Final Stats

RUSTON, La. - Trailing 4-3 with only three outs remaining, Louisiana Tech used a mix of experience and youth to mount a seventh inning rally against Lamar on Sunday morning at the Lady Techster Softball Complex.

Entering the bottom of the seventh inning, Lamar pitcher Ciara Luna had retired 12 of the last 13 Lady Techsters she had faced, but the momentum stopped when senior Katelynn Cook stepped in the box to open the final frame.

Cook gave Louisiana Tech (11-3) the lead off runner they were looking for when she lifted a single, just over the glove of Lamar (10-4) shortstop Stephanie Meeuwsen. Senior Anna Cross followed, and as she has done so many times over the past three seasons, delivered an extra base hit at the perfect time.

Cross found the gap in left center and Tori Charters, who re-entered the game to run for Cook at first, scored with ease to knot the game at five. The RBI-double left Cross in scoring position and it was a freshman who ultimately came through.

Morgan Turkoly ripped the first pitch she saw down the right field line and the Cardinals never had a chance to throw out Cross who was off on contact. Cross slid into home and the Lady Techsters had a dramatic, come from behind, 5-4 victory.

None of this would have been possible without the relief work of sophomore pitcher Bailey Allen. Allen entered the game with the Lady Techsters trailing 4-3 and silenced the Lamar sticks. Allen (5-3) allowed just two hits and struck out four Cardinals, over four innings of work.

Preslee Gallaway got the start for Louisiana Tech and set the Cardinals up and down in order.

For the seventh time in the past eight games, the Lady Techsters got on the board in the first inning.

With runners on first and second in the bottom of the first, Turkoly's ground ball to second base was bobbled by Lamar's Maddy Meyers. Pauline Tufi, without hesitation, rounded third base and delivered a devastating blow to the Cardinal catcher Brynn Baca, jarring the ball loose and putting Louisiana Tech on the board 1-0.

As tensions mounted, Lamar regained the lead in the top of the second on a couple of errors which allowed two Cardinals to score.

But, Louisiana Tech wasted no time grabbing those two runs back. After loading the bases with nobody away, Taria Page drew a walk to score pinch runner Lindsey Neyland and tie the game at 2. Tufi gave Louisiana Tech their second lead of the game with a sacrifice fly to center field, which brought home Karlee Jensen. Jensen's run pushed the Lady Techsters ahead, 3-2.

Lamar would retake the lead in the next half inning though. After loading the bases to open the inning, Gallaway induced consecutive ground balls to Katie Smith at shortstop, who cut down the Cardinal runners at the plate and it looked as if Louisiana Tech may escape the inning unfazed. Unfortunate, a two-out walk of Jenna Holland and an RBI single from Brittany Rodriguez gave Lamar a 4-3 lead.

Louisiana Tech would have just a lone base runner from the third inning, until the sixth inning. Lindsey Neyland reached on a two-out single in the third inning and would be Louisiana Tech last base runner until the seventh inning rally.

Louisiana Tech is back in action this week with a South Louisiana road swing. On Wednesday, Louisiana Tech will take on Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond at 6 p.m. On Thursday, the Lady Techsters will take on Southern in Baton Rouge at noon, before beginning the LSU Invitational on Friday morning.