April 8, 2008

Box Score

RUSTON - Sophomore Amberly Waits hit a two-run home run and junior Krissi Oliver pitched five strong innings to lead Louisiana Tech to a 6-1 win over Louisiana-Monroe Tuesday night at the Lady Techster Softball Complex.

Waits seventh home run of the season - a two-run shot over the right centerfield wall - ignited a four-run third inning as Tech (23-20) pulled away for the victory.

Oliver (10-10) earned her 10th win of the season, scattering three hits and walking none while striking out three in 5.0 innings of action. She also contributed offensively with a two-run single in the four-run third.

Tech jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Emma Barnes led the game off with a single to right field. After stealing second, Barnes advanced to third on a fly ball out by Danielle Sheridan.

After Waits was hit by a pitch and stole second, Regan Clark drove Barnes home with a sacrifice fly to right field, giving Tech a 1-0 lead. Kylie Bassett made the score 2-0 with a RBI single to centerfield.

"I felt coming off the half inning where they got a couple of hits, it was great to see us manufacture some runs," said Tech head coach Sarah Dawson. "We were able to move runners with productive outs and that's a luxury we have with speed at the top of our lineup. Kylie had a big hit to score Amberly too.

"Sometimes this series is tough because there is a lot of emotion involved. I told our team that the key for us was to stay focused on what our team is doing. I was proud of our kids for doing just that."

Tech added four more in the third thanks to a UL-Monroe (12-26) error and two walks by Warhawk starter Lindsey Rittenhouse. With one out in the frame, Sheridan walked and then scored in front of Waits on the home run, making the score 4-0.

"It was a big hit," Dawson said of Waits shot. "Amberly has had a great year, and it's nice to see her continue to produce even in these midweek games."

Clark then followed with a walk and Bassett reached on an error putting runners on first and second with one out. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch and then scored on Oliver's single to right centerfield.

Oliver allowed two hits in the first inning before getting out of a jam and then settled down and allowed only one more hit through her five innings of work.

Freshman Wanda Malone came on in relief in the sixth and allowed one run on two hits as Erica Darden drove Megan Miller home with a two-out single up the middle.

Freshman Meghan Krieg then pitched a perfect seventh inning to seal the win.

Rittenhouse (4-12) was tagged with the loss, allowing six runs - five earned - on four hits and two walks in 2.1 innings of action.

Tech returns to action Wednesday when the Lady Techsters travel to Natchitoches to face Northwestern State in a single game starting at 6 p.m.

The Lady Techsters will host Top 25 Fresno State in a doubleheader Friday at 4 p.m. and in a single game Saturday at 3:30 p.m.