Oxford, Miss. – The Louisiana Tech Softball team was defeated by Ole Miss, 6-1 on Wednesday evening at the Ole Miss Softball Complex in Oxford, Miss.
Ole Miss raced out to the early lead in the second inning when they plated four runs courtesy of four singles, three walks and a throwing error. Solo home runs by Keila Kamoku in the third and sixth innings provided the rest of the scoring for the Rebels.
The Lady Techsters could not get the bats going as Tech only mustered four hits in the contest.
Brooke Diaz,
Amanda Gonzalez and
Kylie Neel singled, while
Sierra Sacco doubled.
NOTABLES
- Sierra Sacco extended her reached base streak to four games by reaching on a walk with two outs in the third inning.
- Sacco scored her team-leading 31st run of the season in the sixth inning on a ground ball by Kylie Neel.
- Kylie Neel singled home Sacco for her team-leading 33rd RBI of the season.
- Neel extended her reached base streak to 12 and her hitting streak to six with the single.
HOW IT HAPPENEND
Tech was retired in order in the top of the first inning, courtesy of a strikeout and back-to-back groundouts.
Tate Whitley of Ole Miss collected the game's first hit by singling up the middle to lead off the bottom half before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt. Floyd then issued a flyout to left field and a fly ball which
Kylie Neel tracked down in foul territory to complete the scoreless inning.
With two outs in the top of the second,
Brooke Diaz drove a 2-2 pitch from Riley through the left side for the Lady Techsters' first hit of the ballgame.
In the bottom of the second, Ole Miss went up 1-0 on a single through the left side by Keila Kamoku. Floyd struck out the Rebels' Lexie Brady with the bases loaded for the first out of the inning before being relieved by
Brook Melnychuk. Ole Miss then extended its lead, courtesy of a throwing error and a two-RBI single to take a 4-0 lead.
Sierra Sacco drew a two-out walk to reach base for the fourth-consecutive game in the third. That was all Tech could muster as Riley issued a ground out for the final out of the frame.
Ole Miss added another in the bottom of the third, courtesy of a solo shot just beyond the right field wall by Kamoku.
Tech was retired in order in the top of the fourth inning.
Emma Hutchinson responded with a scoreless bottom half, highlighted by two impressive defensive plays by
Amanda Gonzalez at shortstop.
Caroline Easom reached base with a walk in the top of the fifth, but that is all Tech would get.
Hutchinson breezed through the Ole Miss lineup with a 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth.
In the top of the sixth inning, Ole Miss elected to put a shift on
Sierra Sacco, placing its second baseman on the left side of the infield and putting its right fielder at second base, leaving right field vacated. Sacco promptly drove a 3-2 pitch into shallow right field for a double.
Amanda Gonzalez then reached on a bunt single. Gonzalez was thrown out trying to steal second before an infield single by
Kylie Neel allowed Sacco to race home to cut the deficit to 5-1.
Ole Miss responded in the bottom half, as Kamoku hit her second home run of the game with a solo shot to left field to make it 6-1 in the hosts' favor.
Ella Rose Wright walked in the seventh, but that would be all as Ole Miss advanced to 24-18 and LA Tech fell to 23-18.
Riley picked up the win for Ole Miss to improve to 5-3 on the season, while Floyd was credited with the loss for Tech, dropping to 5-7.
NEXT UP
Tech will be back in action at 6 p.m. on Friday when they open a three-game conference series with UTSA. LA Tech will also be welcoming back over 25 former players and hall of fame head coach Bill Galloway as part of the alumni weekend festivities.
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.
