Friday, April 14
Ruston, LA
6:00 PM
Louisiana Tech University
vs
UTSA
LA Tech Hosts UTSA on Alumni Weekend
4/13/2023 11:45:00 AM | Softball
RUSTON, La. – After nearly three weeks away from Ruston, the Louisiana Tech Softball team returns home to host UTSA during its annual Alumni Weekend Friday-Saturday at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
ALUMNI WEEKEND
Louisiana Tech will welcome back over 25 former softball student-athletes, hosting its annual alumni weekend event this weekend. Players returning range from 1982 to the seniors on last year's Conference USA Championship squad. NFCA and Louisiana Tech Hall of Fame coach Bill Galloway will also be returning for the festivities. During his time in Ruston, Galloway amassed 725 wins and led LA Tech to women's college world series appearances in 1983, 1985 and 1986.
SERIES INFORMATION
Dates/Time: Friday, April 14 (6 p.m.) | Saturday, April 15 (2 p.m.) | Sunday, April 16 (1 p.m.)
Location: Dr. Billy Bundrick Field (Ruston, La.)
Stats: Live Stats
Watch: CUSA.tv
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (23-18)
Louisiana Tech is 23-18 on the season and coming off a 6-1 loss at Ole Miss. Amanda Gonzalez and Kylie Neel extended their hitting streaks to six games each with infield singles in the contest. The game marked the 100th-consecutive start in centerfield for Sacco.
Kylie Neel leads the Lady Techsters' run production with 33 RBI and 55 total bases while batting .322. She has reached base in her past 12 games while leading the Techsters with nine multi-hit and nine multi-RBI games this season.
Sierra Sacco leads Tech at the plate with 41 hits, 31 runs scored, 27 walks, and a .331 batting average. Sacco has 28 stolen bases this season which leads Conference USA and ranks eighth nationally. The Sophomore is the all-time program leader in career batting average with a mark of .397.
KB Briley has made an immediate impact since being inserted in the lineup midway through the season with a .333 batting average, 17 hits, 14 RBI and two home runs.
Pitching has been the strength of the Lady Techsters, as they hold a team ERA of 2.22 in 278 innings pitched. Mary Martinez leads the Techsters in the circle with an 8-3 record while posting a 1.99 ERA in 56.1 innings pitched.
The Lady Techsters have done a great job of working out of jams this season in the circle, as opposing hitters are batting just .103 (3-29) with the bases loaded.
LA Tech is among the nation's leaders in double plays per game, ranking third with 0.56 a contest.
Scoring first has been a significant factor in the Techsters' success this year, as they have posted a 21-3 record when doing so.
Tech has also swiped 61 bases with an 89.7 percent success rate when stealing.
LA Tech is led by head coach Josh Taylor who is 62-38 in his second season at Tech and 182-147 in his career, with prior stops at Nevada (2017-2021) and Feather River College (2009-2012).
ABOUT UTSA (7-29)
The Roadrunners are 7-29 this season and 3-8 in Conference USA play. UTSA split their last series with Western Kentucky which was shortened to two games due to weather. UTSA won game one of the series 7-2 and fell in the series finale 9-2.
Kat Ibarra leads the Roadrunners with a .370 batting average and 66 total bases. Taylor Jensen leads the team with five home runs, while Marena Estell has driven in a team-best 23 RBI.
The Roadrunners have struggled in the circle this season with a team ERA of 6.66. Regan Smith has the best ERA of the squad, posting a 5.38 mark. She also leads the team in innings pitched with 79.1.
Michelle Cheatham is in her 10th season at UTSA, posting a record of 196-275. Cheatham was a standout on the diamond for the Roadrunners from 1999-2002 and still ranks among the UTSA all-time career top-10 in numerous offensive categories.
SERIES HISTORY
Louisiana Tech and UTSA have faced each other 37 times, with UTSA having the upper hand in the series 21-16.
Tech took the series in 2022 by winning the series opener (4-3) and finale (7-4) in Ruston. Former Tech third baseman Lindsay Edwards accounted for all of Tech's runs in the opener with a grand slam to left field in the sixth inning and also homered in the series finale.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in LA Tech Softball, follow us on Twitter (@LATechSB), Instagram (@LATechSB), and Facebook (LATechSoftball).
