RUSTON, La. – It was a night that saw the return of some familiar faces to the Louisiana Tech lineup as the Lady Techsters defeated Grambling State 8-1.

Madie Green, Kara Goff and Lindsay Edwards all got the starts after missing significant time recently due to injuries or illness. They all came through.

Green doubled and homered – the first home run by a Techster at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field – and Goff singled and drove home two runs. Edwards, making her first start of the season, reached base twice, scored twice and drove home a run.

Meanwhile, freshman Emma Hutchinson made only her fourth start of the season in the circle. The Holden native recorded a career-high nine strikeouts while scattering two hits and five walks over 6.0 innings to pick up her third victory of the season.

Junior Hannah Koenig worked a scoreless seventh inning, registering a pair of strikeouts.

Tech (15-23) improved to 21-0 all-time against Grambling State (7-15).

"I hope this game give some of our kids a little boost of confidence," said Tech interim head coach Bianca Duran. "A few of them who have been out needed to get back into the swing of things. We need all of our players in a good mindset heading into this weekend against UTEP."

After going scoreless in the first, Tech plated runs in each of its next five at bats. Goff drove home the first run of the game on a sac fly in the second while Amanda Gonzalez raced home from third on a wild pitch to make the score 2-0.

Edwards drove Green home on a sac fly in the third and Kylie Neel doubled home Goff from first base in the fourth. Easom's double to left center scored Edwards in the fifth while Goff then singled home Easom.

With Tech leading 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth, Zoe Hicks singled and then Green drilled a pitch deep over the centerfield fence for a two-run bomb to end the scoring.

Tech will host UTEP Saturday and Sunday with doubleheaders starting both days at 1 p.m. This Sunday will mark the two year anniversary of the EF3 tornado that destroyed the Lady Techster Softball Complex.