Box Score EL PASO, Texas – Behind a complete game from junior pitcher Brook Melnychuk, the Louisiana Tech Softball team defeated UTEP 7-2 to win its second-consecutive Conference USA series on Saturday afternoon at Helen of Troy Softball Complex.

Melnychuk was magnificent during her seven innings of work, allowing just two runs on five hits while striking out two and issuing no walks in the most hitter-friendly ballpark in the conference.

Offensively, Kylie Neel led the way with three hits and one RBI. Her three hits tied a career high. Amanda Gonzalez posted her 10th multi-hit game of the season while driving in a run. Katelin Cooper led Tech with two RBI courtesy of a bases-clearing double in the fifth inning. Brooke Diaz and Caroline Easom also drove in runs during the contest.

LA Tech is on a five-game winning streak and is now 28-18 overall and 10-7 in Conference USA play. With the win today, Tech has officially clinched a spot in the 2023 Conference USA Tournament which will be hosted May 10-13 at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field in Ruston.

NOTABLES
- Kylie Neel extended her reached base streak to 17 games and hitting streak to 11 games with a double and two singles. With her three hits, she now has 11-multi hit games this season. Neel's three hits tied a career high, it marked the fourth time she has had a three-hit game in her career.
- Amanda Gonzalez recorded her 10^th multi-hit game of the season.
- Sierra Sacco stole two stolen bases during the contest to run her season total to 31, becoming just the fifth player in program history to steal more than 30 bases in a season.
- Brook Melnychuk threw the second seven-inning complete game by a Tech pitcher this season, joining Mary Martinez who accomplished the feat on March 31, during a 2-0 win over NC State.
- The win was the Lady Techsters 22^nd all-time over UTEP they now lead the all-time series, 22-15.
- With the win Tech has now won 771 all-time games away from Ruston.  
- The win was the 1,288th all-time for Tech.
- LA Tech is now 26-3 this season when scoring first.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Brook Melnychuk made her 11th start of the season for Tech, while Zaylie Calderon of UTEP started in the circle for the 15th time this year.
 
Amanda Gonzalez recorded the game's first hit in the opening inning with a single down the right-field line. Kylie Neel followed with an RBI double to centerfield to bring home Gonzalez and give Tech a 1-0 lead.
 
Melnychuk struck out the Miners' Lexi Morales to open the bottom of the first. Peyton Angulo followed with a single that fell in left-centerfield, but that is all they would get as Melnychuk issued two-straight groundouts to end the inning.
 
Tech could not get anything going at the plate in the top of the second as Calderon retired the side.
 
UTEP tied it up in the bottom of the second by getting into a rundown that allowed Amaya Lee to score from third base before the final out of the inning.
 
With two outs in the top of the third, Amanda Gonzalez walked and Kylie Neel lined a single up the middle, but Calderon escaped the inning without allowing a run and the score held at 1-1.
 
Melnychuk spun a scoreless frame in the bottom of the third, with her only blemish being a double by Angulo.
 
Katelin Cooper led off the fourth with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by KB Briley. Caroline Easom put Tech back in front 2-1 with an RBI single up the middle that drove home Cooper.
 
Melnychuk breezed through the fourth with a 1-2-3 inning, capped by a strikeout.
 
Sacco and Gonzalez led off the fifth with walks. Neel then loaded the bases with an infield single for her third hit of the game. Brooke Diaz made it 3-1 with a sacrifice fly, and Cooper drove in two with a double to right-centerfield to give Tech a 5-1 lead.
 
Melnychuk worked another 1-2-3 inning in the fifth, making it eight-straight Miners retired.
 
Tech added two more runs in the sixth. Bailey Wright doubled off the left field fence and later came around to score on a passed ball. Sacco reached on an infield single before scoring on a ground ball through the right side by Gonzalez increasing the Lady Techsters' lead to 7-1.
 
Gonzalez made an incredible running catch in foul territory along the left field line for the second out in the bottom of the sixth inning. A home run by Savannah Favre of UTEP cut the Tech lead to 7-2.
 
Tech was retired in order during the top of the seventh inning. Brook Melnychuk went out for the bottom of the seventh, looking for the complete game victory and did so by sitting the Miners down in order.
 
With the win, Melnychuk improved to 5-5 on the season, while Zaylie Calderon took the loss for UTEP, falling to 4-8.
 
NEXT UP
The Lady Techsters will be back in action at on tomorrow when they look to sweep the series at 1 p.m. CT.
 
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