<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=134Vwl_0sxgder100" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=134Vwl_0sxgder100" width="1920" height="1080" ><figcaption>Credit Mean Green Sports</figcaption></figure>A week after being swept by the University of Charlotte (36-16, 21-6), North Texas (32-23, 17-10) sought to redeem its three regular-season losses in the 2024 American Athletic Conference Championship semifinals.Their opportunity arrived almost a year after their 4-3 May 12 win against Charlotte in the 2023 Conference USA semifinals.But unlike their previous postseason encounter, a red-hot Charlotte team shut out the Mean Green in a 3-0 win while allowing one sole hit. Charlotte’s victory marks their 15th consecutive win since April 12 and their fourth win against North Texas this season.The Mean Green kept the game close throughout, limiting Charlotte’s runs with the help of their All-Conference First Team, junior right-handed pitcher Skylar Savage (L, 10-10), who recorded three strikeouts while allowing seven Charlotte hits, one walk and three runs.Charlotte scored its first run in the bottom of the second inning after failing to score in the first while leaving two runners on base. Recreating similar circumstances with a walk and a single, Charlotte had runners at first and third, with sophomore utility player Arianna Rodi at bat.But on a 0-2 count, Rodi took a strike as Charlotte’s utility graduate student Abigail Knight, who previously singled to first, attempted to steal 2nd base. North Texas’ 6-foot-2-inch Savage ducked after pitching as senior catcher Kalei Christensen threw to second base to junior shortstop Cierra Simon.Simon went for the tag, but Knight's evasive turn to her right dodged the infielder’s glove before Simon eventually threw her out to second baseman Mikayla Smith for the third out. However, Charlotte’s freshman infielder Teagan Ritchie simultaneously rushed from third to home, scoring the game’s first run.North Texas’ next at-bats would record their only hit of the contest, which didn’t get a runner on base. Instead, the team’s first and only hit came from senior infielder Morgan Medford who hit the ball up the middle for a single.Charlotte’s AAC Pitcher of the Year, redshirt senior Georgeanna Barefoot (W, 13-2), wouldn’t allow another hit in her four innings pitched before she handed the reins to her teammate, junior right-handed pitcher Sam Gress (S, 3).The pitchers combined for five strikeouts while allowing three walks and the aforementioned lone base hit.The Mean Green would never respond to Charlotte’s second-inning run, nor their next run in the bottom of the third inning from a right-field single RBI from senior outfielder Kiyah Garrett, whose hit rolled just out of reach of a diving Smith, allowing sophomore infielder Savanna Nguyen to score from second base.Their closest chance came in the fourth inning with the bases loaded, two outs and junior outfielder Rylee Nicholson at bat.Nicholson sent a pitch to straightaway centerfield with a chance to take the lead if the ball made it over. However, Charlotte’s senior center fielder Makalah Mitchell tracked the ball and jumped into the air to snag the potentially lead-taking hit.Charlotte added a final run in the sixth inning with a home run by senior infielder Ashleigh Washington, which served as additional insurance.North Texas will likely send off its ten-player senior class after the AAC semifinal and look to rebuild, retool and return to the conference tournament next season. The team currently sits outside the field of 64 for the NCAA tournament in the NCAA rating percentage index.</div></body>

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North Texas softball knocked out of AAC Championship with one-hit loss against Charlotte

A week after being swept by the University of Charlotte (36-16, 21-6), North Texas (32-23, 17-10) sought to redeem its three regular-season losses in the 2024 American Athletic Conference Championship semifinals. Their opportunity arrived almost a year after their 4-3 May 12 win against Charlotte in the 2023 Conference USA...

North Texas softball knocked out of AAC Championship with one-hit loss against Charlotte

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