Wednesday, May 10
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
10:00 AM
Louisiana Tech University
at
Middle Tennessee
Lady Techsters Open 2023 C-USA Softball Championships with Middle Tennessee
5/9/2023 3:12:00 PM | Softball
RUSTON, La. – The Louisiana Tech Softball team opens Conference USA Championship play with Middle Tennessee on Wednesday at Noon inside Dr. Billy Bundrick Field. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN+.
Tech enters the tournament as the No. 7 seed, while Middle Tennessee is seeded sixth. The winner of the matchup will advance into the double elimination rounds and face North Texas at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
SERIES INFORMATION
Dates/Time: Wednesday, May 10, Noon
Location: Dr. Billy Bundrick Field (Ruston, La.)
Stats: Live Stats
Watch: ESPN+
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (32-23, 13-11)
Louisiana Tech finished the regular season with a 32-23 record, including a 13-11 mark in Conference USA play. Tech capped its regular season with a 6-3, 13-inning win at Western Kentucky. In the 13th inning, Katelin Cooper hit a solo home run to put the Techsters up 4-3 before Jordyn Manning tripled home Caroline Easom and later scored on a ground ball to make it the final 6-3.
Katelin Cooper leads the Lady Techsters with nine home runs this season while tallying 39 RBI, which ranks sixth among all Conference USA players.
Louisiana Tech has a team ERA of 2.36 in 385.1 innings pitched this season. The 2.36 ERA is the best team ERA by a Tech pitching staff since 1999 when they finished the year with a 1.23 mark.
LA Tech had four All-Conference USA selections in Freshman of the Year Allie Floyd, Sierra Sacco (First-Team), Kylie Neel (Second-Team+) and Mary Martinez (Freshman Team). Tech has had three of the last four freshman of the year honorees in Floyd (2023), Sacco (2022) and Lindsay Edwards (2019).
Martinez holds a team-best 10-3 record and a 2.12 ERA in 69.1 innings. Allie Floyd leads the Lady Techsters with 122 innings pitched while posting an 8-9 mark and an ERA of 2.52.
Neel is the Lady Techsters' biggest threat at the plate with a .351 batting average, 52 hits, 45 RBI, five home runs, 11 doubles, and 80 total bases. Neel's 45 RBI are tied for the Conference USA lead. The Richmond, Texas product is on a career-high 23-game reached-base streak.
Sacco also headlines the Tech lineup with 54 hits, 39 runs scored, 39 walks, and a .327 batting average. Sacco has 36 stolen bases this season which leads Conference USA and ranks 10th nationally. The sophomore is the all-time program leader in career batting average with a mark of .388. Sacco has made 114 consecutive starts in centerfield and reached base in 18 straight games.
The Lady Techsters have done a great job working out of jams this season in the circle, as opposing hitters are batting just .150 (6-40) with the bases loaded.
LA Tech is among the nation's leaders in double plays per game, ranking 11 with 0.53 a contest.
Scoring first has been a significant factor in the Techsters' success this year, as they have posted a 27-4 record when doing so. The Lady Techsters are also 23-2 this season when outhitting their opponents.
LA Tech is led by head coach Josh Taylor who is 71-43 in his second season at Tech and 191-152 in his career, with prior stops at Nevada (2017-2021) and Feather River College (2009-2012).
ABOUT MTSU (34-17, 13-10)
Middle Tennessee is 37-14 on the season and 13-10 in Conference USA play. The Blue Raiders are coming off a 1-2 weekend at North Texas. In the series, they dropped the first two games (2-0, 4-1) before winning the series finale 3-2 in eight innings. The win ruined North Texas Conference USA Regular Season Title hopes.
Lauren Mealer leads the Blue Raiders at the plate as the first-team all-conference shortstop is batting .402 this season with 66 hits, 47 RBI and 118 total bases.
Gretchen Mead is the ace of the Middle Tennessee pitching staff with a 2.09 ERA in 137 innings pitched. She carries a record of 14-5.
Jeff Breeden is in his 11th season as the head coach of Middle Tennessee, where he has posted a 243-320 record.
SERIES AND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
LA Tech is 22-27 all time in Conference Tournaments, including a 10-9 as a C-USA member.
Louisiana Tech and Middle Tennessee have met 18 times, with Tech leading the all-time series, 11-10. MTSU took the regular season series 2-1 by opening the series with a pair of wins (5-2, 2-1) while Tech took the series finale 4-1. The Lady Techsters and Blue Raiders have never met in the Conference USA Tournament.
