Lady Techster (3-11) softball traveled south to face Nicholls State (6-4) Friday night and came away with a split in double-header action. The game-one final was a 7-6 Tech victory while the Lady Techsters fell in the night cap, 7-0.

With the score tied at 6-6 in the top of the eighth inning of game one, freshman Mary Cohn stood at third base after a successful steal attempt to put her in scoring position.

Sophomore Brittany Stanley stepped to the plate and reached on a fielder's choice. Nicholls State's catcher Kacie Braud committed an error on the play that allowed Cohn to score the winning run.

Senior Marla Pinkston (2-3) pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth frame to pick up the extra-inning complete game victory

"Marla had a tough strike zone to deal with," head coach Sarah Dawson said. "The umpire was squeezing her and the Nicholls pitcher all night. She did a good job of keeping the hitters off balance, and they were never really able to hit the ball hard of her all night."

The former Forney High star's line on the night was eight innings pitched, six hits, six runs and nine strikeouts. Pinkston's nine punchout performance was her second best showing this season.

Offensive heroes for the Lady Techsters included junior Casey Reiff (one hit, two RBIs), freshman Allison White (two hits, two runs scored) and Cohn (two runs scored, one RBI).

In game two little offensive production and poor defense led to the 7-0 Tech defeat.

Freshman Kristin Rupp (1-6) allowed seven runs, only two earned, over six innings to pick up the loss. Rupp was hurt by Tech's four errors that led to five unearned runs.

"We're still making errors at critical times in the ballgame," Dawson said. "It hurt us again today."

Tech managed just two hits with Reiff and junior shortstop Jennifer LaRussa each picking up singles in the game.

Reiff is currently riding a four-game hitting streak that has raised her average to a team leading .316.

Tech returns to action tomorrow when it participates in the Mardi Gras Mambo tournament hosted by Nicholls State.