Box Score COLLEGE STATION, Texas – After splitting a Saturday doubleheader, the Mean Green finished out the Aggie Classic with a second convincing win over the University of Northern Colorado 8-2 on Sunday afternoon.
The Mean Green (4-1) scored a combined 17 runs against the Bears (1-4) while allowing just two. North Texas scored 40 runs across five games over the weekend, with the most coming against #20 Texas A&M when the Mean Green plated 10.
Katie Clark led the team at the plate, going 13-for-23 across the five games putting her average at a team-leading .565 with seven RBI.
Harley Perella checked in right behind her, going 7-for-21 to hit .333 while driving home seven.
Lacy Gregory finished the weekend with a .353 average, two doubles and seven RBI.
"Katie had a great weekend. Harley swung the bat well too," head coach
Rodney DeLong said. "We have some kids who are really capable with the bat in their hands."
In the finale on Sunday, sophomore
Hope Trautwein got her second start. She held the Bears scoreless across 7.0 innings of work. Her 7.0 innings were on both sides of three batters faced by sophomore
Ally Lindsey. Lindsey allowed two runs on two hits, both earned, before Trautwein re-entered the ballgame.
Trautwein was key for the Mean Green, picking up three wins, throwing a complete game and only allowing four runs on 10 hits across 20.1 innings of work while striking out 31 batters.
"I was really impressed with how well our pitchers did in the weather conditions," DeLong said. "Coach Allred does a great job preparing them. I think it speaks to their mental toughness. They are a tough group."
As on a handful of occasions in the opening weekend, the Mean Green exploded for a big inning – scoring seven runs in the fourth on seven hits. Clark opened the flood gates when she drove home
Rhylie Makawe with two outs to open the scoring. The Mean Green then would score six more runs with two outs on the board.
The insurance run came in the sixth before Trautwein closed out the ballgame.
North Texas now returns home for its home opener Friday in tournament play in the Mean Green Classic. Denton will host Seton Hall, Creighton, Northwestern State and the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
The Mean Green will face Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the home opener on Friday at 6:30 p.m.