Murfreesboro, TN (3/18/11) - The Mean Green could not hold early leads as the Blue Raiders swept the North Texas softball team in doubleheader action on Friday afternoon at Blue Raider Field. Middle Tennessee defeated the Mean Green by scores of 5-4 and 6-4.
North Texas falls to 13-13 and 1-4 in the Sun Belt, while Middle Tennessee improves to 7-16 and 2-3 in the Sun Belt. The Blue Raiders lead the series, 15-11.
Middle Tennessee used three home runs in the two games to steal two wins from the Mean Green. North Texas held a 4-0 lead in the first game and a 2-0 advantage in the nightcap before rallies by Middle Tennessee halted the Mean Green.
Kaycee Popham's two-run homer in the fifth inning was the difference in the Mean Green's opening 5-4 loss to Middle Tennessee. Popham's homer was part of a four-run fifth inning for the Blue Raiders.
North Texas built a 4-0 lead over the first three innings off seven hits. Monica Hirsch led off the game with a walk and quickly scored off a fielder's choice. Courtney Bradshaw knocked in the second run with a single.
Renae Bromley led off the second inning with a single and scored from third off a Lesley Hirsch single. Bromley knocked in the team's fourth run with a double that scored Lisa Johnson from first.
The Mean Green posted seven of its eight hits in the first three innings. Jordyn Fisherback held the Mean Green hitless in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Brooke Foster led off the seventh with a single but was caught stealing to keep the bases empty.
The Mean Green outhit the Blue Raiders, 8-7. Bromley and Foster led North Texas with two hits each. Lesley Hirsch knocked in two runs.
In the nightcap, North Texas took a 2-0 lead in the first inning again. Monica Hirsch led off the game with a single and scored from third off a Mariza Martinez groundout. Bradshaw knocked in the second run with a double.
Middle Tennessee tied the game with a pinch-hit two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth. In the sixth inning, the Blue Raiders used four runs, including a three-run homer to take control of the second game.
North Texas cut into the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning with a pinch-hit RBI double by Maddelyn Fraley and a groundout by Mallory Cantler.
Ashley Kirk (6-6) took the loss in the second game. She gave up six runs off six hits in six innings of work. She struck out eight Blue Raiders. Brittany Simmons fell to 6-7 with the loss in the first game. She gave up five runs off five hits in six innings.
North Texas rounds out the conference series with a 11 a.m. single game against Middle Tennessee on Sunday morning.
