RUSTON, La. – Heart. That's what Louisiana Tech showed late Saturday evening in Ruston.

After watching an 8-0 lead evaporate in a 10-9 loss to North Texas in the first game of Saturday's important Conference USA series in Ruston, the Lady Techsters showed fight. Toughness.

Preslee Gallaway pitched a complete-game one-hitter, Marilyn Rizzato hit her third home run of the season and the Lady Techsters defeated the Mean Green 4-2 to salvage the night cap and set up the rubber match Sunday.

"I didn't beat them up after game one," said Tech head coach Mark Montgomery. "We let that one get away. I told them we had to fight and bounce back. The second game was critical after losing the first. I was proud of the heart we showed across the board.

"I think this team gets it. They understand that they can't take one game to the next or a bad offensive play to the field or vice versa. This group experienced a lot last year and we are tougher for it this year. I think the second game proved that in a lot of ways."

Tech (22-8, 4-1 C-USA) and North Texas (17-11, 6-2 C-USA) will play the third and final game Sunday at noon.

Game 1: North Texas 10, LA Tech 9

Sloane Stewartson's grand slam in the bottom of the first inning capped a five-run frame and Louisiana Tech built an 8-0 advantage before North Texas used five home runs off three Lady Techster pitchers to record the 10-9 win in game one.

North Texas rallied to tie the game at 8-8 in the top of the sixth before Lindsay Edward's RBI single to centerfield scored pinch runner AJ Williams as Tech regained a 9-8 advantage in the bottom of the frame.

The Mean Green were down to their final out in the top of the seventh when Hanna Rebar hit a two-run home run – her third of the game – to straight away centerfield. Rebar finished 3-for-4 with 3 HR and 6 RBI in the victory.

Tech had one more chance in the bottom of the seventh but after a leadoff walk to Kimmie Atienza, North Texas pitcher Hope Trautwein retired the next three batters in order to seal the win.

Trautwein (11-4) was chased in the first inning by Tech. The first five batters reached against the Mean Green ace, highlighted by Stewartson's grand slam to right field. The Lady Techsters added a single run in the second on an RBI single by Jazlyn Crowder and two more in the third on a two-run single by Atienza as the lead ballooned to 8-0.

Tech pitcher Krystal De La Cruz was solid until the fourth. With two outs, Rebar hit a solo home run to left field to cut the lead to 8-1. Lacy Gregory then duplicated the feat with two outs in the fifth inning, launching a two-run shot to straight away centerfield.

Leading 8-3, Tech had an opportunity to close the deal in the bottom of the fifth. Tech loaded the bases with two outs for Morgan Turkoly. However, NT first baseman Tayla Evans robbed Turkoly with a snare of a line drive down the line, keeping the Tech lead at five runs.

North Texas plated five runs in the sixth inning as all four Tech pitchers worked the frame. Rebar blasted a three-run home run off reliever Hannah Koenig and then Harley Perella tied the game with a  two-run shot against Preslee Gallaway.

Tech outhit North Texas 12-8 and the Lady Techster pitchers recorded 10 strikeouts to only one walk but the five home runs accounted for all 10 runs.

Crowder (3-5, run, RBI), Bayli Simon (3-3), Atienza (1-2, run, 2 RBI), Turkoly (2 runs), Zoe Hicks (run, RBI), Stewartson (1-1, HR, run, 4 RBI), Berkley Calapp (1-3, run), Edwards (1-4, RBI), Marilyn Rizzato (1-3, run), Mary Terral (1-4) and AJ Williams (run, SB) led Tech offensively.  

Turkoly became the program's all-time leader in runs scored when she scored on Crowder's RBI single in the second inning. Turkoly (159 runs) moved past Evette Grayson (158) into first place.

Game 2: LA Tech 4, North Texas 2

Preslee Gallaway struck out nine batters and allowed just one hit and Marilyn Rizzato's fifth inning home run ignited a four-run frame as LA Tech won game two 4-2.

Scoreless through four and a half innings, Rizzato led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a mammoth blast off Hope Trautwein to give Tech a 1-0 lead. Bayli Simon and Kimmie Atienza then followed with one out singles and scored on Morgan Turkoly's double to left field.

One out later, Zoe Hicks doubled to right centerfield to plate the fourth run of the inning as Tech led 4-0.

Gallaway was in complete control for most of the game, not allowing a hit until the sixth inning. Gallaway got a pair of big strikeouts with the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the second inning to keep North Texas off the scoreboard.

North Texas plated two runs in the top of the sixth inning thanks to two walks, a double, a hit by pitch and a fielding error by Tech. However, Gallaway struck out Sam Rea with the bases loaded to end the frame and keep a 4-2 lead.

Gallaway (8-6) allowed two base runners on a hit by pitch and walk with two outs in the seventh but struck out Tayla Evans for the final out of the game. Gallaway allowed two runs – one earned – one one hit and five walks with nine strikeouts.

Tech outhit North Texas 9-1. Atienza (1-3, run), Turkoly (2-3, run, 2 RBI), Hicks (1-3, RBI), Lindsay Edwards (1-3), Rizzato (1-3, HR, RBI, run) and Simon (2-2, run) led Tech offensively.