RUSTON, La. – Behind a dominant pitching performance that featured five no-hit innings from starting pitcher Brook Melnychuk paired with contributions at the plate from the entire lineup, the Louisiana Tech Softball team opened the 2024 Season with a 4-1 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Monday night at Dr. Bill Bundrick Field.

The Bulldogs were outstanding in the circle, retiring 21 of their 23 batters faced while taking a no-hitter to the game's final out. Melnychuk tied a career-high with four strikeouts during her five innings of work on her way to a victory, while Allie Floyd struck out four in two innings of relief to earn the save. Floyd and Melnychuk did not issue a single walk in the game.

Nicole Hammoude led the Bulldogs at the plate by going 2-2 with a double, a run scored, and a walk. Claire Raley would lead Tech with 2 RBI, while Alexis Gilio and Brooke Diaz also drove in a run, respectively. Eight of the nine Bulldogs in the starting lineup recorded hits in the contest.

Offensively, Louisiana Tech broke things open with a three-run bottom of the fifth. Tech loaded the bases courtesy of a walk by Katelin Cooper, a Nicole Hammoude single, and a pinch-hit walk from Alannah Rogers. Claire Raley stepped to the plate and lined a two-RBI single into left centerfield to make it 2-0 before Alexis Gilio followed with a single to right centerfield for the third run of the inning.

Brooke Diaz gave the Bulldogs their fourth and final run with a two-out single that scored Katelin Cooper in the 6th inning.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi would earn its lone run and break up the LA Tech no-hitter, courtesy of a Taniece Tyson pinch-hit solo home run with two outs in the seventh and make it the final, 4-1.

NOTABLES
- Kylie Neel extended her reached-base streak to 25 games with a single in the second inning.
- Katelin Cooper improved her hitting streak to four games with a sixth-inning double. She also increased her reached-base streak to eight games.
- Brook Melnychuk tied her career high in strikeouts with four. Matching her previous career-high of four which she set in last year's home opener against SEMO on Feb. 11, 2023. Melnychuk has earned opening day victories in back-to-back years.
- Melnychuk became the first Bulldog to win back-to-back season openers since Lindsey Meadows in 2001 and 2002.
- Allie Floyd earned her fifth career save while Brook Melnychuk earned her seventh career win.
- Claire Raley recorded her 10^th career multi-RBI game and stole the 19^th base of her career.
- Nicole Hammoude registered the second multi-hit game of her career.
- Eight different Bulldogs recorded hits in the victory, the most since April 23, 2023 when eight Bulldogs recorded hits in a 13-2 win at UTEP.
- It marked the second consecutive game the LA Tech pitching staff did not issue a walk and the 25th time the feat has been accomplished under the guidance of pitching coach Chelsea Cohen.
- With a 46-degree temperature at first pitch it was the coldest season opener since Feb 7, 2014 when the Bulldogs beat UT-Martin 8-3 in sub-40-degree temperatures.
- The Bulldogs improved to 35-8-1 in season openers, including a 9-2 mark in openers played at home. LA Tech has now won six-consecutive season openers.
- With the win, Tech has now won 520 games at home all-time, including 43 at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field. 
- The Bulldogs and Islanders' all-time series record is now tied 2-2.
- LA Tech is now 52-8 when scoring first under Josh Taylor and 462-168 when scoring first since 2000.
- The win was the 1,275th all-time for Louisiana Tech.

QUOTABLES
"Brook Melnychuk was fantastic. She kept command even without her change up tonight. She was able to beat their barrels, she was great. Allie Floyd came in and was good too. She hung a curveball at the end to take away the no hitter but that is going to happen. The bottom line is to win the game. We are going to pitch. We like where we are at pitching wise as far as keeping us in ballgames and allowing our offense to find a way and get a couple of big hits" – Head Coach Josh Taylor
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Brook Melnychuk made the start for Louisiana Tech, marking the second-consecutive season that she got the ball on opening day while the reigning Southland Pitcher of the Year Precious Aholelei started in the circle for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Melnychuk struck out the side to open the game. Isabella Hune was the Islanders' only baserunner of the inning, reaching on a throwing error. Tech could not muster anything in its first trip to the plate as Ahohlelei retired the side in order.

In the second inning, Melnychuk breezed through the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi bats with a 1-2-3 inning. Kylie Neel singled through the left side in the bottom half for the Bulldogs' first hit of the season, increasing her reached-base streak to 25 games.

Melnychuk retired eight straight Islanders with a 1-2-3 top of the third inning. Nicole Hammoude doubled down the left field line past the outstretched glove of the Texas A&M-CC third baseman to lead off the bottom of the third. Hammoude would advance to third on a wild pitch with no outs, but Tech could not capitalize.

Neither team could make anything happen in the fourth inning. Caroline Easom was the lone baserunner in the inning after a leadoff single.

Melnychuk made it 14 consecutive Islanders retired with a 1-2-3 top of the fifth in her last frame of work.

The Bulldogs finally broke things open in the bottom of the fifth, plating three runs on four hits and two walks. Aubree Seaney singled down the left field line to start the inning but was thrown out while trying to take second a batter later. Katelin Cooper walked, and Hammoude singled to left field before Alannah Rogers drew a pinch-hit walk to load the bases. Claire Raley stepped to the plate and drove a single into left centerfield to drive in two and give Tech a 2-0 lead. Alexis Gilio followed with an RBI single to right-center to make it 3-0.

Allie Floyd relieved Melnychuk in the top of the sixth inning and promptly sat the Islanders down in order courtesy of two strikeouts and a groundout.

Brooke Diaz added some insurance in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single that brought home Katelin Cooper to make it 4-0 in favor of Tech. Cooper reached base on a one-out double in the right-centerfield gap prior in the inning.

The Islanders broke up the no-hitter and got on the scoreboard with two outs in the bottom of the seventh courtesy of a pinch-hit solo home run by Taniece Tyson. However, that was all Texas A&M-CC would get, as Floyd got Kimane Rogron to strike out swinging to end the game and earn her first save of the season.

NEXT UP
The Bulldogs are back in action on Wednesday when they host Southeastern Louisiana at 5 p.m.
 
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