April 5, 2008

Box Score

LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Louisiana Tech's offensive onslaught continued Saturday as the Lady Techsters downed New Mexico State 8-2 in the first game of a softball doubleheader at NMSU Softball Complex.

New Mexico State hit three home runs to down Tech 10-4 in the nightcap.

In the first game of the day, Tech (22-20, 3-5 WAC) got production from the middle of its lineup as Kylie Bassett, Krissi Oliver and Jessica Kirby combined for seven of the Lady Techsters' nine hits while driving in five runs and scoring five runs.

Sophomore Mandi Bertsch (8-6) picked up the win, allowing two unearned runs on only three hits and one walk in 5.0 innings of work. Freshman Meghan Krieg came on in relief and allowed only one hit over the final 2.0 innings.

Tech jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a solo home run by Bassett and a two-run home run by Kirby, her third in two games.

The Lady Techsters extended the lead to 5-0 in the top of the fourth inning on a two-run double by Danielle Sheridan.

Tech added three more runs in the top of the fifth inning on RBI singles by Oliver and Kirby and an RBI groundout by Heather Doiron.

New Mexico State (19-26, 3-6) kept from being eight-run ruled by scoring two unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth inning but Bertsch and Krieg kept the Aggies from mounting a further comeback as Tech won for the fourth straight time.

Bassett recorded three hits while Oliver and Kirby each registered two hits for Tech.

In the night cap, New Mexico State's bats awoke as the Aggies pounded out 13 hits against three different Tech pitchers to salvage the final game of the three-game series.

Oliver (9-10) started in the circle for Tech but wasn't nearly as effective as in Friday night's opening game.

New Mexico State's Stacey Lien almost single-handedly beat Tech with three hits, including two home runs, and six RBI.

With the Aggies leading 1-0 in the bottom of the third, Lien hit a two-run home run off of Oliver to increased the advantage to 3-0.

The Aggies then scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, three of those runs being unearned. Lien once again provided the big hit, a three-run home run off reliever Wanda Malone with two outs in the frame. Two of the three runs were unearned as an error by Tech third baseman Summer Young extended the inning, allowing Lien to come to the plate.

Kirby continued her huge series for Tech with a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning, her fourth home run in the three games.

Regan Clark then gave Tech some life in the top of the sixth inning, launching a three-run home run to close the gap to 7-4.

However, NMSU would score three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning off Tech reliever Jordan Simmons with all three runs coming on a three-run home run by Ashley Maroda.

Waits led Tech with two hits while Barnes, Clark, Kirby and Doiron each registered one hit.

Tech returns to action Tuesday when its hosts UL-Monroe in a single game at 6 p.m.