WACO -- The North Texas softball team was unable to complete the regular season sweep of No. 19 Baylor, falling to the Lady Bears in a 2-0 pitchers' duel on Wednesday night at Getterman Stadium. The Mean Green (18-13) were shutout for just the second time this season and they were limited to just three hits, tied for its lowest output of the season.
Making her second career start, Baylor freshman Gio Rodoni tossed 4.0 shutout innings and earned her first career win. She scattered three hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Baylor sophomore Kendall Potts worked 3.0 perfect innings of relief with a pair of strikeouts.
For North Texas, junior Jessica Elder, junior Stacey Underwood and freshman Lauren Craine each worked 2.0 innings and allowed a combined two runs -- one earned -- on four hits with a walk.
"Both teams really pitched it well tonight," head coach Tracey Kee said. "We hold Baylor to four hits, and they hold us to three hits. That's a solid game for both teams. It just came down to timely hitting. We unfortunately did not capitalize on our opportunities early in the game."
Baylor (28-7) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, taking advantage of a North Texas throwing error and scoring the run on a sacrifice fly to right. The Lady Bears threatened again in the bottom of the second, loading the bases with two outs, but Elder ended the threat with a lineout to second.
North Texas put two runners on base in both the first and fourth innings, but they were unable to push a run across in either frame. The Mean Green also advanced a runner to second but nothing else in the fifth inning. Baylor added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, stringing together back-to-back, two-out doubles to extend its lead to 2-0.
North Texas sent two pinch-hitters to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but Potts worked a perfect inning to earn her second save of the season
"They have a quality staff," said Kee of Baylor. "They showed us pitches that we had not seen in quite some time, in regard to the velocity of their pitches. For us, we also chased balls early in the game out of the zone. We needed to see this type of competition before this weekend, and hopefully it will pay off then."
Quick Hits:
- North Texas was shutout for the first time since Feb. 19 against Liberty and just the second time overall this season
- North Texas was limited to just three hits, tied for its lowest output of the season
- North Texas is now 8-16-1 all-time against Baylor but has won three of the last five in the series
- North Texas is now 2-3 against power-five teams this season with Kansas, Georgia Tech, No. 13 Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Texas remaining on the schedule
- North Texas has split its first four games with ranked teams this season, winning twice at No. 21 Baylor, losing once at No. 13 Arizona and losing once at No. 19 Baylor. Oklahoma, currently ranked No. 13, remains on the schedule
- Harley Perella tallied her third multi-hit game in three games against Baylor, going a combined 7-for-12 with a double, a run scored and four RBI. It was her 11th multi-hit game overall this season
- Kelli Schkade was held hitless for just the third time this season
- Stacey Underwood worked a perfect 2.0 innings of relief, retiring the Baylor side in order in the third and fourth innings. In three games against Baylor, she worked 11.0 innings and allowed just four runs -- two earned -- and scattered seven hits with no walks and three strikeouts
What's Next:
North Texas returns home for a three-game Conference USA series against FIU. North Texas and FIU will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. and then the Sunday series finale at 11 a.m.