Feb. 26, 2011

Box Score

OXFORD - Louisiana Tech dropped a pair of one-run games Saturday at the Ole Miss Red and Blue Classic falling 5-4 to Southeast Missouri State and 4-3 to Western Kentucky in 10 innings.

In the first game of the day, Tech (4-11) managed only four hits but capitalized on some wildness by the SEMO pitchers to give itself a chance to win.

After falling behind 2-0, the Lady Techsters plated a run in the bottom of the fourth inning as Meghan Knowles drew a walk with one out. Christina Gamboa pinch ran for Knowles, stealing second base and then advancing to third on a passed ball. Heather Doiron drove Gamboa home with an RBI groundout to shortstop.

SEMO added a run in the fifth to up the lead to 3-1 before Tech fought back to tie the game in the bottom of the frame without registering a hit. A pair of walks and a fielder's choice allowed Tech to put runners on as pinch runner Rachel Allday scored on a passed ball and Kendra Harmon scored on a sacrifice fly by Janna Frandrup.

Southeast Missouri State made it 5-3 with two in the top of the sixth before LA Tech used back-to-back doubles by Doiron and Allie Geisler in the bottom of the frame to cut the deficit to 5-4.

After SEMO failed to score in the seventh, Charday Wilson led off with a single and advanced to third on passed ball and a Cassie Krieg fly out. With the tying run on third and only one out, Tech failed to capitalize as Frandrup flew out to shallow center and Knowles struck out looking for the final out.

Freshman Erin Kipp took the loss in relief, allowing two earned runs on four hits in 2.0 innings of work. Michelle Jones started for LA Tech and got the no-decision, allowing three earned runs on six hits in 5.0 innings in the circle.

Wilson, Doiron, Geisler and Harmon each registered one hit.

In the second game of the day, LA Tech lost a heartbreaker to Western Kentucky 4-3 in 10 innings.

The Lady Techsters thought they had won the game in the bottom of the ninth inning when Allday appeared to score on a sacrifice fly by Geisler, but Allday was ruled out for leaving third base early - sending the game into the 10th.

In the 10th inning, Western plated a run off Tech starter Meghan Krieg to take the 4-3 lead. In the bottom of the frame, Tech had runners on first and third with one out but pinch runner Kaitlynn Hill was thrown out at home on a ground ball to shortstop for the second out of the inning and then Kipp grounded out to shortstop for the final out.

Western took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning before the Lady Techsters offense finally struck. With two outs, Harmon singled and then freshman Tricia Van Winkle hit her first collegiate home run to tie the game at 2-2.

The score remained 2-2 until the eighth when Western scored in the top half of the inning to take 3-2 advantage. The Lady Techsters answered in the bottom of the eighth thanks to a two-out error by the HIlltoppers rightfielder, who dropped the third out off the bat of Frandrup allowing the tying run to score.

Krieg (1-6) was the hard-luck loser, allowing four runs - three earned - on 10 hits and two walks while striking out eight in 10.0 innings of work.

For the second straight game, Tech managed only four hits as Harmon recorded two, Van Winkle one and Cassie Krieg one.

The Lady Techsters close out the tournament Sunday with a 9 a.m. rematch with Western Kentucky.