RUSTON – Behind dominant pitching and a variety of strong offensive performances, the Louisiana Tech Softball team won both ends of its doubleheader by scores of 8-0 (6 inn.) and 6-1 to earn a series sweep of SEMO on Sunday afternoon at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
Tech (3-0) now has won 15 consecutive games at The Billy, which is the fifth-longest home winning streak in the country, while its 3-0 start is the best since 2019. With the sweep, Tech won its eighth consecutive three-game series dating back to April 12, 2022.
Junior Lauren Menzina got the ball in the first game and went four innings striking out two while surrendering just two hits before turning it over to freshman Mary Martinez who spinned two scoreless frames of one-hit ball in her Lady Techster debut.
Freshman Allie Floyd continued the strong pitching performances in game two allowing no runs with a strike out and five hits. When Floyd exited the game, the LA Tech pitching staff had a streak of 19 scoreless innings. The 19 consecutive scoreless innings by Tech were the most since April 5-9 of 2017 when the Lady Techsters' staff had a streak of 21 scoreless innings.
Sophomore center fielder Sierra Sacco reached base safely in both games to run her streak of reaching base to 34 games.
GAME ONE
LA Tech continued its first inning run production by plating four runs in its first appearance at the plate on Sunday. Sacco led off by getting hit by a pitch, followed by an
Amanda Gonzalez walk before right fielder
Kylie Neel singled into left field to bring Sacco home to make it 1-0, Tech in the early going.
One batter later, outfielder Katelin Cooper then hit a towering three-run home run to right field that nearly left the ballpark wich gave the Lady Techsters a four-run lead.
Third baseman Bailey Wright led off the second inning with a double down the left field line and later scored courtesy of an errant throw by SEMO catcher Kat Sackett on Alyssa Dean's bunt single.
Dean then scored on a sacrifice fly from Amanda Gonzalez to give the Techsters a 6-0 lead after two.
Menzina and Martinez pitched effectively while letting their defense play behind them in their six combined innings of work. Despite only having two strikeouts, they mowed down the Red Hawk lineup allowing just three hits and four walks while issuing seven ground outs.
Tech completed the run rule in the bottom of the sixth as first baseman Jordyn Manning and Wright hit back-to-back solo shots to give Tech the 8-0 victory.
GAME TWO
Catcher Brooke Diaz hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Sacco, who led off the inning with a single to put Tech up 1-0 in the bottom of the first. Second baseman Caroline Easom followed up with an RBI double down the right field line that scored Amanda Gonzalez, which made it 2-0 in favor of the home team.
Katelin Cooper notched her fourth RBI of the day when she drove home Neel in the third by singling through the right side.
An inning later, Tech added two more courtesy of a sacrifice fly by Amanda Gonzalez and a groundout by Kylie Neel.
Floyd completed her final frame in the sixth by retiring the Red Hawks in order, which featured an excellent defensive play by Manning, who picked Gonzalez' throw from shortstop out off the turf to end the inning.
Wright led off the bottom of the sixth with a double to the right-center field gap and then scored on a Sacco double to left center to make it 6-0.
Wright had an excellent weekend at the plate, going four for eight with four runs scored, two doubles and a home run.
Sophomore Alyssa Martin came in to pitch the seventh in relief of Floyd. SEMO found its first and only run of the series with two outs in the inning when Red Hawk second baseman Alyson Tucker drove in Zoe Schulte with a double down the right-field line. Martin then made Sackett fly out to Sacco in center to complete the doubleheader and series sweep.
NEXT UP
The Lady Techsters will look to improve to 4-0 when they travel to Hammond, La., to face Southeastern on Wednesday at 5 p.m. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN+.
For all the latest in Lady Techster Softball, follow them on Twitter (@LATechSB), Instagram (@LATechSB) and Facebook (Louisiana Tech Softball) or visit the official website at LATechSports.com.
