RUSTON – The Louisiana Tech Softball team travels to the Purple and Gold Challenge in Baton Rouge, La. this weekend, where the Bulldogs will face Illinois, San Diego State, McNeese and tournament host LSU.
 
PURPLE AND GOLD CHALLENGE INFORMATION
Tournament Central
Friday: 11 a.m. (Illinois)
Saturday: 9:30 a.m. (Illinois) | 2:30 p.m. (San Diego State)
Sunday: 12:30 p.m. (McNeese) | 5:30 p.m. (LSU)
Location: Tiger Park (Baton Rouge, La.)
Radio Broadcast: Listen
Watch: SEC Network+ (LSU Only)
Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5
 
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (9-2)
Louisiana Tech is 9-2 this season. The Bulldogs' midweek matchup at Central Arkansas on Wednesday night was postponed due to field issues. Alannah Rogers stepped into the box and took a ball for the first pitch of the game. As the first pitch was thrown the turf in the pitching circle peeled up. After a 10-minute delay it was determined that the field was unplayable and the game was called.The game will be rescheduled at a later date.
 
Through 11 games this season, the Bulldogs have outscored opponents 79-31, totaling 102 hits, 26 doubles, and six home runs. Louisiana Tech ranks second nationally in doubles per game (2.36), 16th in runs per game (7.18), and 18th in on-base percentage (.434).
 
Center fielder Alexis Gilio was scorching hot at the plate in the Bulldogs' five games last week. The Colorado native batted .550 with 11 hits, two doubles, three RBI, four runs scored, and two stolen bases. Gilio recorded multiple hits in all four games of the Dogs' series against Missouri State. She leads LA Tech with a .545 batting average, which ranks ninth nationally.
 
Second baseman Caroline Easom is right behind Gilio with a .516 batting average, 16 hits and seven RBI this season. During a 3-2 11-inning win over Missouri State last Saturday, Easom tied the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh before walking it off in the 11th with another RBI single.
 
Sophomore outfielder Alannah Rogers has recently broken onto the scene. The Surprise, Ariz., product is batting .538 with seven hits, six runs scored, six RBI and eight walks. She has reached base in 11 consecutive games and 15 of her 21 plate appearances this season.
 
Third baseman Claire Raley leads the Bulldogs with three home runs. She is just one shy of her single-season high of four, which she set in 2023 at Utah State. First Baseman Aubree Seaney is batting .333 while leading the Bulldogs with 11 RBI.
 
In the circle, the Bulldogs hold a 2.03 team ERA and .92 WHIP with 62 strikeouts and 56 hits allowed this season while only walking 14 batters. Tech ranks ninth nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.43) and 37th in ERA (2.03).
 
Allie Floyd leads LA Tech in innings pitched (32.0) and strikeouts (27) this season while owning a 0.88 ERA. She has a 4-0 record and two saves this season. Floyd was named Conference USA Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 26 after pitching 14 shutout innings in which she struck out ten and allowed five hits and no walks while picking up a pair of victories in the circle and limiting opponents to a .109 on-base percentage in two appearances against Missouri State. She threw her first career complete-game shutout during the series opener against MO State. Floyd ranks seventh nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio (13.5) and 11th nationally in saves (2).
 
Brook Melnychuk has been impressive as well. The redshirt junior holds a 1.68 ERA in 25.0 innings pitched. Opposing hitters are batting .156 against her. She was named Conference USA Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 19.
 
LA Tech is led by head coach Josh Taylor, who is 80-46 in three seasons at Tech and 313-214 in his career, with prior stops at Nevada (2017-2021) and Feather River College (2009-2012). 
  
ABOUT ILLINOIS (3-6)
Illinois is 3-6 this season. The Fighting Illini are coming off a 2-2 performance at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, Calif. Illinois defeated Cal Poly (16-1) and Hawaii (6-2) while falling to No. 21 Cal (11-9) and No. 19 UCLA (10-2).
 
As a team, Illinois is batting .317 with 78 hits, 13 doubles, three home runs, 49 RBI, 26 walks, and 55 runs scored this season.
 
Abby Rniec leads the Illini with a .440 batting average and 11 RBI. The senior has tallied 11 hits this season while only striking out twice in 25 plate appearances.
 
Illinois holds a 6.54-team ERA in the circle and has allowed 63 runs this season. Tori McQueen leads the Illini with a 4.97 ERA in 12.2 innings pitched. She is 1-1 this season. Lauren Wiles leads Illinois with two wins this season. She holds a 2-3 record with a 7.47 ERA in 19.2 innings pitched.
 
