Friday, April 21
El Paso, TX
7:00 PM
Louisiana Tech University
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UTEP
Photo by: Darrell James
LA Tech Softball Travels to El Paso to Face UTEP
4/20/2023 8:38:00 AM | Softball
RUSTON, La. – The Louisiana Tech Softball team is back on the road this weekend as they travel to El Paso, Texas, for a three-game Conference USA series against the UTEP, Friday-Sunday at Helen of Troy Softball Complex.
SERIES INFORMATION
Dates/Time: Friday, April 21 (7 p.m. CT) | Saturday, April 22 (4 p.m. CT) | Sunday, April 23 (1 p.m. CT)
Location: Helen of Troy Softball Complex (El Paso, Texas)
Stats: Live Stats
Watch: CUSA.tv
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (26-18)
Louisiana Tech is 26-18 on the season and coming off a series sweep of UTSA as the Techsters defeated the Roadrunners 1-0, 3-0 and 1-0. Tech did not allow a run all weekend in its 24 innings pitched against a UTSA team that entered the series having only been shut out three times all season. It was the first time in program history that the Lady Techsters have shut out a conference foe in all three games of the series.
Kylie Neel leads the Lady Techsters' run production with 35 RBI and 61 total bases while batting .328. She has reached base in the past 15 games and has a nine-game hitting streak. Neel leads the Techsters with nine multi-hit and nine multi-RBI games this season. The Richmond, Texas product had the game-winning RBI in the Lady Techsters' wins on Saturday and Sunday over UTSA. Neel hit her third home run of the season in the 3-0 win on Saturday before giving Tech a walk-off win on Sunday with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.
Sierra Sacco leads Tech at the plate with 44 hits, 32 runs scored, 28 walks, and a .328 batting average. The sophomore is the all-time program leader in career batting average with a mark of .394. Sacco has 29 stolen bases this season, leading Conference USA and ranking 10th nationally. Sacco has started 103 consecutive games in centerfield for Tech.
Pitching has been the strength of the Lady Techsters, as they hold a team ERA of 2.04 in 302 innings pitched. Tech ranks 18th nationally and second in Conference USA in team ERA.
Emma Hutchinson leads Tech in ERA with a 1.64 mark in 55.1 innings pitched. Left-handed hitters are batting just .174 against Hutchinson this season. Mary Martinez leads the Techsters in the circle with a 9-3 record while posting a 1.99 ERA in 56.1 innings pitched. Allie Floyd leads the staff in innings pitched with 99.2. The Freshman has posted a 2.18 ERA with a team-high 38 strikeouts while ranking 16th nationally with four saves.
The Lady Techsters have done a great job working out of jams this season in the circle, as opposing hitters are batting just .100 (3-30) with the bases loaded.
LA Tech is among the nation's leaders in double plays per game, ranking second with 0.57 a contest.
Scoring first has been a significant factor in the Techsters' success this year, as they have posted a 24-3 record when doing so.
Tech has also swiped 66 bases with a 91.6 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 185-147 in his career, with prior stops at Nevada (2017-2021) and Feather River College (2009-2012).
ABOUT UTEP (11-25)
The Miners are 11-25 this season and 2-13 in Conference USA play. UTEP was swept this past weekend at Florida Atlantic by the scores of 4-1, 2-1 (8 inn.) and 5-1. The Miners are currently on an 11-game conference losing streak, with their last C-USA win coming back on March 17 when they defeated Western Kentucky 6-3 on an eighth-inning walk-off home run by Peyton Angulo.
Savannah Favre possesses the most dangerous bat in the UTEP lineup with a team-best .352 batting average, 74 total bases and 27 RBI. Ajia Richard leads the Miners with seven home runs.
The Miners have struggled in the circle this season with a team ERA of 5.66. Zaylie Calderon is the ace of the UTEP staff with a 4.38 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 92.2 innings pitched. Calderon is 4-7 on the season with 14 starts and 22 appearances.
TJ Hubbard is in his fourth season in El Paso with a record of 37-85. Prior to UTEP Hubbard spent three seasons at Utah Valley (2017-19) and six seasons at North Texas (2008-2013). In his 13 seasons as a head coach, he has accumulated a 255-349-1 record.
SERIES HISTORY
Louisiana Tech and UTEP have faced each other 35 times with Tech having the upper hand in the series 20-15.
