Feb. 27, 2011

Box Score

OXFORD - For the second time in two days, Louisiana Tech lost a heart-breaker to Western Kentucky falling to the Lady Toppers 8-6 in the final day of the Ole Miss Red and Blue Classic Sunday morning.

Less than 24 hours after falling 4-3 in a 10-inning marathon against Western Kentucky, the Lady Techsters (4-12) were on the brink of posting an impressive come-from-behind victory.

After falling behind 5-0 through four innings Sunday morning, head coach Sarah Dawson's team fought back to take a 6-5 lead before surrendering three runs in the bottom of the sixth - two unearned - and falling 8-6.

Western Kentucky starter Jill Wagner appeared to be in complete control in the game, allowing only one hit through four innings while watching her offense build a 5-0 lead on a pair of home runs off of Techster starter Erin Kipp.

However, Tech scratched for a run in the top of the fifth inning as Allie Geisler doubled and eventually scored on a two-out RBI double by Molly Goza, cutting the deficit to 5-1.

The Techsters then erupted for their highest scoring inning of the season in the top of the sixth, plating five runs on four hits.

Kendra Harmon led the frame off with a single and advanced to second on a one-out walk drawn by Janna Frandrup. Freshman Tricia Van Winkle then singled to centerfield, scoring Harmon and making the score 5-2.

With runners on second and third, Heather Doiron drove home a run on a ground ball that the Western infield tried to make a play at the plate but failed to throw out Frandrup. Geisler then followed with a three-run home run to left field, giving LA Tech a 6-5 lead.

The lead was short-lived though as Western plated three runs in the bottom of the frame on three hits and one costly error that ultimately allowed the final two runs to score.

Tech was retired in order in the top of the seventh.

Frandrup (0-2) took the loss, allowing three runs - only one earned - on four hits and one walk in 2.1 innings of relief. Kipp got the start and allowed five earned runs on six hits in 3.1 innings of work.

Offensively, Geisler recorded two hits and three RBI while Harmon, Frandrup, Van Winkle, Meghan Knowles and Goza each registered one hit.

Tech returns to action next weekend when it travels to Denton for the North Texas Courtyard Classic where it will play five games in three days starting with contests against UTA and North Texas on Friday.