RUSTON – The Louisiana Tech Softball team is back in action on Tuesday when it travels to UL-Lafayette for a 6 p.m. midweek matchup at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park.
SERIES INFORMATION
Date/Time: Tuesday, Feb. 20, 6 p.m.
Location: Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park (Lafayette, La.)
Watch: ESPN+
Radio Broadcast: Listen
Stats: LATechSports.com/Stats
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (6-0)
Louisiana Tech is 6-0 this season and coming off a dominant 4-0 weekend at the Warhawk Invitational with wins over Lindenwood (8-0, 28-2) and ULM (5-2, 10-4).
Through six games this season, the Bulldogs have outscored opponents 59-10, totaling 59 hits, 17 doubles, and five home runs. LA Tech has a team batting average of .364 and a .488 on-base percentage, ranking fifth nationally.
Louisiana Tech set the program and conference record for walks (20) and RBI (26) during the 28-2 victory over Lindenwood, while its 28 runs scored were the second-most in school and league history and the most by a DI program this season.
In the 8-0 five-inning run-rule win over Lindenwood,
Alyssa Martin, and
Allie Floyd combined for the Bulldogs' first no-hitter since Feb. 24, 2019, when Preslee Gallaway no-hit Penn State in seven innings.
Louisiana Tech has excelled in the circle so far in 2024. The Bulldogs have recorded a 1.29 team earned run average and .82 WHIP as opponents are hitting just .174 against the Bulldogs' pitching staff this season.
Brook Melnychuk has yet to allow an earned run and has a .51 WHIP and nine strikeouts in 11.2 innings pitched while limiting the opposition to a .100 batting average. She was recently named Conference USA Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 19.
Allie Floyd leads LA Tech in innings pitched (18.0) and strikeouts (17) this season while owning a 1.56 ERA. She also holds a 2-0 record.
Senior second baseman
Caroline Easom has been on fire offensively this season. Easom leads the Bulldogs with a .600 batting average and has collected nine hits, three doubles, two RBIs, five runs scored, and 12 total bases. The Bossier City, La., product went 4-4 at the plate in a 5-2 win at ULM on Feb. 16. She ranks 12th nationally in batting average and on-base percentage (.684).
Aubree Seaney and
Claire Raley are tied for the team lead with two home runs apiece. Seaney hit a grand slam to end an 8-0 run-rule win over Lindenwood and hit a two-run bomb in a 10-4 victory over ULM this past weekend. Raley hit solo shots in both wins over ULM (Feb. 16-17).
The 6-0 start by Taylor and the Bulldogs is the best since 2019, when the eventual CUSA Champions and NCAA Regional Participants started 8-0.
LA Tech is led by head coach
Josh Taylor, who is 77-44 in three seasons in Ruston and 310-212 in his career, with prior stops at Nevada (2017-2021) and Feather River College (2009-2012).
ABOUT LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE (5-5)
The Ragin' Cajuns are 5-5 this season and coming off a 1-2 weekend in which they were swept by Baylor in a Sunday doubleheader by the scores of 6-0 and 3-2 their last time out. Louisiana-Lafayette has dropped four of its last five contests while playing one of the more challenging schedules in the country to this point.
Maddie Hayden and Alexa Langeliers lead the Ragin' Cajuns in batting average at .429, respectively. Hayden, a product of West Monroe, has 12 hits this season, including four doubles, five RBI, and 16 total bases in 28 at-bats. Langeliers has tallied six hits, three doubles, two home runs, and four RBI through 14 at-bats.
Mihyia Davis is the biggest threat on the base paths for Louisiana-Lafayette. The sophomore outfielder is 3-4 on stolen base attempts this season and stole 52 bases a year ago.
In the circle, Louisiana-Lafayette holds a 2.44-team ERA while opponents are hitting at a .292 clip against them. Chloe Riassetto is the top arm for ULL with a 2-0 record, 0.54 ERA, .92 WHIP, and three strikeouts in 13 innings pitched. Sam Landry is the team leader in innings pitched with 27.1. She is 1-4 on the year with a 2.05 ERA and 23 strikeouts.
Gerry Glasco is in his seventh season leading Louisiana-Lafayette with a career record of 260-74
SERIES HISTORY
This weekend will be the 82nd meeting between the two programs. ULL leads the all-time series 51-30. The Ragin' Cajuns won the last meeting, 8-1 on May 3, 2023 in Ruston.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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