twice on illegal pitchers.
Baylor cut into the lead with one run in the third and then took the lead in the sixth with two runs off a deep double to right center field.
Ashley Kirk (1-4) took the loss against the Bears, allowing two earned runs off five hits in
5.1 innings of work. Repka allowed two runs off six hits in seven innings to earn the win.
Simmons improved to 4-1 with another solid start in the first game. She held the Ladyjacks scoreless through five innings, while tying a career high with seven strikeouts. She allowed one run off five hits in seven innings of work. In her last four appearances, the junior has allowed just one earned run in 16.1 innings of work.
The Mean Green bats woke up in the third inning against Stephen F. Austin with two runs off four hits. Ashley McCarroll led off with a walk, and Jackie Miller knocked her home with an RBI double. After Lesley Hirsch and Megan Rupp posted back-to-back singles, Lisa Johnson brought home a second run with a hit to the right-side of the infield.
North Texas went up ahead, 3-0, in the fourth inning following an RBI double by Maddelyn Fraley. SFA loaded the bases in the sixth off two walks and a single and scored a run off a hit by Cadie Weaver. Simmons allowed just one hit the rest of the way to seal the way.
Johnson and Fraley are leading the Mean Green offense with four hits each in the tournament. Simmons is leading the pitching squad with one win and an 0.43 ERA in four appearances.
