RUSTON, La. – Coming off a Conference USA Championship in head coach Josh Taylor's inaugural season in Ruston, Louisiana Tech reestablished itself as a serious postseason contender. The Lady Techsters are preparing to build off last year's momentum as the 2023 season approaches.  

We will be taking a look at the LA Tech roster by position groups as we count down the days until Tech opens the season on Feb. 11, by hosting Southeast Missouri State. This week, we break down the Lady Techster infield. 

With the graduation of multi-year starter and 2019 Conference USA Freshman of the Year Lindsay Edwards, Tech will lose some veteran leadership at third base. However, everybody else returns in the infield in addition to a talented class of newcomers.  

"We are excited to have some depth up the middle and experience at both middle infield positions in addition to first base," Taylor said. "Third base is still not set in stone at the moment and time will definitely rise to the top. We look forward to seeing what the infield can do. They all have the ability to play at a high level defensively and offensively." 

Having strength up the middle is a recipe for success at any level of softball and the Lady Techsters have that with Amanda Gonzalez at shortstop and Caroline Easom at second base who make one of the top double play duos in the country. 

"One thing that you always like as a coach is when you have a strong middle infield," Taylor said. "We have both our middles returning who were up at the top of the country in double plays per game. I am excited to have both Gonzalez and Easom back." 

Gonzalez is coming off a breakout season in which she earned first-team all-conference honors and was named First Team All-Mideast Region by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). The Santa Monica, Calif., native started all 59 games in 2022 and batted .370 with 61 hits, 10 doubles, four triples, eight home runs, 36 runs scored and 32 runs batted in. Gonzales tallied 103 total bases, ranking fifth in program history while leading Conference USA in assists with 163.  

Last season, Easom also started all 59 games, batting .256, tallying 46 hits, eight doubles and three home runs while scoring 25 runs and driving in 36 baserunners. Easom brings discipline to Taylor's lineup, walking 27 times and striking out just 16 times last season.  

Jordyn Manning and Bailey Wright return at first base. Manning started 39 games last season and also had a positive walk-to-strikeout ratio, walking 12 times while striking out 11. Wright saw action in 26 games, including 24 starts at first base, while posting four-multi hit performances. The Morrilton, Ark., native also offers versatility to the infield with the ability to play third base.  

Sophomore utility infielder Kennedy Semien also brings versatility to the infield with the ability to play both corner and middle infield if needed. 

Sophomores Gracee Hess and KB Briley also return at third base. Hess made three appearances as a freshman, while Briley redshirted last season due to preseason surgery. They will be joined at third by graduate transfer Alyssa Dean who joined Tech this offseason from Memphis. Dean brings experience to the lineup, having started 147 games for the Tigers, batting .281 with 113 hits in 401 at bats. 

Rounding out the talented Tech infield are freshmen utility infielders Jina Baffuto and Kaylee Grealy.  

Baffuto had a strong showing this fall and can make an immediate impact in 2023. The Bossier City product prepped at Airline High School, where she batted .529 with 63 hits, 22 doubles and 10 home runs as a senior. Baffuto is a utility infielder that projects well at shortstop and third base in the LA Tech lineup. 

Grealy arrived in Ruston from Clovis North High School in Fresno, Calif., where she garnered all-state recognition as a senior while batting .387 with nine doubles, two home runs and a league-leading 24 RBI. She was ranked as the 139^th recruit in the country by Extra Innings Softball.  

"We have added depth up the middle with Baffuto and Grealy, both are pretty sure-handed infielders as well," Taylor added. 

The Louisiana Tech infield will play a vital role as the Lady Techsters look to compete for its second-straight Conference USA title in 2023.