Tyra Perry is in her ninth season as the head coach of Illinois with a record of 246-172. Perry had previous head coaching stops at Ball State (2014-15), WKU (2008-13), and Birmingham Southern (2002-2007). She holds a career head coaching record of 655-560.
 
ABOUT SAN DIEGO STATE (8-6)
The Aztecs are 8-6 this season. San Diego State had an impressive 3-1 showing at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic (Feb. 23-25). The Aztecs defeated No. 8 Missouri (3-2), Nebraska (3-2, 8 inn.), and Bethune Cookman (9-0, 5 inn) while falling to No. 1 Oklahoma (7-0).
 
As a team, San Diego State is batting .242 with 84 hits, 10 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 44 RBI, 37 walks, and 53 runs scored this season.
Junior infielder Lala Macario leads the team with a .343 batting average, 12 hits, and 13 runs scored. Mac Barbara has the most dangerous bat in the lineup with a team-best three home runs and 16 RBI while batting .303.
 
In the circle, the Aztecs hold a 2.11 team ERA and have allowed 42 runs this season. Allie Light is their ace. The senior is 4-2 with 22 strikeouts and a 1.28 ERA in a team-leading 38.1 innings pitched.
 
Stacey Nuveman Deniz is in her third season as head coach of the Aztecs with a career record of 86-39.
 
ABOUT MCNEESE (11-4)
The Cowgirls are 11-4 this season and coming off a 6-5 13-inning win at Houston on Wednesday night.
 
As a team, McNeese is batting .309 with 112 hits, 26 doubles, five triples, 16 home runs, 85 RBI, 61 walks and 94 runs scored this season.
 
Sophomore Corine Poncho is one of the best hitters in the country this season. She is batting .395 with 15 hits, one double, eight home runs, 12 RBI, 11 walks and 18 runs scored.
 
In the circle, the Cowgirls hold a 2.38 team ERA and have allowed 38 runs this season. Ryan Schexnayder is 4-0 this season with a team-best 1.44 ERA in 24.1 innings pitched this season.
 
James Landreneau is in his eighth season as the Cowgirls head coach with a record of 269-145.He was an assistant for four seasons at McNeese before assuming the head coaching position.

ABOUT LSU (13-0)
Tournament host LSU is 13-0, ranked No. 3 in the latest Softball America Poll. The Tigers went 5-0 in the Tiger Classic last week (Feb. 22-25). LSU earned a pair of victories over Boise State (3-2, 8-5) and Houston (10-3, 5-0) before defeating Austin Peay (11-0) to close out the weekend.
 
As a team, LSU is batting .374 with 127 hits, 26 doubles, five triples, 17 home runs, 111 RBI, 76 walks, and 116 runs scored this season.
 
Karli Petty, Taylor Pleasants, and Ali Newland are all batting over .400 this season for the Tigers. Petty has a team-best .476 batting average in eight games played. Pleasants is the biggest threat in the lineup with a team-leading 16 hits, four home runs, and 27 RBI while batting .444. Newland owns a .429 batting average with 15 hits, four doubles, three home runs and 16 RBI.
 
In the circle, Raelin Chaffin and Sydney Berzon are 4-0. Chaffin holds a 2.28 ERA in 27.2 innings pitched, while Berzon has a 2.48 ERA in 31 innings pitched.
 
Beth Torina is in his 13th season as the Tigers head coach with a record of 505-220. She holds a career record of 634-331, having previously served as head coach at FIU (2008-11).

SERIES HISTORY
Louisiana Tech leads the all-time series with Illinois 1-0. The Bulldogs defeated the Illini, 3-2, in the lone meeting on Feb. 14, 2015, in Starkville, Miss. Krysta Tutsch hit a two-run home run and had an RBI single in the win.
 
San Diego State leads the all-time series with LA Tech 3-0. The Aztecs defeated the Bulldogs 11-3 in the most recent meeting on March 12, 2011. Meghan Knowles went 2-3 with two RBI in the loss.
 
LA Tech leads the all-time series with McNeese 57-31. The Bulldogs defeated the Cowgirls 6-1 in the last meeting on March 1, 2022. Brooke Diaz doubled and homered in the win.
 
LSU holds a 27-4 series lead over LA Tech. The Tigers won the last meeting 6-2 on April 1, 2023, in last year's Purple and Gold Challenge. Kylie Neel went 2-3 with a home run and two RBI.

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