YOUNGSVILLE – Behind a season-high 11 hits and dominant pitching, the Louisiana Tech Softball team defeated Gardner-Webb 6-1 to complete the Mardi Gras Mambo on Sunday afternoon at the Youngsville Sports Complex.

With the win, the Lady Techsters finished the Mardi Gras Mambo with a 4-1 record and improved their overall mark to 7-2 on the season. 

Emma Hutchinson got the start throwing three scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and a walk. Mary Martinez continued her dominance in relief of Hutchinson, allowing one run on five hits and a strikeout in four innings pitched. Martinez was credited with the win as the starter has to throw four or more innings to get credited with a win. With the win, she is now 3-0 this season.

Sierra Sacco led the way at the plate by going 3-4 with three runs scored and two stolen bases. Kylie Neel also had a great day at the plate, tallying two hits and a walk to go along with three RBI and a run scored.

Quotables
"Our pitching was really good this weekend. They were the reason we were able to go 4-1. All of our pitchers threw really well which is really encouraging early in the season," - Head Coach Josh Taylor

"Offensively we struggled through the first four games but today was much better. We had more quality at-bats and got into better counts which produced better results. If we can continue to do that moving forward I think we will be okay," – Head Coach Josh Taylor
 
Notables

• The Lady Techsters had a season high 11 hits, which were the most since May 12, 2022 when they tallied 14 in a 16-8 win over Marshall.
• Tech also tied a season-high with three stolen bases. Sierra Sacco accounted for two while Alyssa Dean stole one.

How It Happened
Bailey Wright made a spectacular diving stop on a ground ball, then fired a throw across the diamond to Jordyn Manning at first to complete a 5-3 putout for the first out of the game. Gardner-Webb got two on in the first, courtesy of a hit and an error, but that was it, as Hutchinson put up a scoreless frame.

Sierra Sacco led off the bottom of the first by singling up the middle. Brooke Diaz then drove in Sacco by smashing a double into center field to put Tech up 1-0.

Amanda Gonzalez made an incredible running catch along the left-field line to save the tying run from scoring to end the top of the third inning.

The Lady Techsters' speed started things in the bottom of the second. Alyssa Dean led off with a walk and immediately stole second. Sierra Sacco then advanced Dean to third with a bunt single. Kylie Neel plated them both with a double to left center to give Tech a three-run lead. Bailey Wright then made it 4-0 with an opposite-field single to right field that scored Neel.

Gardner-Webb got its lone run in the fifth inning courtesy of a single and a double. Katelin Cooper recorded her first outfield assist of the season by throwing out the Runnin' Bulldogs' Amanda Lyon, who was trying to stretch a single into a double.

Tech added some insurance in the sixth courtesy of a single by Gonzalez that drove in Dean and an infield single by Neel that scored Sacco, which gave the Techsters a 6-1 lead that they would not surrender.

NEXT UP
The Lady Techsters are back in action on Tuesday when they host LSU at 6 p.m. It will be the first meeting between the teams in Ruston since 2016.
 
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