LUBBOCK – North Texas softball dropped a Friday doubleheader in day one of the Texas Tech Invitational.
 
The Mean Green (10-7) battled against UT – Arlington, falling 12-7 after some late runs. The hosts, #18 Texas Tech, used the long ball to down the Mean Green in the second game of the day for both teams.
 
"It's challenging playing good opponents," head coach Rodney DeLong said. "They don't give you an inch. If you don't play well you won't win. This is good for us. I'm glad we're going through this stretch. We'll continue to grind. We're learning some things about ourselves. It's going to make us better."
 
UTA 12, North Texas 7
 
A volley of early errors got the Mean Green behind in the opening game of the Texas Tech Invitational. North Texas committed four errors in the first inning, six in total. The Mavericks (10-7) pushed three runs across in the opening frame to jump out to an early it would not relinquish.
 
But the Mean Green bats would not go quietly. Katie Clark tripled before scoring on a single from Lacy Gregory in the first inning. UTA loaded the bases with no outs in the second, but could only muster a run off starter Bailey Tindell who limited the damage. Then it was Rhylie Makawe with her third home run in five at-bats against the Mavericks, a solo shot (4) to cut the lead to 4-2.
 
UTA pushed the lead to 6-2 with two runs in the third before the Mean Green answered in the same inning. Jenna Goodrich brought home Harley Perella on a sac fly to make it 6-3. Mavs would strike for four more runs in the fourth. Ally Lindsey entered the game in the fifth, retiring the side in order. The Mavs would push two runs across on Lindsey though in the seventh, making the score 12-3. Tindell re-entered the game to finish it out.
 
"We're not a good defensive team," DeLong said. "We're a team that has to grind out these outs. We can definitely play better defense than we played today. We're capable of that. I'm disappointed in how we gave in, but we're growing. We're going to get better."

North Texas used three pitchers in total. Tindell allowed eight runs, two earned striking out one. Goodrich pitched an inning, allowing two runs on two hits striking out one. Lindsey went 2.2 innings allowing two runs on two hits.
 
The Mean Green struck for four runs in the 7th, but the rally fell short. The final frame was highlighted by Gregory's fourth home run of the season, a 3-run shot to pull the score to 12-6. Gregory finished 2-for-2 with 4RBI against the Mavs.
 
Camille Grahmann scored on a wild pitch before the ballgame would end.
 
#18 Texas Tech 6, North Texas 1
 
The Mean Green and the Red Raiders (15-1) locked horns for four scoreless innings before the Red Raiders' bats got loud. Hope Trautwein got the start, going 5.2 innings, but was pegged for all six runs on six hits despite a strong outing in which she struck out five. It was just her second loss of the season (6-2).
 
Texas Tech took the lead in the fifth on back-to-back home runs. A two-run shot and a solo homer. North Texas' lone run came on a laser single from Kenzie Young in the sixth to make the score 3-1.
 
But the Red Raiders charged back scoring three more in the sixth to seal the ballgame.
 
"Hope gave us a chance to win," DeLong said. "We had a couple chances to score. I was glad to compete in that game. We put ourselves in a position to have a chance late in the game. We can't worry about losing. Nobody likes it. It's tough, but that's what a tough schedule will do. We have to make a choice - will we grow from it or get worse from it? I think this group is going to grow. I'm going to move on and let it go."
 
The Mean Green return to action at 12:30 Saturday with back-to-back games, first against UTA, then Texas Tech to close out the Texas Tech Invitational. .