RUSTON, La. – Marilyn Rizzato homered for the third time in four games but Louisiana Tech fell 5-2 Sunday afternoon to North Texas in the rubber match of the three-game Conference USA series.

North Texas (18-11, 7-2 C-USA) capitalized on three errors, four hit batters and three walks as well as some timely two-out hitting in defeating LA Tech (22-9, 4-2) for the second time in as many days.

The Mean Green scored a single run in the first and second innings – both coming on two-out hits by Rhylie Makawe and Harley Perella – and then added a single run in the fourth and two more in the sixth to keep Tech at arm's length.

Tech starter Krystal De La Cruz (6-2) allowed two runs – one earned – on four hits and two hit batters while striking out two in 4.0 innings of action. Preslee Gallaway pitched 3.0 innings of relief, allowing three runs – two earned – on three hits, three walks and two hit batters.

Offensively, Tech totaled seven hits despite hitting into some bad luck with loud outs throughout the game. The Lady Techsters plated a run in the bottom of the fourth inning on Bayli Simon's RBI single to centerfield, scoring Zoe Hicks from second base. Mary Terral followed with a hard single to right field but a second potential run was thrown out at the plate ending the inning.

Rizzato opened the fifth inning with a solo home run to left field off North Texas reliever Hope Trautwein, closing the gap to 3-2.

Rizzato (2-3, HR, run, RBI), Simon (1-3, RBI), Morgan Turkoly (1-4), Hicks (run), Lindsay Edwards (1-2), Terral (1-3) and Sloane Stewartson (1-2) led Tech offensively.

The Lady Techsters will return to action Wednesday with a single game at ULM at 6 p.m.