MOBILE, Ala. – The Louisiana Tech softball team defeated Furman (7-3) and fell to South Alabama (2-0) on the final day of the South Alabama Invitational on Sunday afternoon at Jaguar Field in Mobile, Ala.

Tech finished the Invitational with a 2-2 mark to move to 9-5 on the season. Second baseman Caroline Easom and catcher Brooke Diaz were named to the all-tournament team.

Diaz went 5-6 at the plate on day one of the invitational while Easom posted two three-hit games during the weekend.

Tech opened up its day with a 7-3 win over Furman behind five solid innings in the circle from Emma Hutchinson and Caroline Easom's second-consecutive three-hit game.

Louisiana Tech fell in a 2-0 pitchers dual to Invitational hosts South Alabama in the final game of the weekend.

Notables
- Tech moved to 8-3 in day games this year and is now 239-165 in day games this decade.
- Emma Hutchinson improved to 2-0 on the season with her win over Furman.
- Caroline Easom recorded her second-consecutive three-hit game by going 3-3 with a double against Furman. Easom's two runs scored were a season high.
- Sierra Sacco stole two bases for the fourth game this season in the win over Furman.
- Easom and Brooke Diaz were named to the South Alabama Invitational All-Tournament team.

Game One
Emma Hutchinson made her third start of the season against the Paladins and was victorious, allowing just two runs with one strikeout in five innings of work.

Caroline Easom recorded her second-straight multi-hit game with a 3-3 effort at the plate while scoring two runs.

In the first inning, Hutchinson retired Furman in order before Tech plated three runs in the bottom half, courtesy of three walks and an error by the Paladins second baseman to give Tech a 3-0 lead.

Furman first baseman Kiley Perry hit a solo home run to left field in the second inning to cut the Lady Techsters' lead to two.
 
Caroline Easom led off the third inning with a double and Kylie Neel followed with a single up the middle before stealing second. Katelin Cooper extended the LA Tech lead to 5-1 with a two-run single up the middle to drive in Easom and Neel.

In the fourth inning, Sierra Sacco stole her second base of the game and 12th of the season before scoring on a single up the middle by Easom to make it 6-1 in favor of Tech.
Furman catcher Hana Suniga hit the Paladins' second solo homer of the game to cut the lead to 6-2 in the top of the fifth. Bailey Wright ended the inning by making a diving catch on a Furman line drive.

Sophomore Alyssa Martin relieved Hutchinson in the sixth inning and spun the first scoreless frame of her career by issuing three groundouts. Martin allowed a hit and a run in her two innings pitched.

Tech added its final run of the ballgame in the bottom of the sixth, courtesy of Kylie Neel singling home Alyssa Dean with a ground ball up the middle.

Furman added a run in the seventh, but it was too little too late as Tech got the 7-3 win to improve to 9-4 on the season.

Game Two
Woes at the plate returned in the Lady Techsters' second game of the day as they mustered three hits and were fanned 14 times by South Alabama starter Olivia Lackie.

Allie Floyd got the start and went four innings, allowing two runs on three hits. She was relieved by Mary Martinez, who threw two scoreless innings in which she struck out four Jaguar batters.

Kylie Neel singled up the middle for the first hit of the game with two outs in the top of the first, but that was all Tech got in its first plate appearance.

Floyd retired the Jaguars 1-2-3 hitters in sequence in her first frame in the bottom of the first.

Both sides went down in order in the second inning. In the bottom half, Neel took away an extra-base hit with a catch in right centerfield, followed by shortstop Amanda Gonzalez making a nice backhanded play in the hole at shortstop for the inning's final out.

In the top of the third, Jordyn Manning put on an excellent display of hitting by going with the pitch and singling to right field. She then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Bailey Wright. A Sierra Sacco walk followed. However, the Lady Techsters could not capitalize and stranded two base runners.

In the bottom half, South Alabama had first and second with just one out before Floyd buckled down and issued a groundout to Gonzalez and a line out to Manning to escape the inning unscathed.

South Alabama scored the only runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth, courtesy of a two-run home run to left field by Abby Allen to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.

Tech made a pitching change and decided to go with Mary Martinez in the fifth. Martinez threw a scoreless frame and struck out two with a nasty array of off-speed pitches.
Martinez struck out two more in the bottom of the sixth.

Amanda Gonzalez singled into left centerfield to lead off the top of the seventh, but the Lady Techsters could not capitalize and South Alabama got the win.

Floyd was credited with the loss, while Lackie picked up the complete game win.

NEXT UP
The Lady Techsters are back in action on Wednesday, March 1 when they host an 11-2 Central Arkansas team for a midweek showdown at 6 p.m.

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.