April 19, 2008

Box Score

RUSTON - It was Senior Day Saturday at the Lady Techster Softball Complex and Regan Clark made the most of it.

However, the lone senior on this year's Louisiana Tech team had to share some of the limelight with junior Krissi Oliver who followed Clark's lead in the seventh-inning heroics.

Clark singled home the game-tying run in the bottom of the seventh inning of game two of the doubleheader and Oliver followed with the game-winning two-out hit to lead Tech to a 3-2 come-from-behind victory.

The win helped the Lady Techsters (29-23, 7-7 WAC) sweep Utah State (11-27, 2-12) in the three-game Western Athletic Conference series as the Lady Techsters won the first game of the day 7-2.

With the two wins, Tech moves into fourth place in the Western Athletic Conference standings with three games remaining.

With Utah State leading 2-0 in game two of the day heading into Tech's final at bat, Danielle Sheridan drew a one-out walk before scoring on Amberly Waits triple to left centerfield, making the score 2-1.

Clark, who had struck out in the fifth inning with the game-tying run on third and only one out, wouldn't disappoint twice as she laced the first pitch from Aggies hurler Lindsey Benson to centerfield to tie the game.

Kylie Bassett then grounded out to third base, advancing pinch runner Claire Gibson to second base. Gibson would advance to third on a wild pitch before Oliver took a 1-0 offering opposite field, driving in the game-winning run.

Utah State scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning off Tech starter Meghan Krieg (6-2), who picked up the win, allowing six hits and five walks in 7.0 innings of work. Krieg struck out six in the victory.

The game remained 1-0 as both teams missed opportunities to put runs on the board. Utah State added a run in the top of the seventh inning on a two-out RBI double by Amy Schaible.

Waits, Sheridan and Jessica Kirby led Tech with two hits each while Barnes, Clark and Oliver each added one hit.

In the first game of the day, Oliver (14-11) picked up her second win in as many days, allowing Utah State six hits and two earned runs in 4.0 innings of action. Freshman Wanda Malone picked up her first save of the season, allowing only two hits and one walk in the final 3.0 innings while striking out three.

Utah State took a 1-0 lead in the first before Tech answered back by scoring three runs in the bottom half of the frame, two errors coming on a throwing error by starting pitcher Stacey Ellingsworth.

After the Aggies cut the Tech advantage to 3-2 in the top of the third, Tech once again made the most of an opportunity scoring twice on RBI doubles by Sheridan and Bassett.

Tech added two more runs in the sixth on an RBI groundout by Heather Doiron and another RBI double by Sheridan.

Tech returns to action Friday when the Lady Techsters travel to Reno for a 4 p.m. CST doubleheader with Nevada.