DENTON -- Freshman first baseman Rhylie Makawe and junior outfielder Danielle Gregory both homered, but Louisiana Tech prevailed, taking the series finale and completing the three-game weekend sweep with a 9-3 win Sunday afternoon.
The Lady Techsters (27-16, 8-7 C-USA) scored in five of the seven innings, including a three-spot in the third and sixth innings, and tallied 15 hits, including three home runs in the win. The Mean Green (20-26, 3-15 C-USA) lost their ninth straight conference game and were swept for the fourth time in league play this season.
"You have a team come that comes in here and gets 34 hits and 26 runs and you put up 11 hits and four runs," head coach Tracey Kee said. "They play error-free, and you have six errors. You're not going to win any games."
North Texas struck first, grabbing a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Gregory in the first. Louisiana Tech answered with a run in the top of the second, and Makawe answered right back for the Mean Green with a solo home run, her sixth of the season, in the bottom of the inning.
Trailing 2-1, the Lady Techsters put up a three-spot in the third, all three runs by way of the long ball with back-to-back home runs in the inning. Gregory also homered in the bottom of the inning, cutting the Louisiana Tech lead to 4-3 heading to the top of the fourth.
Louisiana Tech loaded the bases with one out in the fourth and loaded the bases again with no outs in the fifth, but junior Jessica Elder limited the damage to a single run in each of the two innings. Leading 6-3, the Lady Techsters added three more runs in the sixth, highlighted by a two-run home run by junior first baseman Pauline Tufi, her second home run of the game.
Coming on in relief in the third inning, senior Anna Cross did not allow a North Texas base runner until the bottom of the seventh. The Mean Green put two runners on base in the inning, but Cross ended the threat with a game-ending strikeout.
Cross (1-0) picked up her first win of the season, limiting North Texas to one hit with one walk and five strikeouts in 4.1 scoreless innings of relief. Junior Stacey Underwood (6-13) took the loss, giving up four runs on five hits with two walks and a strikeout.
"We have nine games left in our season," Kee said. "In the previous 10 games, we were 1-9. Right now, we're sitting at 0-1 with nine games to go."
Quick Hits:
Since taking two of three at WKU, North Texas has lost nine straight Conference USA games, including series sweep losses to FIU, Southern Miss and Louisiana Tech
North Texas was swept for the fourth time in six Conference USA series this season
North Texas scored first for the 22nd time and is now 16-6 in such games this season
Danielle Gregory drove in three of the team's five runs this weekend against Louisiana Tech, going 2-for-7 with a double and home run over the three games
Bryana Wade threw out her 17th runner of the season and she is now 17-for-36 throwing out runners attempting to steal this season
As a team, North Texas posted a .179 batting average, 7.74 earned run average and .930 fielding percentage, committing six errors, in three games this weekend
What's Next:
North Texas steps outside Conference USA play for a day doubleheader against Texas Tech on Wednesday. First pitch for game one is set for 1 p.m.
