Sophomore Caitlyn Ivy had a pair of hits on Thursday night.
DENTON — Sophomores Caitlyn Ivy and Ashley Kappler collected two hits apiece, but North Texas pushed across the winning run on an error in the bottom of the seventh inning in a 4-3 victory over UTSA on Thursday night at Lovelace Stadium.
With the win, the Mean Green improved to 12-9, while the Roadrunners fell to 9-19.
With the score tied at 3-3 and two outs in the seventh, the Mean Green’s Mallory Cantler drew a walk and pinch runner Jessica Shields moved to second on a free pass to Lisa Johnson. Mariza Martinez then sent a ball into right field that was misplayed, sending Shields home from second base with the winning run.
UTSA jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, as senior Rudi Cantu led off with an infield single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ashley Kappler and to third on a base hit by Ivy. Junior Kristin Kappler then lined a two-run double to left field.
Back-to-back triples to right field by Ashley Kappler and Ivy to start the top of the third increased UTSA’s lead to 3-0.
The Mean Green got one run back on a sacrifice fly by Johnson in the bottom of the third that plated Megan Rupp, who doubled.
Rupp’s second double of the contest pushed two runners home in the next frame and knotted the score at 3-all.
Brittany Simmons tossed five scoreless innings in relief, allowing just two hits and striking out three to run her record to 2-4. Rupp and Courtney Bradshaw had two hits each to lead North Texas at the plate.
Despite tossing 1.2 hitless panels, junior Danye Holmes (3-7) took the loss with two strikeouts and a pair of two-out walks in the seventh that led to the unearned run in the final at-bat.
The Roadrunners will face UT Arlington in a three-game Southland Conference series this Saturday-Sunday.