Box Score

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Louisiana Tech used another strong pitching performance, solid defense and a timely hit to down Southern Miss 3-0 Sunday afternoon completing a three-game Conference USA sweep at USM Softball Complex.

Tech won Saturday's doubleheader 4-2 and 3-1 in 10 innings. The Lady Techsters improved to 19-8 on the season, 4-2 in Conference USA play heading into Tuesday night's home non-conference game against Southeastern Louisiana.

Freshman Bailey Allen gave LA Tech four strong innings in the circle, allowing only three hits and no walks while striking out two. The Pineville native got into a first inning jam that saw USM put runners on first and second with two outs but Allen induced a pop up to Mallory Hayden that ended the threat.

The Lady Techsters capitalized on a costly fielding error by USM second baseman Morgan McKeever in the second as Janine Godwin reached first base on the play. Katie Smith then hit a bloop single down the left field line and Natalie Moran followed with a fielder's choice ground out, putting runners on first and third with one out.

Tech then ran a successful double steal. Moran was thrown out at second base on the play, but Godwin scored from third on the throw giving the Lady Techsters a 1-0 lead.

Allen allowed a leadoff single in both the third and fourth innings to the Golden Eagles but then set down the next three batters in order in both frames to douse any USM scoring opportunities.

USM committed a second costly error in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, Kristen Miles reached on an error by McKeever and one out later, Anna Cross hit a laser off the scoreboard in left centerfield, upping the Tech lead to 3-0. The home run was Cross' fourth of the season - all coming in the last six games. It was also Cross' 15th home run of her career, tying her with Regan Clark for eighth place in LA Tech history.

It was the only hit USM starter Shelbee Rogers allowed in the final five innings of the game.

Bianca Duran came on in relief of Allen in the bottom of the fifth and retired nine of the 10 batters she faced to pick up her second save of the season. For the weekend, Duran pitched 18 innings, allowing only three runs on 14 hits and two walks. She picked up two wins and a save against USM.

Defensively, the Lady Techsters committed only one error on the weekend for a .991 fielding percentage.