Tech took the series in 2022 by winning the series opener (9-3) and finale (6-1) in El Paso. Former Lady Techster Madie Green hit four home runs during the series, while Caroline Easom also homered.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in LA Tech Softball, follow us on Twitter (@LATechSB), Instagram (@LATechSB), and Facebook (LATechSoftball).
SERIES INFORMATION
Dates/Time: Friday, April 21 (7 p.m. CT) | Saturday, April 22 (4 p.m. CT) | Sunday, April 23 (1 p.m. CT)
Location: Helen of Troy Softball Complex (El Paso, Texas)
Stats: Live Stats
Watch: CUSA.tv
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (26-18)
Louisiana Tech is 26-18 on the season and coming off a series sweep of UTSA as the Techsters defeated the Roadrunners 1-0, 3-0 and 1-0. Tech did not allow a run all weekend in its 24 innings pitched against a UTSA team that entered the series having only been shut out three times all season. It was the first time in program history that the Lady Techsters have shut out a conference foe in all three games of the series.
Kylie Neel leads the Lady Techsters' run production with 35 RBI and 61 total bases while batting .328. She has reached base in the past 15 games and has a nine-game hitting streak. Neel leads the Techsters with nine multi-hit and nine multi-RBI games this season. The Richmond, Texas product had the game-winning RBI in the Lady Techsters' wins on Saturday and Sunday over UTSA. Neel hit her third home run of the season in the 3-0 win on Saturday before giving Tech a walk-off win on Sunday with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.
Sierra Sacco leads Tech at the plate with 44 hits, 32 runs scored, 28 walks, and a .328 batting average. The sophomore is the all-time program leader in career batting average with a mark of .394. Sacco has 29 stolen bases this season, leading Conference USA and ranking 10th nationally. Sacco has started 103 consecutive games in centerfield for Tech.
Pitching has been the strength of the Lady Techsters, as they hold a team ERA of 2.04 in 302 innings pitched. Tech ranks 18th nationally and second in Conference USA in team ERA.
Emma Hutchinson leads Tech in ERA with a 1.64 mark in 55.1 innings pitched. Left-handed hitters are batting just .174 against Hutchinson this season. Mary Martinez leads the Techsters in the circle with a 9-3 record while posting a 1.99 ERA in 56.1 innings pitched. Allie Floyd leads the staff in innings pitched with 99.2. The Freshman has posted a 2.18 ERA with a team-high 38 strikeouts while ranking 16th nationally with four saves.
The Lady Techsters have done a great job working out of jams this season in the circle, as opposing hitters are batting just .100 (3-30) with the bases loaded.
LA Tech is among the nation's leaders in double plays per game, ranking second with 0.57 a contest.
Scoring first has been a significant factor in the Techsters' success this year, as they have posted a 24-3 record when doing so.
Tech has also swiped 66 bases with a 91.6 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 185-147 in his career, with prior stops at Nevada (2017-2021) and Feather River College (2009-2012).
ABOUT UTEP (11-25)
The Miners are 11-25 this season and 2-13 in Conference USA play. UTEP was swept this past weekend at Florida Atlantic by the scores of 4-1, 2-1 (8 inn.) and 5-1. The Miners are currently on an 11-game conference losing streak, with their last C-USA win coming back on March 17 when they defeated Western Kentucky 6-3 on an eighth-inning walk-off home run by Peyton Angulo.
Savannah Favre possesses the most dangerous bat in the UTEP lineup with a team-best .352 batting average, 74 total bases and 27 RBI. Ajia Richard leads the Miners with seven home runs.
The Miners have struggled in the circle this season with a team ERA of 5.66. Zaylie Calderon is the ace of the UTEP staff with a 4.38 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 92.2 innings pitched. Calderon is 4-7 on the season with 14 starts and 22 appearances.
TJ Hubbard is in his fourth season in El Paso with a record of 37-85. Prior to UTEP Hubbard spent three seasons at Utah Valley (2017-19) and six seasons at North Texas (2008-2013). In his 13 seasons as a head coach, he has accumulated a 255-349-1 record.
SERIES HISTORY
Louisiana Tech and UTEP have faced each other 35 times with Tech having the upper hand in the series 20-15.
Tech took the series in 2022 by winning the series opener (9-3) and finale (6-1) in El Paso. Former Lady Techster Madie Green hit four home runs during the series, while Caroline Easom also homered.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in LA Tech Softball, follow us on Twitter (@LATechSB), Instagram (@LATechSB), and Facebook (LATechSoftball).
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Players Mentioned
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