Lafayette, La. (3/10/12) - The Mean Green took early leads against the No. 11 Louisiana-Lafayette softball team but was unable to hold off the Ragin' Cajun offense as North Texas fell in two extra-inning games on Saturday afternoon at Cajun Field. The Mean Green lost, 7-6, in 10 innings in the first game and came up short, 5-4, in nine innings in the nightcap.
North Texas falls to 8-12 overall and 0-2 in conference play, while Louisiana-Lafayette improves to 21-0 and 2-0 in the Sun Belt. The two teams will play a third time on Sunday at 12 p.m.
The two teams combined to play 19 innings in the doubleheader. North Texas held a 6-2 lead in the first game until ULL scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game. The Ragin' Cajuns loaded the bases in the 10th and a sacrifice fly scored the winning run. The Mean Green left 15 runners stranded in the game.
In the second half of the doubleheader, ULL tied the game in the bottom of the seventh to go into extra-innings. North Texas held a 1-0 lead in the first inning and took a 4-2 advantage in the top of the seventh off a two-RBI double by Lisa Johnson. ULL scored the winning run in the ninth off a Mean Green error.
Ashley Kirk (1-6) pitched in relief in both games and took the two losses. She pitched a combined eight innings and gave up four total runs off seven hits. The sophomore pitched the last six innings of the first game, giving up one run off three hits. Brittany Simmons started both games. The junior pitched six innings in the second game, giving up two runs off two hits.
The Mean Green jumped out ahead right from the first inning of the first game. North Texas loaded the bases for Maddelyn Fraley who knocked in a run with a single. Caitlin Grimes drew a walk to score a second run, and then Ashley McCarroll grounded into a double play, scoring a third run to put North Texas ahead, 3-0.
After ULL scored two runs in the bottom of the second, Brooke Foster hit a two-run homer to extend the Mean Green's lead, 5-2. Foster went 3-for-6 in the opening loss with two runs scored and two RBI. Johnson knocked in the Mean Green's sixth run with a fielder's choice in the top of the fourth. Two ULL home runs in the bottom of the fourth tied up the game.
The Mean Green loaded the bases in the fifth and put runners on base in every inning following but was unable to knock in the winning run.
Fraley plated the first run of the second game with a groundout to put North Texas ahead, 1-0, in the first inning. After ULL took the lead in the third with two runs, McCarroll tied the game with an RBI single in the sixth. Johnson would give North Texas a lead with a double in the top of the seventh. The senior went 4-for-4 in the game with one run scored and two RBI.
