DENTON – At the Mean Green Sports Machine, we’ve been saying this North Texas softball program has the potential to be special. Throughout the first two days of the Mean Green Classic, they have backed that up.
The Mean Green have cruised to three straight wins over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Seton Hall and Creighton. North Texas now sits with an overall record of 7-1, which happens to be the best start in program history.
In Saturday’s wins against Seton Hall (14-2) and Creighton (7-3), the Mean Green clobbered 24 hits, 6 home runs and scored 21 total runs.
"We played well," head coach Rodney DeLong said. "If we continue to play with a lot of energy and swing the bat that well we're going to win a lot of ball games."
Junior outfielder Hanna Rebar hit two home runs and had 6 total RBIs in the two games and said her confidence has grown throughout the early part of the season.
“It’s easy to have confidence when everybody on your team has faith in you,” Rebar said. “I think everybody has faith in me at the bat and I have complete trust in everyone else. I think it’s easy to feed off each other with that.”
To say DeLong and his staff have this program going in the right direction is an understatement. In just a few months and eight games in 2019, the Mean Green are playing with a new energy and excitement that most haven’t seen in a while.
“We’re just riding a high,” sophomore pitcher Hope Trautwein said. “The only way we can go is up and we’re trying to improve every game.”
This team is a joy to watch on the field and in the dugout with their loud chants to encourage their team. Anytime North Texas fans have a chance to come out to Lovelace Stadium to catch a game, the MGSM recommends they do so.
North Texas caps off the Mean Green Classic on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. against Northwestern State.
North Texas 14, Seton Hall 2
North Texas scored seven runs in the first inning to take an early lead over Seton Hall, and the Mean Green didn’t stop there.
At the end of three innings, the Mean Green hit four home runs and took a commanding 14-0 lead.
Hanna Rebar started the home run parade with a two-run opposite field homer, and Rhylie Makawe followed her with a home run to left field to make it back-to-back jacks for UNT.
In the third inning, Lacy Gregory and Jenna Goodrich paired up for two monster home runs that landed somewhere near Interstate 35W.
Gregory finished 2 for 3 with 4 RBIs while Rebar finished 2 for 2 with 3 RBIs, a walk and two stolen bases.Goodrich, a pitcher who played designated player against Seton Hall, finished with two hits and 3 RBIs of her own.
Katie Clark continued her ridiculous on base percentage to start the season by going 2 for 3 with a run driven in.
Hope Trautwein earned the win in the circle for the Mean Green, allowing just one hit and two runs through four innings while striking out six.
North Texas 14, Seton Hall 2
Seton Hall: 0 0 0 2 0 -- 2
North Texas: 7 2 5 0 x -- 14
WP – Hope Trautwein; HR – Lacy Gregory, Hanna Rebar, Rhylie Makawe, Jenna Goodrich; 2B – Harley Perella, Jenna Goodrich
North Texas 7, Creighton 3
Creighton third baseman Kelly Finan lofted a two-run homer over the left field fence to give the Bluejays a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning.
However, North Texas responded with 6 unanswered runs in the first and second innings.
Gregory and Kenzie Young both singled in runs to cut the Creighton lead to 3-2 in the first inning.
The turning point of the game might have been in the top of the second, when Creighton loaded the bases with one out. UNT second baseman Rhylie Makawe proceeded to turn a double play to end the threat and send the Mean Green to bat.
In the bottom of the second, Katie Clark led off the four-run inning with a solo homer and Rebar followed her three batters later with a two-run opposite field home run to make the score 6-2.
Clark drove in her second run of the game in the bottom of the fifth on an infield single to give North Texas a 7-3 lead.
Clark, Gregory and Rebar all finished with 2 RBIs in the game against Creighton, and Perella had a team-high three hits.
North Texas 7, Creighton 3 R H E
Creighton: 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 -- 3
North Texas: 2 4 0 0 1 0 x -- 7
WP – Jenna Goodrich; HR – Katie Clark, Hanna Rebar; 3B – Harley Perella; 2B – Harley Perella
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