Box Score | Photo Gallery

RUSTON ââ'¬" Four Louisiana Tech pitchers combined to allowed only four hits and one unearned run as the Lady Techsters defeated Southeastern Louisiana 5-1 Wednesday afternoon at the Lady Techster Softball Complex.

Preslee Gallaway, Krystal De La Cruz, Bailey Allen and Jenny Chapman were impressive in the circle, issuing only one walk and striking out five as LA Tech improved to 8-4 on the season. Southeastern Louisiana lost for just the third time in nine games.

"I thought all four pitchers performed well tonight," said Tech head coach Mark Montgomery. "They were in control all night. We didn't perform very well defensively and I was disappointed with what we did at the plate offensively, but our pitchers allowed us to win this game."

Gallaway (5-2) picked up her fifth win of the season, allowing only three hits ââ'¬" all singles ââ'¬" one unearned run while striking out five in 4.0 innings of action. The only inning she was threatened was in the top of the fourth when the first three batters reached ââ'¬" two on infield errors and one on a swinging bunt single as the Lions cut Tech's lead to 2-1.

However, Gallaway responded with a strikeout and then right fielder Jazlyn Crowder made a huge play when she caught a shallow fly ball off and then gunned out a Lions runners trying to score from third for the final out.

Tech took a 2-0 lead in the third. Crowder doubled down the left field line and Tori Charters singled to shortstop to put runners on the corners with one out. Pauline Tufi then delivered a sacrifice fly to center field to score Crowder with the first run of the game. After an intentional walk to Taria Page, Ali Galaz singled sharply through the left side to score Charters and give Tech a 2-0 lead.

After the Lions cut the lead to one, Tech answered in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs, Tufi lined a 2-2 pitch deep over the centerfield wall, giving the Lady Techsters a 3-1 lead. It was Tufi's second home run of the year and the 29th of her career.

Krystal De La Cruz pitched a scoreless fifth inning for Tech, allowing a single while Allen recorded a pair of strikeouts for Tech in the sixth ââ'¬" the only base runner being on Tech's third error of the game.

The Lady Techsters added two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Galaz singled and one out later Karlee Jensen singled before both runners advanced on a wild pitch. With two outs, sophomore Berkley Calapp singled sharply to centerfield, scoring both Galaz and Jensen for the final two runs of the game.

Chapman pitched a perfect seventh inning to seal the victory.

Tech was led offensively by Crowder (3-4, run), Galaz (2-3, run, RBI), Calapp (1-3, 2 RBI), Tufi (1-1, run, 2 RBI), Charters (1-4, run) and Jensen (1-1, run).

The Lady Techsters return to action Friday when they host the Louisiana Tech Classic. The three-day tournament will include 10 total games, including a 3 p.m. Friday match-up between LA Tech and Sam Houston State.