NT Softball Loses vs #5 Oklahoma

The North Texas softball team came into the match-up losing 15 of its last 17 games and dropping a doubleheader at Oklahoma State the night before.

Not exactly ideal conditions to play the fifth best team in the country -- for the second time this season.

But, the Mean Green had a pretty good effort and led for an inning and a half before giving up a history-making grand slam to Lauren Chamberlain in the 6-2 loss. The blast gave Chamberlain the 91st home run of her career, the most in NCAA history.

It was also a historic night for another reason as there was the largest crowd in program history.

691 fans in attendance tonight at Lovelace Stadium in Denton to witness history by @OU_Softball's @LChamberlain44! pic.twitter.com/ghNx49dhEp

— Mean Green Softball (@MeanGreenSB) May 1, 2015

Counting the number of fans when students get in free and don't have to swipe their I.D. cards is an inexact science, and to be frank most of those in the stands were OU faithful. But it was still cool to see that many people packed into the tissue-box-sized Lovelace Stadium that had two or three pairs of bleachers added down the first baseline.

Kenzie Grimes started just her fourth game of the season for North Texas. After the game she told she was fine with getting the nod, even though coach Kee didn't tell her until about 15 minutes before pre-game warm-ups.

She had a pretty good outing, but walked six Sooner batters in 3 2/3 innings. Mean Green catcher Bryanna Wade hit the two-run homer -- her sixth of the year.

Head coach Tracey Kee

Up next for the Mean Green is its biggest series of the season, and quite possibly its last. They'll play UTEP at home for three games. Which ever team wins the series will grab one of the final two spots in the Conference USA tournament. North Texas can only win the eighth seed, while UTEP can claim the seventh or eighth.

In my usual Tuesday afternoon interview with coach Kee, she told me she has no idea how this weekend will go because the team has played so inconsistently. They scored two runs against Oklahoma -- more than they did in two games combined at Louisiana Tech last weekend.

Her biggest complaint has been the competitiveness of her team. And effort is really not something you want to be worrying about heading to the year's deciding series.

(Speaking of Kenzie, here's a news package I did about her from last season)

Mean Green Softball Games Cancelled

The North Texas softball stadium on Wednesday night, April 22.

The Mean Green softball games against Stephen F. Austin were cancelled on April 22 because of rainy conditions earlier in the week, and the field at Lovelace just couldn't take all the water.

MeanGreenSports release: http://www.meangreensports.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/042115aab.html

This was disappointing for a couple of reasons: 1. I was going to be the public address announcer for the doubleheader, and 2. head coach Tracey Kee told me she was really looking forward to using these two games for her hitters to be able to see some different and live pitching.

Besides the obvious benefit of getting paid a little cash for doing the P.A., I really enjoy working with the softball team and the staff. I've done P.A. for six or seven softball games this season and they are extremely fun and a way to get some experience at a craft which I haven't really practiced since high school.

The locked gates at Lovelace Stadium. 

Also, the North Texas softball team could really have used some momentum on two probable wins against SFA. For the second straight week the Mean Green is clinging onto the eighth seed in the Conference USA Tournament -- if it started now. This would mean a first round match-up with Western Kentucky. NOT GOOD!

The Lady Toppers (yes, their university approved nickname) are the best team in C-USA and are led by one of the best pitchers in softball nationwide -- Miranda Kramer. She's earned six or seven C-USA Pitcher of the Week awards this season. And just this week Kramer did everything she could to help Western take down ranked Kentucky, before losing 1-0 in nine innings. Kramer had a no-hitter going through the regulation seven innings -- but her offense was handcuffed and chained to home plate it seems.

Anyways, these next two weekends are going to be vital for the Mean Green softball team. This weekend they face off against Louisiana Tech -- the team right above them in the West division standings. Then next weekend North Texas faces off against UTEP -- the team right below them in the West.

Good luck Mean Green, and hopefully I'll get to fill-in another time on the public address.