April 2, 2011

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

RENO - Meghan Krieg allowed only two hits and three base runners to lead Louisiana Tech to a 3-1 win over Nevada in the third and final game of the Western Athletic Conference series played at Hixson Park this weekend.

Nevada won the first game of the doubleheader 5-2 but LA Tech took two out of three in the series after Friday's 12-4 victory.

Krieg (7-14) continued to lead LA Tech as the senior ace threw every pitch of every inning this weekend, saving her best performance for the last game.

After throwing 216 pitches in the first two games of the series, Krieg was called upon again in the nightcap by head coach Sarah Dawson who knew the contest was pivotal for her team early in the WAC schedule.

"We talked about it as a staff and with Meghan before the second game (today)," Dawson said. "We don't have any midweek games. We talked with her and she agreed with us.

"I thought she looked better in the second game today then the first actually. We played better defense behind her as well. Her strikeouts were down but she threw a variety of pitches for strikes."

The two-time all-WAC performer responded, allowing only three base runners during the contest - two hits and one walk - against a Nevada game that entered the weekend series as one of the top offensive teams in the league. It took Krieg only 90 pitches to complete the contest.

Tech (11-25, 2-4 WAC) used a two-out rally in the top of the third inning to break open a scoreless game. Kendra Harmon started the rally off with a single to centerfield followed by a Charday Wilson infield single, putting runners on first and second.

Janna Frandrup then worked a walk to load the bases for cleanup hitter Allie Geisler. After working the count full against Nevada starter Mallory Darby, Geisler drew the bases loaded walk to push the first run of the game across.

Heather Doiron, who was 6-for-10 during the three games, then registered an infield single to shortstop, driving home Wilson with the second run of the game as Tech led 2-0.

"I thought our girls responded," Dawson said. "We told them in between games that this was the most important game of our season to this point. We want to achieve our goals and one of those is to qualify for the WAC Tournament. We knew how critical all of these games were. To be able to come on the road and win two out of three is a big deal."

Nevada didn't register its first base runner of the game until Erin Jones drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Krieg got Britton Murdock to foul out to first baseman Meghan Knowles for the final out of the frame.

Tech capitalized on some wildness by Darby in the top of the fifth inning as three walks and three wild pitches plated another run for the Lady Techsters.

Lauren Lastrapes recorded the first hit of the game against Krieg with a lead-off infield single in the bottom of the fifth, but Krieg once again pitched around the runner to retire three straight batters.

Tech took the 3-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning when Jones led off the frame with a solo home run over the left field wall, cutting the deficit to 3-1. Krieg then retired the next three batters to end the game.

Doiron led Tech with three hits in the contest while Harmon, Wilson and Michelle Jones each registered one.

In the first game of the day, Erin Jones came up with a bases-clearing double in the bottom of the third inning to propel Nevada to the 5-2 win.

With the two teams scoreless heading into the bottom of the third, Nevada got three straight singles to load the bases with one out. Jones then ripped a three-run double to left centerfield, clearing the bases and giving the Wolf Pack a 3-0 advantage.

Tech answered in the top of the fifth inning, scoring two runs on three hits and one Nevada error. Michelle Jones led off with a single and advanced to second on a one-out single by Wilson to right field. With two outs and runners on first and second, Geisler singled to centerfield scoring one run while the second run scored on a throwing error by the Wolf Pack centerfielder.

Nevada responded right back in the bottom half of the inning as a walk, a throwing error and a single plated two more runs as the Wolf Pack pushed the advantage back out to 5-2.

Darby then retired six of the next seven batters she faced to earn the victory for Nevada.

Krieg took the loss, allowing five runs - four earned - on eight hits and two walks while striking out seven. Harmon led Tech with two hits while Wilson, Geisler, Doiron, Knowles and Jones each registered one hit.

Tech returns to action next weekend when the Lady Techsters travel to face Boise State in a three game series starting Friday at Mountain Cove.