ALUMNI WEEKEND
Louisiana Tech will welcome back over 25 former softball student-athletes, hosting its annual alumni weekend event this weekend. Players returning range from 1982 to the seniors on last year's Conference USA Championship squad. NFCA and Louisiana Tech Hall of Fame coach Bill Galloway will also be returning for the festivities. During his time in Ruston, Galloway amassed 725 wins and led LA Tech to women's college world series appearances in 1983, 1985 and 1986.
SERIES INFORMATION
Dates/Time: Friday, April 14 (6 p.m.) | Saturday, April 15 (2 p.m.) | Sunday, April 16 (1 p.m.)
Location: Dr. Billy Bundrick Field (Ruston, La.)
Stats: Live Stats
Watch: CUSA.tv
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (23-18)
Louisiana Tech is 23-18 on the season and coming off a 6-1 loss at Ole Miss. Amanda Gonzalez and Kylie Neel extended their hitting streaks to six games each with infield singles in the contest. The game marked the 100th-consecutive start in centerfield for Sacco.
Kylie Neel leads the Lady Techsters' run production with 33 RBI and 55 total bases while batting .322. She has reached base in her past 12 games while leading the Techsters with nine multi-hit and nine multi-RBI games this season.
Sierra Sacco leads Tech at the plate with 41 hits, 31 runs scored, 27 walks, and a .331 batting average. Sacco has 28 stolen bases this season which leads Conference USA and ranks eighth nationally. The Sophomore is the all-time program leader in career batting average with a mark of .397.
KB Briley has made an immediate impact since being inserted in the lineup midway through the season with a .333 batting average, 17 hits, 14 RBI and two home runs.
Pitching has been the strength of the Lady Techsters, as they hold a team ERA of 2.22 in 278 innings pitched. Mary Martinez leads the Techsters in the circle with an 8-3 record while posting a 1.99 ERA in 56.1 innings pitched.
The Lady Techsters have done a great job of working out of jams this season in the circle, as opposing hitters are batting just .103 (3-29) with the bases loaded.
LA Tech is among the nation's leaders in double plays per game, ranking third with 0.56 a contest.
Scoring first has been a significant factor in the Techsters' success this year, as they have posted a 21-3 record when doing so.
Tech has also swiped 61 bases with an 89.7 percent success rate when stealing.
LA Tech is led by head coach Josh Taylor who is 62-38 in his second season at Tech and 182-147 in his career, with prior stops at Nevada (2017-2021) and Feather River College (2009-2012).
ABOUT UTSA (7-29)
The Roadrunners are 7-29 this season and 3-8 in Conference USA play. UTSA split their last series with Western Kentucky which was shortened to two games due to weather. UTSA won game one of the series 7-2 and fell in the series finale 9-2.
Kat Ibarra leads the Roadrunners with a .370 batting average and 66 total bases. Taylor Jensen leads the team with five home runs, while Marena Estell has driven in a team-best 23 RBI.
The Roadrunners have struggled in the circle this season with a team ERA of 6.66. Regan Smith has the best ERA of the squad, posting a 5.38 mark. She also leads the team in innings pitched with 79.1.
Michelle Cheatham is in her 10th season at UTSA, posting a record of 196-275. Cheatham was a standout on the diamond for the Roadrunners from 1999-2002 and still ranks among the UTSA all-time career top-10 in numerous offensive categories.
SERIES HISTORY
Louisiana Tech and UTSA have faced each other 37 times, with UTSA having the upper hand in the series 21-16.
Tech took the series in 2022 by winning the series opener (4-3) and finale (7-4) in Ruston. Former Tech third baseman Lindsay Edwards accounted for all of Tech's runs in the opener with a grand slam to left field in the sixth inning and also homered in the series finale.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in LA Tech Softball, follow us on Twitter (@LATechSB), Instagram (@LATechSB), and Facebook (LATechSoftball).
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballWednesday, May 27
Wednesday, May 06
Thursday, April 30
Thursday, April 30
