NT Loses First Three In OU/Nike Classic

[GreenBat]

NT Softball Loses First Three In OU/NIke Classic

Despite four hits from sophomore Heather Bostic, the Mean Green softball team lost its first three games in opening-day action at the OU/Nike Classic on Saturday at the OU Softball Complex.

The Mean Green (1-8) lost to Lipscomb twice (5-1 and 6-5) and once against Creighton (7-1). North Texas led Lipscomb, 2-0, in the first inning of the last game, but the Bison tied the game at 5-5 and then walked in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh. North Texas scored seven runs in the combined three games, which is five more than it recorded in its first six games.

Bostic batted .444 in the combined three games on 4-for-9 hitting, including three hits in the 6-5 loss to Lipscomb. The first baseman doubled in the first inning of the third game, scoring the Mean Green’s first run. She then posted an RBI single in the third inning to tie the game at 3-3. After Lipscomb tied the game at 5-5, Bostic singled in the seventh inning but was left stranded at third base. Bostic also posted her first home run of the season and second of her career in the 7-1 loss to Creighton.

Sophomore Christen Jonse helped North Texas take its second lead in the 6-5 loss to Lipscomb with a two-run homer in the fourth inning to put Mean Green ahead, 5-3. The home run was Jonse’s first of her career and only hit in the three games. The Mean Green posted a season-high eight hits in the 6-5 loss to the Bison.

Freshman pitcher Morgan Monte (0-1) earned her first start in the first game against Lipscomb. In the 5-1 loss, Monte gave up five runs, two earned, off six hits in 5.1 innings of work. After giving up one run in the first inning, Monte pitched four shutout innings, before allowing four Lipscomb runs in the six inning. North Texas tied the game in the top of the sixth with an RBI double by senior Stephanie Cranmer. Cranmer went 2-for-3 in the game and batted .375 in the three games.

North Texas returns to action Sunday, Feb. 20 when it finishes up play in the OU/Nike Classic with a 2:30 pm game against Creighton and a 4:45 matchup against No. 4 Oklahoma.