Murfreesboro, TN (5/9/07) - The North Texas softball team won its first-ever game against Louisiana-Lafayette in the perfect spot: the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. The seventh-seeded Mean Green sent the Ragin’ Cajuns to the elimination side of the bracket with a 6-5 win in the first round of the conference tournament on Wednesday afternoon at the MT Softball Complex.
The Mean Green (22-34) will remain in the winner’s bracket, facing third-seeded Troy on Thursday at 3 pm. NT extends its first-round conference tournament record to 4-0. NT handed the Ragin’ Cajuns, ranked 22nd in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll, its first-ever loss in the conference tournament.
North Texas tied the game three times and then scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take its first lead, 6-3. The Mean Green held off Louisiana-Lafayette in the bottom of the seventh after giving up two runs. After ULL loaded the bases with no outs, Ashley Lail came in to relieve starter Kristina Fowler. The sophomore walked her first batter, which scored a run, and then gave up a sacrifice fly to make the score, 6-5. With runners on the corners, Lail forced a grounder to first. Fowler fielded the ball and threw home to prevent the runner from scoring. Christen Jonse made the tag for the second out, and Lail struck out the final batter to seal the win.
The Mean Green used a three-run seventh inning to take the lead. Kadie Platt started the push with a one-out single. After Taylor Johnston struck out, Lauren Bergstrom posted her first hit of the game to put runners on first and second. Platt gave the Mean Green the lead, 4-3, by scoring off a Ragin' Cajun fielding error. Susan Waters knocked home the eventual game-winner with a two-RBI single.
Fowler earned the win for the Mean Green, pitching six innings and allowing five runs off nine hits. The junior picked up her eighth win of the season.
Holly Tankersley knocked in the game’s first run with a single in the bottom of the third inning to give Louisiana-Lafayette an early 1-0 lead. North Texas then intentionally walked Lacey Bertucci to load the bases with only one out but Fowler was able to work out the jam.
Waters tied the game on a wild pitch by Brittany Cuevas in the top of the fourth. The All-Sun Belt player recorded the team’s first hit with a single to left field. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a groundout. The third baseman scampered home after a wild pitch went off the catcher’s glove to the backstop.
The Ragin’ Cajuns quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run by Tara Hamilton. Taylor Johnston posted a solo home run of her own with a shot to left field that tied the game for the second time. The home run was Johnston’s second of the season.
Vallie Gaspard led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a double down the left field line. After advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt, Tankersley knocked in her second run with a single to center field to put the Ragin’ Cajuns ahead, 3-2.
North Texas tied the game for a third time with an unearned run in the top of the sixth inning. After reaching base on a walk, Muller scored from third on a fielding error by the third baseman.
The Mean Green tied a school record with its 22nd win of the season. The 2004 and 2006 teams each posted 22-win seasons.
North Texas will face the No. 3 seed Troy on Thursday. The Mean Green is 1-2 this season against Troy and 3-4 overall. In the Sun Belt Conference tournament, North Texas is 0-3 in second round games and 0-1 against Troy. The Trojans eliminated the Mean Green from last year's tournament.
