Box Score DENTON - The North Texas softball team kicked off the Mean Green Classic with a convincing 9-1 run-rule victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff Friday night at Lovelace Stadium.
 
The Mean Green (5-1) had hot bats from the first inning amidst the frigid conditions in the home opener, out hitting the Golden Lions (0-2) 12-4. Senior Harley Perella paced the Mean Green offensive attack going 3-for-4 including two home runs, one that would bring the game to its end.
 
"The energy and effort were great," said first-year Head Coach Rodney DeLong. "Anytime there's frigid conditions it's tough to get up and our girls' got up and played and took care of business with the scoreboard showing that as a result."
 
North Texas is off to the best start in program history, but DeLong is not focused on the win-loss column.
 
"It's a good start but it's a long season," DeLong said. "We've got to continue to work and get better."
 
The first inning was a breeze for junior transfer Jenna Goodrich (2-1, 0.98 ERA). Setting the Golden Lions down in order in her third start of the season to get the Mean Green to the plate.
 
It took one pitch for Perella to hit her first home run of the day. After a fly out by Katie Clark, Perella sent a line-shot over the center field wall for the first Mean Green hit and run of the night, but there was more scoring to be done in the frame.
 
After back-to-back two out hits from Goodrich and senior Rhylie Makawe and a walk to Junior Kenzie Young, junior Hannah Rebar shot a double to the left field wall plating Goodrich and Makawe. Then after another walk to freshman Tayla Evans, junior Nicole Ochotnicki would send a ball into left field plating Young but Rebar would get caught in a rundown ending the frame.
 
Goodrich would make quick work of the Golden Lions again in the second, aided by a double play turned by Evans and junior Lacy Gregory to erase a hit by Pine Bluff.
 
Perella's second hit of the night would drive home Clark after her leadoff single in the bottom of the second. North Texas would find their sixth run of the night when Makawe shot a single to left driving in Gregory.
 
Goodrich's final inning of work would be much like the first two where she would only face the first three batters. Goodrich finished the night giving up one hit and striking our three in nine. Batters faced. She would give way to freshman Bailey Tindell (1-0, 1.50 ERA) in the fourth.
 
The Mean Green offense would go cold, just like the weather in the third and fourth frames. But would find some more life in the fifth when Rebar would send her second home run of the season beyond the left field wall.
 
Pine Bluff would use some Mean Green miscues in the sixth to manufacture their only run, but Tindell would be impressive in her second collegiate apperance, striking out the next hitter in the Pine Bluff lineup, then getting a ground ball resulting in the second double play of the night turned by the Mean Green defense.
 
After Ochotnicki led-off the sixth with her third hit of the night, Perella would step to the plate with one out representing the winning run. Perella sent a shot into the trees beyond left field at Lovelace Stadium sealing the run-rule victory for the Mean Green.
 
Perella has been on the more negative sides of season beginnings, so for her team to have the start it's having she is finding the fun in the game again.
 
"It's a completely different feeling, a complete 180 compared to my first three years," Perella said. "We have a different culture, we're a family and the game's fun again. We're all having fun and enjoying this ride."
 
DeLong believes that Perella is ready for her senior season.

"She's worked her tail off this spring," DeLong said. "She's hitting everyday on her own. With the work ethic she has, I believe she's due for a big year."
 
The Mean Green look to continue the historic start to their season when they play host to Seton Hall and Creighton on day two of the Mean Green Classic at 1:30 and 4:00 PM on Saturday at Lovelace Stadium.