RUSTON, La. – The Louisiana Tech Softball team fell to Charlotte 3-1 in a nine-inning heartbreaker on Sunday afternoon at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
The difference maker came in the top of the ninth inning when Charlotte capitalized on a leadoff single and a pair of defensive miscues by Tech to plate two runs in the inning and ultimately give them the win.
After an uncharacteristic showing in game two of the series, the Louisiana Tech pitching staff responded with a great outing in the circle, only allowing one earned run in nine innings of work.
Allie Floyd started the game, pitching 4.2 innings in which she surrendered the lone earned run on just three hits. Brook Melnyhcuk relieved Floyd, allowing four hits and two unearned runs while striking out one in her 4.1 innings in the circle.
Sierra Sacco led Tech with two hits in the contest, including a double down the left field line to lead off the fifth inning.
Kylie Neel extended her reached-base streak to 22 games with a one-out walk in the bottom of the third. Neel recorded her team-leading 45th RBI when she drove home Sacco with a fly ball to centerfield in the fifth inning.
Amanda Gonzalez and
KB Briley also added a pair of singles.
Following the game, Louisiana Tech honored seniors
Alyssa Dean,
Amanda Gonzalez and
Bailey Wright for their contributions to the LA Tech softball program.
NOTABLES
-
Kylie Neel extended her reached-base streak to 22 games with a walk in the bottom of the third inning.
- Neel is now tied for first in Conference USA with Lauren Mealer of Middle Tennessee with 45 RBI apiece.
-
Sierra Sacco has reached base in 14-consecutive games with a leadoff single in the first inning. She made her 110
th-consecutive start in the contest.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Allie Floyd got the start for Tech, while Charlotte went with Sam Gress for the third-consecutive game of the series.
With one out in the top of the first, Kassidy Krupit doubled to deep left field for the game's first hit. Krupit would be the only runner Floyd would allow as she spun a scoreless frame.
Sierra Sacco led off the bottom of the first with a single through the left side. A batter later,
Amanda Gonzalez had a perfectly executed slash for a single into left centerfield. Despite putting its first two batters on base, Tech could not capitalize as Gress issued a strikeout, foul out, and ground out to escape the inning.
Charlotte's Lexi Winters led off the top of the second inning with a double off the centerfield wall. A sacrifice bunt moved Winters to third with one out. Floyd then won an 11-pitch at-bat by getting Ella Chancey to foul out to
Jordyn Manning before issuing a lineout to
Amanda Gonzalez for the final out of the inning.
Gress kept Tech off the board with a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the second.
With one out in the top of the third, Katelin Cooper robbed the 49ers' Ashleigh Washington of a home run by scaling the left field wall and making an incredible grab. Charlotte went up 1-0 a batter later with a solo home run to centerfield by Krupit. Sacco made a diving grab in shallow centerfield to take a hit away from Bailey Vannoy for the final out of the inning.
In the bottom of the third, Tech loaded the bases with one out courtesy of walks by Sacco and
Kylie Neel and Gonzalez reaching on a fielder's choice. The Lady Techsters could not capitalize, though, as Charlotte escaped unscathed.
Both teams were held scoreless in the fourth inning.
Caroline Easom singled to centerfield to lead off the bottom half for Tech.
Floyd retired the first two batters in the top of the fifth before
Brook Melnychuk came in and got Washington to ground out to Wright at third for the final out of the inning.
Sacco doubled down the left field line to lead off the bottom of the fifth. After advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt by Gonzalez, Sacco would come around to score on a sacrifice fly by
Kylie Neel to tie the game at 1-1.
Krupit singled to centerfield for her third hit of the game to lead off the sixth inning. Charlotte had runners on first and second with one out when Melnychuk issued a 5-3 double play to escape the inning and keep the tie intact.
KB Briley pinch hit for
Brooke Diaz with two outs in the bottom of the sixth and singled to third base. Briley was the lone Tech baserunner of the inning.
Melnychuk breezed through the seventh by retiring Charlotte in order. Gress replicated Melynchuk's inning by returning the favor in the bottom of the seventh.
Neither team could muster a baserunner in the eighth inning.
Vannoy singled to lead off the ninth inning for Charlotte. Vannoy then beat out a throw from
Bailey Wright at second on Makalah Mitchell's sacrifice bunt to put runners on first and second with no outs. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice and came home on an error to make it 3-1 Charlotte.
Gress retired Tech in order in the seventh to for her 18th win of the season as Charlotte improved to 29-18 overall and 14-6 in Conference USA play. Despite not allowing an earned run in 4.1 innings in relief, Melnychuk took the loss for the Lady Techsters, who now sit at 31-20 overall and 12-9 in conference play.
NEXT UP
The Lady Techsters will host their final regular season game at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field when they host UL-Lafayette on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
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.
