Box Score

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ââ'¬" Marilyn Rizzato and Morgan Turkoly drove in three runs each and Preslee Gallaway recorded eight strikeouts to lead Louisiana Tech to an 8-1 win over Albany at Rhoads Stadium in the Tuscaloosa Regional Saturday night.

With the win, Louisiana Tech (38-23) eliminates Albany (27-18) and advances to face No. 1 ranked Minnesota Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in a rematch of Friday's opening game ââ'¬" an 11-3 Golden Gophers win. Sunday's contest can be heard on the LA Tech Sports Network on 97.7 FM with the pregame show starting at 1:15 p.m.

"It was a good night at the park," said Tech head coach Mark Montgomery. "I thought Preslee was dominant early, overpowering. She allowed us the opportunity to jump out to a lead. The game had the same feel as yesterday but we were on the good side of things. Albany got down big but kept fighting. They never quit.

"I thought we were really good offensively. We kept adding runs and even in innings where we didn't, we threatened. It was a long day for us, but our kids wanted to come out and show that they are better than what we showed yesterday."

After waiting through almost five hours of weather delays, Louisiana Tech wasted little time in taking out their frustrations from the previous day's sub-par performance against Minnesota against the America East champion Great Danes.

Jazlyn Crowder led the bottom of the first off with a single. Tori Charters reached on a fielder's choice on a play that Crowder was thrown out at second and stole second base before scoring on Turkoly's RBI single to right field. Tech led 1-0.

The Lady Techsters exploded for five runs in the second inning, chasing Albany starter Celeste Verdoliva from the game. Jessica Ball walked and Katie Smith singled to put runners on the corners. Smith stole second and scored right behind ball on Rizzato's two-run single up the middle.

Following an out, Crowder reached on an infield single and both runners advanced to second and third on a passed ball. Charters scored Rizzato on a sacrifice bunt and Turkoly followed with a two-run home run deep over the right centerfield fence. Tech led 6-0.

Ali Galaz started the bottom of the third inning with a triple to left centerfield and two outs later, Rizzato came through with a line drive single down the left field line to plate Galaz and up the advantage to 7-0.

Gallaway was dominant early retiring nine of the first 10 Albany batters she faced. The Great Danes would plate a run on three hits in the fourth inning but saw the inning end on runner being thrown out at home plate.

Tech answered the Great Danes run in the fifth. Ball doubled to straight away centerfield and with two outs, pinch hitter Taria Page lined a single to left field to score Ball. The Lady Techsters lead was 8-1.

Albany mounted a threat in the top of the sixth, loading the bases with one out on a single, double and walk. Gallaway then induced a fly ball out to Crowder in right field and the sophomore outfielder fired a dart home to catcher Natalie Moran to gun down the Albany runner trying to tag and end the threat.

Krystal De La Cruz came on in relief of Gallaway in the seventh inning, retiring the only two batters she faced to seal the win.

Gallaway (16-13) picked up the win, allowing one run on nine hits and one walk with eight strikeouts in 6.1 innings of action.

Offensively, Turkoly (3-3, HR, run, 3 RBI, SB), Rizzato (2-2, run, 3 RBI), Crowder (2-4, run), Charters, 1-3, run, RBI, 2 SB), Galaz (1-4, run), Ball (1-2, 2 runs, SB), Smith (1-3, run, SB) and Page (1-1, RBI) led the Lady Techsters.