Women enter SBC softball tourney

[OldTimer]

Softball: Mean Green start SBC softball tourney

UNT begins with WKU

09:01 AM CDT on Thursday, May 11, 2006

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

During the short history of the North Texas softball program, the Mean Green have developed one encouraging habit.

No matter how poorly the regular season has gone, UNT is at its best when the Sun Belt Conference Tournament rolls around.

The Mean Green won their first conference tournament game in 2004 and took two of four last season. That might not sound all that impressive, but for a team that went 22-57 in its first season and 15-38 in Year 2, those tournament wins were a sign of progress.

The Mean Green (20-35, 3-12) will look to build on those outings this week when they compete in the conference tournament for the third time. UNT finished sixth in the Sun Belt standings this season and will enter the tournament as a decided underdog in the six-team event.

The Mean Green will open the tournament in a first-round game against No. 3 seed Western Kentucky at 10 a.m. today in Miami. Sun Belt regular season champion Louisiana-Lafayette and Florida Inter­national will receive byes as the top two seeds in the double-elimination event.

Knocking off one of the top seeds could be the next step for the Mean Green, who would advance to face FIU at 4 p.m. today with a win over WKU.

“We get up for the conference tournament,” UNT coach Kelly Burns said. “The games mean a little more to the team and we come ready to play. I hope that will be the case again this year.”

UNT is expected to make a quick exit after facing a WKU team that swept the Mean Green in a three-game series earlier this season. While that is not the position UNT wanted to be in coming into the tournament, it will give the Mean Green one advantage.

“We have nothing to lose,” UNT catcher Christen Jonse said. “We did well our freshman year and last year. We want to continue that.”

If the Mean Green are to build on their solid showings in the conference tournament over the past two years, they will have to find a way to solve WKU pitcher Ryan Rogge. The freshman threw a four-hit shutout against the Mean Green in the final weekend of the regular season for her fifth straight win.

Burns is anticipating that Rogge (5-6) will start against UNT today.

“It will help us to have seen her not too long ago,” Burns said. “She has a good changeup that gave us problems. We will have to do a better job of adjusting at the plate and picking up her tendencies.”

UNT will likely start Kristina Fowler, the workhorse of its staff, opposite Rogge. The sophomore has thrown a whopping 216 1/3 innings while compiling a 17-18 record.

Only one pitcher ranked among the Sun Belt’s top 15 in ERA has thrown more innings this season than Fowler. The way Fowler pitches in UNT’s opener could be the key to the Mean Green’s tournament hopes.

UNT ranks second in the Sun Belt in home runs (39) and fourth in batting average (.242), but last in team ERA (4.44).

“We are going to need a good pitching performance at the tournament,” Burns said. “We are hitting well and are playing good defense.”

UNT is hoping a solid performance this weekend will serve as a springboard to next season, as well as, a satisfying cap to its 2006 campaign. The Mean Green lose just one senior from their roster this season. Outfielder Kelei Walker will complete her career this weekend, although a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her knee will prevent her from playing.

Burns has already signed two pitchers who she hopes are the missing pieces the Mean Green need to become an elite team in the Sun Belt in 2007.

Before UNT turns its attention to the future, it has a few goals left for the 2006 campaign, including a good showing in the conference tournament this weekend. No matter how tough the regular season has been for UNT, the Mean Green have always managed at least one win in the event.

“It’s the end of the year and we seem to have a sense of urgency because our next game could be the last of the season,” UNT third baseman Susan Waters said. “Our past success in the tournament and being close in a lot of conference games this season gives us confidence going into the conference tournament.”

Briefly …

Waters was named to the All-Sun Belt Conference team on Wednesday.

The former Davenport, Okla., standout led UNT in batting average (.320), doubles (14), home runs (18) and RBI (52). Waters also ranks 15th nationally with an average of .33 home runs per game.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com .

A sense of timing

North Texas struggled in its first two years in the Sun Belt Conference, but was at its best in the league tournament. The following is a look at UNT’s performance.

Regular SBC

season Tourney

2004 21-55 (.276) 1-2 (.333)

2005 13-36 (.265) 2-2 (.500)

2006 20-35 (.363) TBD