March 12, 2011

Box Score

COLLEGE STATION - Meghan Knowles hit her first home run of the season and Meghan Krieg pitched a complete-game as Louisiana Tech defeated Mississippi Valley State 7-1 Saturday afternoon in the Texas A&M Invitational.

Tech fell to San Diego State 11-3 in the first game of the day in a game that was tied at 2-2 through five innings before the Aztecs blew it open late.

In the win over MVSU, Krieg (3-10) picked up the victory allowing only one run on three hits while striking out eight and walking none in the complete-game performance.

After Mississippi Valley State took an early 1-0 lead on an RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the first, Tech answered in the top of the second when Heather Doiron doubled and then scored on Knowles home run down the rightfield line.

In the top of the third inning, Michelle Jones and Kendra Harmon led off with back to back singles and advanced to second and third on a sacrifice bunt by Charday Wilson. Janna Frandrup then drove Jones home with an RBI groundout to make the score 3-1.

Allie Geisler then walked to put runners on first and third as Tech executed a double steal as Harmon came home for the fourth run of the game.

Knowles and Molly Goza then led the fourth off with back-to-back walks and then Tricia Van Winkle singled to left field to plate Knowles for a 5-1 lead. Jones then followed with a sacrifice fly to centerfield as the score increased to 6-1.

Tech plated its final run in the sixth when Goza and Van Winkle singled and then Jones recorded her second sacrifice fly of the game, scoring Goza.

Knowles and Van Winkle led Tech with two hits each while Harmon, Geisler, Doiron, Goza and Jones each registered one hit.

In the first game of the day, San Diego State exploded for eight runs over the final two innings to blow open a close contest.

Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning, Frandrup and Doiron singled and then scored on Knowles two-run double to tie the game.

SDSU added a solo run in the fifth with a two-out double to take a 3-2 advantage. The Aztecs added five runs on five hits in the sixth and three runs on three hits and one error in the seventh to pull away.

Tech added one run in its final at bat as Cassie Krieg and Goza singled and then Harmon drove Krieg home with a two-out single.

Meghan Krieg got the start in the circle, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out four in 3.0 innings of work. Erin Kipp (1-4) took the loss, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks in 2.1 innings of action.

Jones pitched the final 1.2 innings, allowing four runs - two earned - on four hits.

Tech will close out the tournament Sunday when it faces 22nd ranked Texas A&M at 12:15 p.m.