DENTON – Mean Green softball picked up its seventh straight win with a with a doubleheader sweep over Saint Mary's to complete its second consecutive series sweep. The Mean Green (25-12, 10-2) improve to 12-1 at home, and have matched the win total from the 2018 season.
 
North Texas scored 23 runs across the two games, winning 9-2 behind the start from Jenna Goodrich in game one before an eight run fourth inning in game two pushed the Mean Green to a 14-7 win.
 
It was a great sight for head coach Rodney DeLong.
 
"We got two wins and it's what we needed to do," DeLong said.  "I like winning, glad to come out with two wins. The girls played hard and had fun, and that's all we can ask for."
 
North Texas 9, Saint Mary's 2
 
The Mean Green struck early as they have done in the last six out of seven games, scoring in the first inning. Lacy Gregory singled home Camille Grahmann to erase a 1-0 Gael's (7-26) lead. Then Rhylie Makawe blasted a three-run homer, her seventh of the season and third of the series to put North Texas up 4-1.
 
Makawe finished the weekend 4-for-9 with seven RBI, five runs hitting .444 with a slugging percentage of 1.556.
 
The Gael's got another run in the third but Sally Gastelo continued her hot streak at the plate with a bases clearing double in the fifth before Kenzie Young brought Gastelo home with a sac fly to make the score 8-2 in favor of the home team. Tayla Evans knocked a solo homer in the sixth for her fourth of the season to reach the 9-2 final.
 
"Usually we have a good idea of the zone," DeLong said. "It helps that when we get hits we can drive in runs. Our hitters have a good clue of the zone and they showed that today."
 
Goodrich exited after 2.0 innings in her start, allowing just the two runs on five hits while striking out two. Bailey Tindell entered and pitched 5.0 innings allowing just one hit while also striking out two and picking up the win.
 
The freshman had a strong weekend, allowing just four hits and three runs.
 
"I felt a little nervous but felt pretty good," Tindell said. "It feels great knowing that they're going to have your back and they definitely did their job today."
 
North Texas 14, Saint Mary's 7
 
North Texas scored in the first again when Gregory reached on an error at short stop, allowing Grahmann to scamper home to open the scoring. The Mean Green then exploded for five runs in the second, before notching eight runs in the fourth to seal the win.
 
"We had a lot of fun this weekend," Gregory said. "It was huge to put three more wins on the board. Our bats came alive and our pitching was good so it was nice to put it all together."
 
Harley Perella opened the scoring in the second inning with a 2RBI single before Gregory drove home two more with a double. Evans singled to round out the scoring bringing home Gregory and giving North Texas a 6-1 lead. The Gael's answered with two runs in the third before North Texas exploded in the fourth.
 
Gregory started it off with a RBI double before Hanna Rebar drew a bases loaded walk. Gastelo cleared the bases with a double again, giving her six RBI on the day. North Texas loaded them up again allowing Perella to provide a bases clearing double of her own to give the Mean Green a 14-3 lead. At the end of the fourth.
 
Saint Mary's would avoid the run-rule with a grand slam in the fifth inning, but Hope Trautwein finished out the ballgame in smooth fashion to bring home the win. Tindell got the start going 3.0 innings allowing three runs on three hits striking out two. Trautwein picked up the win in relief with 4.0 innings, allowing six hits and four runs all earned while striking out three. She improves to 16-4 on the year.
 
The Mean Green hit the road again on Tuesday with a game against Houston Baptist before a top of the Conference USA standings clash with Western Kentucky that begins on Saturday in Bowling Green.