Miami, Fla. (5/11/06) Sophomore Kristina Fowler picked up her 18th win of the season and knocked in the game-winning run in the North Texas softball team’s 4-2 win against Western Kentucky in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament at University Park. The Mean Green held a 2-0 lead against No. 2 seed FIU, but the Golden Panthers came back to win, 4-2, in the second game of the day.
The Mean Green (21-37) is now 3-0 in opening conference tournament games and 0-3 in second round matches. WKU and FIU both swept North Texas in the regular season conference games.
Fowler is 18-20 in the circle after pitching seven innings, allowing two runs off three hits in the win against WKU. She hit a two-out single in the fifth inning that scored two runs, including the eventual game-winner. She took the loss in the second game, relieving starter Anne Morton and allowing two runs off four hits in 1.2 innings of work.
Sophomore Katya Muller went 4-for-8 in the combined two games, increasing her hitting streak to 11 games and setting a school record. She had tied the school record of nine games last Sunday against Western Kentucky.
North Texas was aggressive at the plate from the start. After junior Monica Garcia was hit by a pitch to start off the first game, Muller moved her to third with a single and a fielding error by Western Kentucky. Junior Susan Waters knocked Garcia home for the first run of the game with a single up the middle. WKU pitcher Ryan Rogge forced two NT pop-ups and then struck out junior Christen Jonse to end inning.
Western Kentucky responded with a run of its own in the bottom of the first inning. After Jennifer Brooks singled with one out, NT pitcher Kristina Fowler walked the next two batters to load the bases. Alana Towns hit a sacrifice fly to left field, tying the game at 1-1.
The Mean Green scored three runs in the fifth inning off three singles to pull ahead, 4-1. Junior Heather Bostic helped North Texas regain the lead, 2-1, with a two-out RBI single up the middle. She scored Garcia from second, who reached base on a walk. Fowler then knocked in two more runs with another single straight up the middle.
Western Kentucky cut into the North Texas lead in the bottom of the fifth, scoring one run off two walks and a single.
For the second straight game, North Texas scored first. The Mean Green scored off an RBI double by Bostic in the third inning against FIU. Waters scored on the play after reaching base on a walk to start the third. Bostic moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and then scored the Mean Green’s second run on a wild pitch.
FIU tied the game in the bottom of the inning off two unearned runs. North Texas forced two outs and then recorded two errors, leading to the Golden Panthers two runs. FIU took the lead in the fourth inning with two runs off three hits.
North Texas stranded runners in the sixth and seventh innings. Muller and Waters both singled to start off the seventh but were left stranded. The Mean Green left 10 runners stranded in the loss.
The Mean Green will face No. 3 seed Western Kentucky again on Friday morning at 11 am, eastern time.
Click here to stay updated with latest action in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament
