News Summary
The UNT softball team faced a tough loss against East Carolina University, with a final score of 7-5 in the first game of their weekend series. After a challenging start, the team fought back but could not close the gap. Standout performances came from Riley McNemar, who hit a two-run double, and Rylee Nicholson, who tied a single-season stolen base record. Despite the defeat, UNT secured a spot in the American Athletic Conference Championship due to other teams’ results. The team looks to rebound in the upcoming doubleheader against ECU.
Denton, Texas – North Texas (UNT) softball team suffered a defeat against East Carolina University (ECU) in game one of their weekend series, falling 7-5 at Max R. Joyner Family Stadium on Friday night, May 2, 2025. This loss brings UNT’s overall record to 34-18 and 16-9 in conference play, while ECU improves to 27-25 overall and 12-13 in the conference.
Initially, UNT fell behind with a two-run deficit in the first inning but quickly leveled the score at 2-2. However, ECU responded by scoring five unearned runs during a pivotal third inning to secure a commanding 7-2 lead. The game faced a significant interruption when inclement weather led to a three-hour delay after the fifth inning.
After the delay, UNT fought back in the sixth inning. Riley McNemar emerged as a standout player, hitting a two-run double that narrowed ECU’s lead to 7-5. McNemar’s performance was notable as she matched her career high with three hits and led the game with three RBIs. Another senior, Rylee Nicholson, contributed significantly with a leadoff single and achieved her 22nd stolen base of the season, allowing her to tie UNT’s single-season record. Cierra Simon also added a stolen base, bringing her total to 21 steals—just one shy of matching the program’s single-season record.
On the pitching side, Gracie Maloney made a significant impact in relief, pitching 3 1/3 innings without allowing a hit, and recorded a career-high two strikeouts. Skylar Savage (15-8) was credited with the loss after allowing seven unearned runs over 2 2/3 innings. In the seventh inning, Madison Conley led off with a single, but UNT was unable to bring her home, resulting in a disappointing finish.
Despite the loss, UNT secured a top-four seed for the American Athletic Conference Championship due to Wichita State’s loss to Memphis. This positioning allows UNT to participate in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament, which will take place on Thursday in Tampa, Florida.
The regular season will conclude with a doubleheader against East Carolina on Saturday, starting at noon CT. This final series presents UNT with an opportunity to rebound and build momentum leading into the conference playoffs.
This matchup showcases the competitive nature of collegiate softball, particularly as both teams vie for better positioning in their respective conferences. The performance of key players like McNemar, Nicholson, and Simon will be crucial as UNT prepares for the challenges ahead in the upcoming tournament.
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Additional Resources
- Mean Green Sports: Rodney DeLong Resigns as Softball Coach
- Wikipedia: North Texas Mean Green
- Denton Record-Chronicle: Rodney DeLong Resigns as UNT Softball Coach
- Google Search: North Texas softball
- Columbia Missourian: Mizzou Softball Hires North Texas Assistant Gwyn
- Google Scholar: North Texas softball
- Mean Green Sports: Softball Suffers One Run Loss in AAC Title Game
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Collegiate Softball
- USF Bulls: USF Softball Wins First AAC Tournament Title
- Google News: North Texas softball
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