TICKETS
Tickets are now on sale for the 2023 Conference USA Softball Tournament, which takes place May 10-13 at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field. Fans wishing to purchase tickets to the tournament can do so by calling the Louisiana Ticket Office at 318-257-3631 or by going to LATechSports.com/tickets. Single-day and tournament passes are available.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in LA Tech Softball, follow us on Twitter (@LATechSB), Instagram (@LATechSB), and Facebook (LATechSoftball).
Tech enters the tournament as the No. 7 seed, while Middle Tennessee is seeded sixth. The winner of the matchup will advance into the double elimination rounds and face North Texas at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
SERIES INFORMATION
Dates/Time: Wednesday, May 10, Noon
Location: Dr. Billy Bundrick Field (Ruston, La.)
Stats: Live Stats
Watch: ESPN+
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (32-23, 13-11)
Louisiana Tech finished the regular season with a 32-23 record, including a 13-11 mark in Conference USA play. Tech capped its regular season with a 6-3, 13-inning win at Western Kentucky. In the 13th inning, Katelin Cooper hit a solo home run to put the Techsters up 4-3 before Jordyn Manning tripled home Caroline Easom and later scored on a ground ball to make it the final 6-3.
Katelin Cooper leads the Lady Techsters with nine home runs this season while tallying 39 RBI, which ranks sixth among all Conference USA players.
Louisiana Tech has a team ERA of 2.36 in 385.1 innings pitched this season. The 2.36 ERA is the best team ERA by a Tech pitching staff since 1999 when they finished the year with a 1.23 mark.
LA Tech had four All-Conference USA selections in Freshman of the Year Allie Floyd, Sierra Sacco (First-Team), Kylie Neel (Second-Team+) and Mary Martinez (Freshman Team). Tech has had three of the last four freshman of the year honorees in Floyd (2023), Sacco (2022) and Lindsay Edwards (2019).
Martinez holds a team-best 10-3 record and a 2.12 ERA in 69.1 innings. Allie Floyd leads the Lady Techsters with 122 innings pitched while posting an 8-9 mark and an ERA of 2.52.
Neel is the Lady Techsters' biggest threat at the plate with a .351 batting average, 52 hits, 45 RBI, five home runs, 11 doubles, and 80 total bases. Neel's 45 RBI are tied for the Conference USA lead. The Richmond, Texas product is on a career-high 23-game reached-base streak.
Sacco also headlines the Tech lineup with 54 hits, 39 runs scored, 39 walks, and a .327 batting average. Sacco has 36 stolen bases this season which leads Conference USA and ranks 10th nationally. The sophomore is the all-time program leader in career batting average with a mark of .388. Sacco has made 114 consecutive starts in centerfield and reached base in 18 straight games.
The Lady Techsters have done a great job working out of jams this season in the circle, as opposing hitters are batting just .150 (6-40) with the bases loaded.
LA Tech is among the nation's leaders in double plays per game, ranking 11 with 0.53 a contest.
Scoring first has been a significant factor in the Techsters' success this year, as they have posted a 27-4 record when doing so. The Lady Techsters are also 23-2 this season when outhitting their opponents.
LA Tech is led by head coach Josh Taylor who is 71-43 in his second season at Tech and 191-152 in his career, with prior stops at Nevada (2017-2021) and Feather River College (2009-2012).
ABOUT MTSU (34-17, 13-10)
Middle Tennessee is 37-14 on the season and 13-10 in Conference USA play. The Blue Raiders are coming off a 1-2 weekend at North Texas. In the series, they dropped the first two games (2-0, 4-1) before winning the series finale 3-2 in eight innings. The win ruined North Texas Conference USA Regular Season Title hopes.
Lauren Mealer leads the Blue Raiders at the plate as the first-team all-conference shortstop is batting .402 this season with 66 hits, 47 RBI and 118 total bases.
Gretchen Mead is the ace of the Middle Tennessee pitching staff with a 2.09 ERA in 137 innings pitched. She carries a record of 14-5.
Jeff Breeden is in his 11th season as the head coach of Middle Tennessee, where he has posted a 243-320 record.
SERIES AND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
LA Tech is 22-27 all time in Conference Tournaments, including a 10-9 as a C-USA member.
Louisiana Tech and Middle Tennessee have met 18 times, with Tech leading the all-time series, 11-10. MTSU took the regular season series 2-1 by opening the series with a pair of wins (5-2, 2-1) while Tech took the series finale 4-1. The Lady Techsters and Blue Raiders have never met in the Conference USA Tournament.
TICKETS
Tickets are now on sale for the 2023 Conference USA Softball Tournament, which takes place May 10-13 at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field. Fans wishing to purchase tickets to the tournament can do so by calling the Louisiana Ticket Office at 318-257-3631 or by going to LATechSports.com/tickets. Single-day and tournament passes are available.
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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