MONROE, La. – With the final Conference USA series of the year approaching and a opportunity to play for a league title on the line, Louisiana Tech head coach Josh Taylor played Tuesday night's midweek game against ULM with a bigger picture in mind.
               
Taylor pulled five starters in the bottom of the third inning, including his entire starting outfield, and sat ace Audrey Pickett for the entire night.
               
ULM scored an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat Tech 3-2 at Warhawk Softball Field.
               
"We want to win every time we step on the field," said Taylor. "Never doubt that. However, sometimes you have to play with a bigger picture in mind. Tonight we did that. I wanted to rest Audrey. I wanted to give some of our players who have been working just as hard every day in practice an opportunity to play.
               
"You never know when you will need one of them to play some important innings in the field or pinch hit in an important situation. It was an opportunity heading into this weekend's series against Southern Miss to reward some of them for their effort every day in practice."
               
Emma Hutchinson got the start in the circle, working 7.1 innings and taking the loss. Hutchinson (6-7) allowed three runs – two earned – on seven hits but walked six in the loss.
               
"We learned a lot of hard lessons tonight, good lessons," said Taylor. "You can't walk batters, especially leading off innings. We did that. You can't play tentatively in the field or have unproductive at bats. We did that. We did things that will get you beat, and tonight that's what happened. But these are great lessons for some of our younger players to learn."
               
Tech (35-18) took an early 1-0 lead on an RBI single by Brooke Diaz in the top of the third inning, scoring Amanda Gonzalez from second base.
               
ULM tied the game in the fifth. After a leadoff walk, a line drive to left field was misplayed into a double and a run for the Warhawks. Tech responded in the top of the sixth inning as Jordyn Manning singled to right field, plating Aleya Hill and giving the Lady Techsters a 2-1 lead.
               
Tech was three outs away from the win but a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh eventually came around to score on a sacrifice fly, sending the game to extra frames.
               
In the bottom of the eighth, ULM led off with a single, but the runner advanced to second on a throwing error. After a sacrifice bunt, a ground ball bounced out of the glove of a Tech infielder, allowing the game-winning run to score.
               
"I told the girls in the huddle after the game, we walk away from here learning from our mistakes," said Taylor. "We have a great opportunity in front of us this weekend. They have worked really hard to put themselves in this position, and we just want to go out and continue to play like we have over the last month."