Tuesday, April 25
Ruston, LA
6:00 PM
Louisiana Tech University
vs
Grambling State
Photo by: Darrell James
LA Tech Softball Returns Home for Midweek Matchup with Grambling State
4/24/2023 4:15:00 PM | Softball
RUSTON, La. – The Louisiana Tech Softball team is back home tomorrow as they host Grambling State for a 6 p.m. matchup on ESPN+ at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
SERIES INFORMATION
Dates/Time: Tuesday, April 25 (6 p.m.)
Location: Dr. Billy Bundrick Field (Ruston, La.)
Stats: Live Stats
Watch: ESPN+
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (29-18)
Louisiana Tech is 29-18 on the season and coming off a series sweep of UTEP as the Techsters defeated the Miners 10-7, 7-2 and 13-2.
Tech exploded for a season-high 13 runs, 13 hits and four home runs during the series finale.
Brook Melnychuk threw a complete game during a 7-2 win in game two of the series, yielding just two runs on five hits while striking out two and issuing no walks in a career-high seven innings of work.
Junior right fielder Kylie Neel had an incredible weekend at the plate, batting .583 with seven hits, eight RBI, two home runs, two doubles, a walk and five runs scored. Neel recorded multiple hits, scored a run and drove in a run in all three games. As a result of her efforts, she was named Conference USA Player of the Week.
Neel is the Lady Techsters' top run producer. She leads Tech with 43 RBI and 76 total bases while batting .350. She has reached base in her past 18 games and is on a 12-game hitting streak.
Katelin Cooper, Jordyn Manning and Neel each hit two home runs during the series at UTEP.
Jordyn Manning has homered in three games to tie Katelin Cooper for the team-lead in home runs this season. However, her lead has been short-lived as Cooper homered later in the same games to retake the lead. The feat was accomplished first at Northwestern State (March 14), and then twice in the UTEP series (April 22-23).
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 .397. 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 2.15 in 302 innings pitched. Mary Martinez leads the Techsters in the circle with a 10-3 record while posting a 1.88 ERA in 63.1 innings pitched. Melnychuk owns the best ERA on the team with a 1.72 mark in 53 innings pitched.
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 third with 0.57 a contest.
Scoring first has been a significant factor in the Techsters' success this year, as they have posted a 26-3 record when doing so.
Tech has also swiped 73 bases with a 92.4 percent success rate when stealing.
LA Tech is led by head coach Josh Taylor who is 68-38 in his second season at Tech and 188-147 in his career, with prior stops at Nevada (2017-2021) and Feather River College (2009-2012).
ABOUT GRAMBLING STATE (28-17-1)
The Lady Tigers are 28-17-1 this season, with a 7-6 mark on the road and a 13-7 record in conference play. The Lady Tigers are coming off a 2-1 weekend against Arkansas Pine-Bluff. Grambling State won the first two games 4-3 and 13-5 before falling 4-3 in eight innings in the season finale.
Ta'mya Johnson leads the Lady Tigers with a .333 batting average. Cadashia Collins is the biggest threat in the GSU lineup with a .324 average, a team-best 45 hits, 40 RBI and 65 total bases. Anaiyah Fultz leads Grambling State with two home runs this season. As a team, they have mustered just four home runs on the year.
The Lady Tigers hold a team ERA of 4.15, led by Dacia Richard who is 9-4 this season with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.
Nakeya Hall is in her fifth season at Grambling State with a record of 83-97-1. Prior to her time in Grambling, she was the head coach at Alabama A&M where she posted a 39-52-1 record in her two seasons at the helm.
SERIES HISTORY
Louisiana Tech has won every matchup in program history against Grambling State, leading the all-time series 21-0.
Tech won the last matchup on April 21, 2021, 8-1 in Ruston.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in LA Tech Softball, follow us on Twitter (@LATechSB), Instagram (@LATechSB), and Facebook (LATechSoftball).
SERIES INFORMATION
Dates/Time: Tuesday, April 25 (6 p.m.)
Location: Dr. Billy Bundrick Field (Ruston, La.)
Stats: Live Stats
Watch: ESPN+
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (29-18)
Louisiana Tech is 29-18 on the season and coming off a series sweep of UTEP as the Techsters defeated the Miners 10-7, 7-2 and 13-2.
Tech exploded for a season-high 13 runs, 13 hits and four home runs during the series finale.
Brook Melnychuk threw a complete game during a 7-2 win in game two of the series, yielding just two runs on five hits while striking out two and issuing no walks in a career-high seven innings of work.
Junior right fielder Kylie Neel had an incredible weekend at the plate, batting .583 with seven hits, eight RBI, two home runs, two doubles, a walk and five runs scored. Neel recorded multiple hits, scored a run and drove in a run in all three games. As a result of her efforts, she was named Conference USA Player of the Week.
Neel is the Lady Techsters' top run producer. She leads Tech with 43 RBI and 76 total bases while batting .350. She has reached base in her past 18 games and is on a 12-game hitting streak.
Katelin Cooper, Jordyn Manning and Neel each hit two home runs during the series at UTEP.
Jordyn Manning has homered in three games to tie Katelin Cooper for the team-lead in home runs this season. However, her lead has been short-lived as Cooper homered later in the same games to retake the lead. The feat was accomplished first at Northwestern State (March 14), and then twice in the UTEP series (April 22-23).
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 .397. 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 2.15 in 302 innings pitched. Mary Martinez leads the Techsters in the circle with a 10-3 record while posting a 1.88 ERA in 63.1 innings pitched. Melnychuk owns the best ERA on the team with a 1.72 mark in 53 innings pitched.
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 third with 0.57 a contest.
Scoring first has been a significant factor in the Techsters' success this year, as they have posted a 26-3 record when doing so.
Tech has also swiped 73 bases with a 92.4 percent success rate when stealing.
LA Tech is led by head coach Josh Taylor who is 68-38 in his second season at Tech and 188-147 in his career, with prior stops at Nevada (2017-2021) and Feather River College (2009-2012).
ABOUT GRAMBLING STATE (28-17-1)
The Lady Tigers are 28-17-1 this season, with a 7-6 mark on the road and a 13-7 record in conference play. The Lady Tigers are coming off a 2-1 weekend against Arkansas Pine-Bluff. Grambling State won the first two games 4-3 and 13-5 before falling 4-3 in eight innings in the season finale.
Ta'mya Johnson leads the Lady Tigers with a .333 batting average. Cadashia Collins is the biggest threat in the GSU lineup with a .324 average, a team-best 45 hits, 40 RBI and 65 total bases. Anaiyah Fultz leads Grambling State with two home runs this season. As a team, they have mustered just four home runs on the year.
The Lady Tigers hold a team ERA of 4.15, led by Dacia Richard who is 9-4 this season with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.
Nakeya Hall is in her fifth season at Grambling State with a record of 83-97-1. Prior to her time in Grambling, she was the head coach at Alabama A&M where she posted a 39-52-1 record in her two seasons at the helm.
SERIES HISTORY
Louisiana Tech has won every matchup in program history against Grambling State, leading the all-time series 21-0.
Tech won the last matchup on April 21, 2021, 8-1 in Ruston.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in LA Tech Softball, follow us on Twitter (@LATechSB), Instagram (@LATechSB), and Facebook (LATechSoftball).
Players Mentioned
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