BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Tech Softball team opened the Purple and Gold Challenge with a 2-1 loss to Illinois in a pitchers' duel at Tiger Park on Friday.
 
Despite being credited with the loss, Allie Floyd was impressive in her fourth start of the season. Floyd (4-1) went the distance, striking out two and allowing two unearned runs on six hits and no walks. It was the third consecutive outing in which she has pitched seven innings without allowing an earned run.
 
The Bulldogs had opportunities at the plate but could not capitalize as they stranded six base runners in the loss and left the bases loaded in the first inning. Alexis Gilio led the way offensively by going 1-2 with a walk. Aubree Seaney doubled in the sixth inning and Claire Raley, Caroline Easom, and Nicole Hammoude all collected singles.
 
Tori McQueen (2-1) earned her second win of the season for Illinois. McQueen struck out eight and allowed one run on five hits while throwing her 10th career complete game.

NOTABLES
- Alexis Gilio extended her hitting streak to nine games by going 1-2 with a walk in the contest. She has reached base in 11 consecutive games.
- Alannah Rogers increased her reached-base streak to 12 games with a walk in her first plate appearance.
- Caroline Easom is on a four-game hitting streak.
- Allie Floyd has gone seven innings without allowing an earned run in her last three appearances. She threw her sixth career complete game.

QUOTABLES
On hitting…
"We had plenty of opportunities to win this game. Until we learn to have more competitive at-bats each time up to the plate, we will struggle. We need to get contributions from everyone in the lineup and stop giving at-bats away."– head coach Josh Taylor.

On defense and Allie Floyd…
""I was very pleased with our infield play and Allie Floyd continues to compete at a very high level every time she pitches"– head coach Josh Taylor.

On Moving Forward…
"We have a recipe for success that can take us a long way this season. This team is very talented, but we need to be able to find ways to win and believe that we will win each and every time we take the field."- head coach Josh Taylor.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Allie Floyd made her fourth start of the season for LA Tech, while Tori McQueen got the ball for Illinois.
 
The Fighting Illini's Kelly Ryono grounded out to LA Tech shortstop Nicole Hammoude on the game's first pitch. Serena Starks singled to second for the first hit of the game, but that was all Illinois would get as Floyd issued consecutive groundouts to complete the scoreless frame.
 
Alannah Rogers led off the bottom of the first with an infield single. She would then advance to third on a bunt single from Claire Raley combined with a throwing error. The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead on a double steal as Raley swiped second and Rogers raced home. Alexis Gilio walked and Nicole Hammoude singled with two outs to load the bases but McQueen escaped the jam.
 
Both sides were sent down in order during the second inning.
 
Paige Berkemeyer led off the top of the third with a single to left and would later come around to score on a throwing error to tie the game. A Stevie Meade RBI double gave Illinois a 2-1 lead. 

Caroline Easom singled in the bottom of the third to increase her hitting streak to four games. However, Easom's single was all the Bulldogs could muster as McQueen spun a scoreless frame.
 
Floyd and McQueen worked through opposing lineups quickly in the fourth. A double by Megan Ward of Illinois was the lone hit of the inning.
 
Brooke Diaz highlighted the fifth inning by throwing out the Illini's Serena Starks to end the top half.
 
Floyd made it three straight scoreless innings with a 1-2-3 top of the sixth. Tech threatened in the bottom of the sixth. Alexis Gilio led off the inning with a single up the middle. Caroline Easom then grounded into a fielder's choice for the first out of the inning. Aubree Seaney doubled into right-center field to put runners on second and third, but McQueen would escape the inning courtesy of a foul out and a fly out to deep left field.
 
Both teams went down in order in the seventh as LA Tech fell to 9-3 and Illinois improved to 4-6.

NEXT UP
The Bulldogs will be back in action tomorrow when they face Illinois (9:30 a.m.) and San Diego State (2:30 p.m.)

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