RUSTON – Behind strong pitching and defense, the Louisiana Tech Softball team defeated UMass Lowell (8-0, 6 inn.) and Houston Christian (1-0) to complete a four-game sweep of the LA Tech Invitational on Sunday afternoon at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.

Behind a string of 23 consecutive scoreless innings from the Lady Techster pitching staff, LA Tech outscored its opponents 27-0 in its four games this weekend.  

Tech opened its day with an 8-0 run-rule win over UMass Lowell (3-9). Brook Melnychuk threw shutout innings in relief to pick up her third win of the season. Freshman catcher Ella Rose Wright led the way offensively by going 2-3 with three runs batted in and a walk.

The win marked the third-consecutive run-rule victory for the Lady Techsters, the first time they have accomplished the feat since 2018.

The Lady Techsters capped their weekend by blanking Houston Christian 1-0 behind seven combined shutout innings from Emma Hutchinson, Lauren Menzina and Allie Floyd. Menzina got the win to move to 3-0, while Floyd retired all nine batters she faced to earn her second save of the season.

Quotables
On takeaways from today's games…
"The bottom line of our weekend was pitching. When you throw four shutouts you put yourself in a great position to win. Amanda Gonzalez had a great weekend defensively at shortstop, she was making plays that I have not seen other shortstops make. Our whole defense played well. Pitching defense and timely hitting is what wins games," – Head Coach Josh Taylor.

Notables

• The Louisiana Tech pitching staff has thrown 23-consecutive scoreless innings which is the longest scoreless inning streak since Feb. 19-26 of 2016 when they went 37-consecutive innings without allowing a run.
• The Lady Techsters' 14-5 start is the best since 2019 when they had a 15-4 mark through their first 19 games played.
• The win over UMass Lowell was the third-consecutive by run rule which last happened, April 4-7 of 2018 when the Techsters run-ruled Grambling State and Charlotte (twice).
• Kylie Neel has reached base in 14-consecutive games, which is a career-high. She is also currently on a career-high seven-game hitting streak.
• Aleya Hill had a career-high two hits in the win over Houston Christian
• Sierra Sacco stole two bases to run her total to 17 on the season.
• Tech advanced to 511-262 in Ruston, including a 37-15 mark at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field, where they have won 23 of their past 25 contests.
• LA Tech moved to 12-3 in day games this season and 238-164 in day games this decade.

GAME ONE
Freshman Mary Martinez got the start against UMass Lowell. Martinez went two scoreless innings and allowed two hits before turning the ball over to junior Brook Melnychuk, who was magnificent, throwing four scoreless innings in which she allowed just three hits and struck out two.

Mary Martinez opened the game with a scoreless inning highlighted by catcher Ella Rose Wright throwing out the River Hawks' Mya Case, who was trying to steal second to end the top of the first.

Sacco stole her 16th base of the season in the top of the first after reaching on a throwing error by the UMass Lowell second baseman. Kylie Neel walked and Brooke Diaz was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but the River Hawks escaped with a 6-4-3 double play.

Bailey Wright and Sierra Sacco both made impressive defensive plays in the top of the second inning as Martinez escaped a bases-loaded jam to keep the scoreless inning streak intact.

Katelin Cooper led off the bottom half with a single to centerfield. Cooper left the game after rolling her ankle, retreating to first on a fly ball to centerfield and did not return.

Brook Melnychuk relieved Martinez in the third and Olivia Ellingson took over in left field in place of Cooper. Melnychuk spun a scoreless frame, allowing a single her first time facing the River Hawks.

Kylie Neel beat out a ground ball for an infield single to lead off the Techsters' half of the third. Brooke Diaz followed with her fourth walk of the season. Olivia Ellingson stepped up to the plate for the second time this season and launched a double into the left centerfield gap that brought home Neel for the game's first run. Following Ellingson's double, Paris Endris and Ella Rose Wright cushioned the Tech lead with RBI singles to make it 3-0.

Melnychuk wasted no time in the top of the fourth, retiring the River Hawks in order.

Brooke Diaz added another run in the bottom of the fourth by hitting a deep fly ball to the left field warning track to bring in Alyssa Dean.

Bailey Wright extended the LA Tech lead to 5-0 with a groundout to second base, bringing home Paris Endris in the fifth.

Tech completed the run rule with a three-run sixth inning. Endris drew a bases-loaded walk to increase the lead to 6-0 before Ella Rose Wright singled through the right side to drive in Gonzalez and Neel to walk things off and give LA Tech the 8-0 win.
Brook Melnychuk was credited with the win and improved to 3-2 on the year, while Kaylie See took the loss for the River Hawks to fall to 0-4.

GAME TWO
Emma Hutchinson made her fifth start of the season in the invitational finale against Houston Christian. The Holden, La., product spun two scoreless innings of one-hit ball in the circle before turning it over to Lauren Menzina, who also threw two scoreless innings. Allie Floyd relieved Menzina and retired all nine batters she faced to complete a dominant weekend by the LA Tech pitching staff.

Hutchinson threw the Lady Techsters' 17th consecutive scoreless inning to get things started in the top of the first.

Sierra Sacco stole her 17th base of the season after reaching on a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first. Kylie Neel gave Tech the early 1-0 advantage with a single down the left-field line that scored Sacco.

Brooke Diaz made a phenomenal sliding catch on a pop-up in foul territory behind home plate for the first out of the second inning. Hutchinson issued a flyout to Neel in right field before Paris Endris picked a Bailey Wright throw out of the turf for the final out of the top of the second.

The bottom of the third inning was highlighted by Aleya Hill's double down the left-field line, which was her first hit of the season.

Lauren Menzina came in to pitch in the third and issued the Lady Techsters' 13th double play of the season during a scoreless frame.

Brooke Diaz walked and Amanda Gonzalez doubled down the right-field line, but both were stranded to end the third.

Houston Christian threatened in the fourth by loading the bases with one out before Menzina escaped by retiring her next two batters faced, highlighted by an inning-ended strikeout.

Aleya Hill added her second hit of the game by singling through the right side in the bottom of the fourth, but that was all the Lady Techsters would get.

Allie Floyd entered the circle and the fifth and sent the Huskies down in order with a flyout and back-to-back ground outs.

Neel and Diaz singled in the bottom of the fifth, putting two Lady Techsters on base with one out but they would be left on the base paths to end the inning.

Floyd then cruised through the Huskies in the final two innings retiring all six batters faced to earn her second save of the season to complete the weekend sweep for the Lady Techsters.

Lauren Menzina recorded the win to improve to 3-0 on the season. Menzina struck out two and allowed two hits in two scoreless innings in the circle. Katey Janes took the loss for the Huskies, falling to 4-3 on the season.

NEXT UP
The Lady Techsters are back at The Billy on Tuesday when they host ULM at 6 p.m.
 
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