Boxscore I Boxscore II

RUSTON - Louisiana Tech dropped two games Saturday at the Mississippi State Bulldog Round Robin as the Lady Techsters fell 4-0 to North Carolina State and 11-9 to Mississippi Valley State.

North Carolina State pitcher Abbie Sims struck out 14 batters to lead the Wolfpack to a 4-0 win over Tech Saturday morning in the first game of a day.

Tech (1-2) managed only two hits in the game while North Carolina State banged out seven hits to plate their four runs.

The Wolfpack jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning and then added a single run in both the fourth and sixth frames.

With Tech trailing 3-0 in the top of the sixth inning, the Lady Techsters loaded the bases. Amber Miles singled and stole second to lead off the inning, before Brittany Stanley followed with a strike out, reaching first on a wild pitch third strike. After Jessica Elson was retired for the first out of the inning, Regan Clark reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases.

However, the next two Techster batters were retired, ending Tech's only real offensive threat of the day.

Junior Kristin Rupp (0-1) was tagged with the loss for Tech, allowing seven hits, four runs - three earned - and one walk while striking out three in six innings of work.

Sims allowed only two hits and three walks while striking out 14 in a complete game victory for North Carolina State.

Freshman first baseman Lianne Albert joined Miles as the only two Techsters to register hits in the loss.

In game No. 2 of the day, Tech spotted Mississippi Valley State an 8-1 lead through the first two innings before making a valiant comeback that fell just short.

Trailing 8-1 in the bottom of the third inning, Clark cranked a grand slam home run over the left field wall to cut the MSVU lead to 8-5. The Delta Devils answered with two more runs in the top of the fourth inning to make it 10-5 before the Lady Techsters added a lone run in the bottom of the fifth inning on freshman Rochelle Sandberg's solo home run.

After Mississippi Valley State upped the lead to 11-6, Tech scored one run in the bottom of the sixth when Sandberg drew a bases loaded walk and then two more in the seventh inning on freshman Brittany Welch's two-run homer.

Clark led Tech offensively in the loss with three hits and five RBI while Sandberg and Welch each drove in two runs for the Techsters.

In Friday's action, Tech downed Mississippi Valley State 4-3 in eight innings before falling to Mississippi State 9-0.

The tournament wraps up Sunday with Tech facing North Carolina State at noon and Mississippi State at 2 p.m.