March 1, 2008

Box Score

OXFORD - Amberly Waits bases-loaded single in the bottom of the seventh inning scored Summer Young from third and led Louisiana Tech to a 4-3 win over Stephen F. Austin late Friday night at the Ole Miss Red and Blue Classic.

After a Tech error allowed SFA (11-6) to come back and tie the game up in the top of the seventh, Tech (9-8) responded in great fashion. Young led the inning off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Heather Doiron.

Emma Barnes then singled, moving Young to third and Danielle Sheridan followed with a walk, loading the bases and setting up Waits' heroics.

Waits then lined a hard shot at SFA shortstop Benet Higgs, who made a diving stop but wasn't able to control the ball as it bounced away allowing Young to cross the plate for the game-winning run.

"Amberly did a great job at the plate all day," said Tech head coach Sarah Dawson, who saw her sophomore shortstop go 6-for-8 in the two games. "She was patient in every at bat. She did a nice job of really keying in on her pitch. Danielle also had a great game. Really, the top of our order got the job done today."

Junior Krissi Oliver (2-4) picked up the win with an impressive performance, allowing only one earned run on four hits and two walks while striking out six in the complete game victory.

However, Oliver's work was almost spoiled by a pair of Tech errors which allowed the Ladyjacks to fight back from an early 3-0 deficit.

"Our errors did cost us today," Dawson said. "Fortunately, we were able to overcome them and win both games. It's something we will definitely have to continue to work on. I was proud of Krissi though. She didn't let (the errors and subsequent runs) bother her. She kept her composure and continued to do the job she needed to do. It showed a lot of maturity on her part. She really bailed us out today."

The Lady Techsters took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as an RBI single by Regan Clark scored Sheridan. It was the third of three consecutive hits by Tech off SFA starter Lauren Luetge in the first.

Tech increased its lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third inning. Sheridan led the frame off with a single and then scored on Waits two-run home run.

Oliver continued to cruise until the top of the fifth inning. With one out, a throwing error by Waits allowed SFA to put a runner on second. Michelle Huffman then doubled to make the score 3-1. Monica Hirsch then followed with an RBI triple, making the score 3-2.

Oliver struck the next two batters out, allowing Tech to maintain its slim one-run lead.

With Tech leading 3-2 heading into the top of the seventh, Doiron committed an error on a pop fly into shallow outfield which allowed Ashley Struchtemeyer to reach second base with no outs.

Oliver then hit the next SFA batter putting runners on first and second with no outs.

A sacrifice bunt moved both runners over a base. After Oliver retired Hirsch on a ground out to shortstop, Higgs drove home the game-tying run with a swinging bunt out in front of the plate which the Lady Techsters couldn't make a play on.

Oliver then retired Kendal Harper, who entered the game batting over .500, on a ground ball back to the mound, giving her team an opportunity to win it in the bottom of the seventh.

Waits (3 hits, 3 RBI, 1 run) and Sheridan (3 hits, 2 runs, 1 stolen base) were the big offensive producers in the game while Barnes, Clark and Jessica Kirby each registered one hit.

Tech returns to action Saturday when the Lady Techsters face Ole Miss at 6:30 p.m. and Jacksonville State at 8:30 p.m.