RUSTON – Propelled by a six-run fourth inning, the Louisiana Tech Softball team defeated North Texas 7-2 on Saturday afternoon at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.

Tech used a mix of excellent plate discipline and timely hitting while capitalizing on Mean Green miscues to explode for six runs in the bottom of the fourth. Tech had a two-RBI single by Kylie Neel and an RBI single by Jordyn Manning for its two hits in the innings while walking three times and being hit by two pitches.

The LA Tech pitching staff was impressive once again as Brook Melnychuk and Mary Martinez limited the North Texas bats to just two unearned runs and seven hits. Martinez picked up her fifth win of the season, throwing 3.2 shutout innings in relief.

Manning and Neel led the Lady Techsters with two hits and while also each driving in two runs. Their two RBI tied with Kalei Christensen of North Texas for the game-high.

The three-game series is now knotted at 1-1 as the Lady Techsters will look to take the series with a win in Sunday's rubber match at 1 p.m.

NOTABLES

• Tech improved to 19-7 in Conference USA games under head coach Josh Taylor.
• The win was the Techsters' 512^th in Ruston and 38^th at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
• Tech is now 11-3 this season in day games (prior to 5 p.m.) and 7-3 in its red and blue uniform combo.
• Jordyn Manning had a season high two-hits with singles in the third and fourth inning, marking her 10^th career multi-hit game. Manning also tied a career-high with two RBI for the fourth time in her career.
• Kylie Neel drove in two runs, marking her fifth multi-RBI game this season. Neel has recorded an RBI in seven of her past 10 games.
• The Techsters batted around in the fourth inning  while tying a season high with six runs in the inning.
• Brooke Diaz caught her 24^th runner stealing in her career in the top of the first inning.
• The LA Tech pitching staff has allowed just three earned runs over their last 50 innings of work, both runs plated by North Texas were unearned in today's game.

 
QUOTABLES
"I am proud of our team today. It feels good whenever you can put runs on the board against a good opponent like North Texas. Timely hitting and solid pitching and defense kept us in the game today. If we continue to do that and can put runs on the board the rest of the season we will be in a lot of games. I am proud of our effort today and looking forward to tomorrow," – Head Coach Josh Taylor
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Brook Melnychuk started in the circle for the Lady Techsters, while Ashley Peters got the starting nod for the Mean Green. 
 
Jodie Epperson led off the game with a base hit to right-centerfield, but she would be stranded at third base as Brooke Diaz threw out her fifth runner trying to steal off the season to end the inning and Melnychuk kept North Texas off the board.
 
Sierra Sacco reached on a throwing error by the North Texas second baseman to lead off the inning. Kylie Neel followed with a four-pitch walk with two outs. However, they were stranded to end the inning.
 
Melnychuk breezed through the second by sitting down the Mean Green in order.
 
Caroline Easom recorded the first hit of the game for the Lady Techsters with a one-out single up the middle. A pitch hit Bailey Wright for the 24th time in her career, followed by a Sacco single to load the bases. Peters escaped the bases-loaded jam by issuing a fly out to centerfield, which ended the second inning.
 
Melnychuk kept the Mean Green at bay in the top of the third, fanning UNT left fielder Rylee Nicholson to end the inning.
 
Neel singled up the middle in the bottom of the third and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jordyn Manning then stepped to the plate and singled to left field to bring home Neel and put the Lady Techsters up 1-0.
 
North Texas responded with two runs in the top of the fourth, courtesy of a Kalei Christensen single to take its first lead of the game, 2-1. Mary Martinez relieved Melnychuk with one out in the third and would pitch the remainder of the game, allowing no runs and three hits over 3.2 innings on her way to her fifth victory of the season.
 
The Lady Techsters used timely hitting and free passes to explode for six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ella Rose Wright led off the inning with a walk and was pinch-ran for by Alyssa Dean. Bailey Wright laid down a textbook sacrifice bunt to move Dean to second before she advanced to third on a wild pitch. Sacco followed with a four-pitch walk before Amanda Gonzalez was hit by a pitch for the 37th time in her career to load the bases. Katelin Cooper then walked with the bases loaded to drive home Dean to tie the game, 2-2. Sacco later raced home on a wild pitch to make it 3-2 Tech, while Cooper and Gonzalez advanced a base. Kylie Neel increased the lead to 5-2 on a two-RBI single up the middle before Manning padded on another run with a single to right-centerfield. A ground out by Easom gave the Lady Techsters a 7-2 lead which they would not surrender.
 
Martinez pitched a 1-2-3 fifth inning, highlighted by a diving catch by Diaz on a North Texas bunt to record the second out of the inning. She also faced the minimum in the sixth by getting Christensen to line into a double play.
 
Martinez allowed a single in the seventh, but that was all the Mean Green could muster as Tech improved to 15-7 on the season and 1-1 in Conference USA play. The win propelled Martinez to 5-1 on the year, while freshman Mackenzie Childers took the loss for North Texas (13-9, 1-1 CUSA) to move to 1-2 on the season.

NEXT UP
The Lady Techsters will look to take the series against the Mean Green tomorrow in the rubber-match at 1 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.