Southern Box

Detroit Box

BATON ROUGE, La. - After not playing in seven days due to the inclement weather in the north Louisiana, the Louisiana Tech Lady Techster softball team shook the rust off and swept Southern 8-0 and Detroit 3-2 at the Lady Jaguar Softball Complex Saturday.

With the victories, the Lady Techsters are now 11-5 on the season and have won eight of their last nine games. Tech is scheduled to play Detroit (10 a.m.) and Southern (12:30 p.m.) Sunday, weather-permitting.

LA Tech 8, Southern 0 (5 innings)

Bianca Duran went 3-for-3 at the plate, including her fourth home run of the season, and Pauline Tufi pitched four strong innings to lift Louisiana Tech to the 8-0 run rule win over Southern in the first game of the day.

Tech scored the first run of the game in the top of the third inning. Tori Charters reached first base safely on a fielding error by the Southern first baseman and then scored on Tufi's RBI double to right centerfield, giving the lady Techsters a 1-0 lead.

Southern threatened in the bottom of the third as a walk and an infield error put runners on first and second with no outs. However, Tufi recorded three straight strikeouts to end the threat and keep the one run lead intact.

Tech then blew the game open in the top of the fourth inning, scoring four runs on four hits. Krsyta Tutsch started the frame with a single and then pinch runner Casey Ingram scored on Duran's two-run home run to right centerfield, upping the advantage to 3-0. Janine Godwin then singled and Katie Smith walked and both runners advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by Karlee Jensen.

Anna Cross then ripped a two-run single to right field, plating both runners and giving the Lady Techsters a 5-0 advantage.

Southern recorded its only hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, a single by Jen Greer to right field off of Tufi. However, the sophomore once again struck the final batter of the frame out to keep Southern scoreless.

Kassie Harris singled with one out in the top of the fifth for Tech and moved to second when Tutsch was hit by a pitch. Duran then singled down the left field line, scoring pinch runner Kristen Miles for the sixth run of the game. One out later, Smith ripped a two-run double to right field plating Duran and Tutsch for the final runs of the game.

Freshman Carolina Sanchez came on in relief of Tufi in the bottom of the fifth and retired the Jaguars while allowing only a leadoff walk.

Tufi (2-0) picked up the win, allowing only one hit and two walks while striking out nine in 4.0 innings of action.

Offensively, Tech was led by Duran (3-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 runs), Cross (2-3, 2 RBI, SB), Tufi (1-3, 1 RBI), Smith (1-2, 1 run, 2 RBI), Charters (1 run), Harris (1-3), Tutsch (1-1, 1 run), Ingram (1 run), Godwin (1-3, 1 run) and Miles (1 run).

LA Tech 3, Detroit 2

Despite stranding 10 runners on base, Louisiana Tech defeated Detroit 3-2 behind a solid pitching performance by starter Bianca Duran and reliever Pauline Tufi.

Tech had numerous opportunities to blow the game open in the early innings but left at least two runners on base in four of the first five innings, including the bases loaded in the fifth.

The Lady Techsters did scratch for single runs in the first, second and fifth innings and then held off a late scoring threat by Detroit to pick up the win.

In the bottom of the first inning, Anna Cross walked and Tori Charters singled to open the frame and then one out later, Duran singled to right field, plating Cross for the first run of the game.

Duran retired the first six batters of the game as she set the Titans down in order in each of the first two frames. In the bottom of the second, Janine Godwin led off with a triple to right field and then scored on Karlee Jensen's RBI single to left field. Tech led 2-0.

Detroit threatened in the top of the fourth as a double and a walk put runners on first and second with only one out. However, Duran induced a pair of ground ball outs and Tech maintained its 2-0 advantage.

Dayton Yingling finally got Detroit on the board in the fifth with a leadoff triple to centerfield and then a sacrifice fly RBI by Savanna Ferstle, cutting the Tech lead to 2-1.

The Lady Techsters responded in the bottom of the fifth. Krysta Tutsch and Taylor Brintzenhoff walked and Godwin singled to load the bases with one out. Katie Smith was then hit by a pitch, scoring pinch runner Lindsey Neyland from third. Tech was unable to plate any more runs as the Techsters led 3-1.

Detroit made one last effort to rally in the top of the seventh inning. Jennifer Cottle led off with a single prompting a pitching change as Tufi came on in relief. Katy Seversen then singled to put runners on first and second with no outs. However, Tufi then retired the next two batters without the runners advancing.

A throwing error by Tutsch on a double steal, allowed Cottle to score and moving the potential game-tying run to third base with two outs. However, Tufi induced a ground out to Smith at shortstop for the final out as Tech held on for the 3-2 win.

Duran (7-5) picked up the win, allowing two runs - one earned - on four hits and two walks in 6.0 innings of action. Tufi (3) picked up her third save of the season, allowing one hit in 1.0 innings of work.

Offensively, Tech was led by Godwin (2-3, 1 run), Jensen (1-3, 1 RBI), Smith (1 RBI), Neyland (1 run), Duran (1-4, 1 RBI), Charters (1-3) and Cross (1 run).