MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Louisiana Tech Softball team improved to 18-4 with a 5-1 series-opening win at Middle Tennessee on Friday evening.
 
A complete-game effort from sophomore Allie Floyd and a five-run fifth inning were the difference-makers as the Bulldogs increased their winning streak to six games and improved to 4-0 in Conference USA play.
 
Floyd struck out seven batters while allowing just one run on five hits and two walks during her fifth complete game of the season. With the win, she is now 8-1 on the year.
 
The Bulldogs batted around in the fifth inning, plating five runs on three hits, three walks, and an error. Katelin Cooper walked twice during the stanza, while Claire Raley (RBI double) and Caroline Easom (RBI single) both drove in runs with hits.
 
Alexis Gilio led the Bulldogs offensively by going 2-4 with a run scored. The two-hit performance was Gilio's ninth multi-hit game this year. In addition to Raley and Easom's RBI base knocks, Kylie Neel doubled in the victory. Katelin Cooper led Tech with two walks and was hit by a pitch, while Raley, Aubree Seaney, Kaylee Grealy, and Brooke Diaz each drew a walk.
 
Middle Tennessee (12-17, 1-3 CUSA) starting pitcher Kamryn Carcich took the loss for the Blue Raiders. She allowed two runs on five hits in 4.1 innings of work to fall to 7-9 on the season.
 
With the win, the Bulldogs (18-4) are off to their best start since 1990, when they started 18-4 through the first 22 games.
 
NOTABLES
- Alexis Gilio extended her reached-base streak to nine games with a first-inning single. She later singled in the fifth inning, marking her 17th career multi-hit game.
- Brooke Diaz threw out her eighth runner attempting to steal this season. Diaz entered the weekend ranked 14^th nationally in runners caught stealing.
- Tech is now 8-2 in night games this season. With the win, LA Tech has now won 90 night games this millennium.
- LA Tech is on a six-game winning streak, tying its single-season long which they set during the first six games.
- The win was the Bulldogs 12^th in program history on March 15.
- The Bulldogs are 89-48 under head coach Josh Taylor who owns a career head coaching record of 322-216.
- Allie Floyd earned her eighth win of the season, tying her total from a year ago. Her complete game performance was the eighth of her career and fifth this year.
- Floyd fanned seven Middle Tennessee batters during the victory. Her seven strikeouts were the most in a single game against a conference opponent in her career.
- LA Tech is off to its best start since 1990 when LA Tech also started 18-4.
- Louisiana Tech has now won 1,292 games all time, including 767 away from Ruston.
- The Bulldogs lead the all-time series with Middle Tennessee 12-11.

QUOTABLES
On the game…
"Allie pitched great. We hit the ball well all night, we were just hitting them right at people early and then we finally found some holes and they made a few mistakes that we capitalized on. Allie got better as she went which was fun for us to see and good for us to know moving forward. Her velocity improved as the game went on. It was a solid performance for us on the road."- head coach Josh Taylor.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams turned to their aces as LA Tech started Allie Floyd for the eighth time this season, and Middle Tennessee went with Kamryn Carcich.
 
In the top of the first, Claire Raley was the first runner of the ballgame courtesy of a one-out walk. Alexis Gilio followed with a single down the left-field line to extend her reached-base streak to nine games. Carcich would retire the next two batters to keep the Bulldogs off the board and escape the inning.
 
Shelby Echols led off the bottom of the first with a single up the middle before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt. Amaya Harris gave the Blue Raiders a 1-0 lead on an RBI double to right that scored Echols. Floyd responded by issuing a lineout and strikeout to end the inning.
 
Kylie Neel drew a one-out walk in the top of the second. Tech put runners on first and second with two outs in the inning when a pitch hit Katelin Cooper. Alannah Rogers smashed a line drive right at the Blue Raiders' left fielder and Carcich escaped unscathed again.Floyd spun a scoreless second inning while striking out two.
 
Both sides were retired in the third inning as Floyd picked up her fourth strikeout of the game.
 
Neel laced a double down the right-field line with two outs in the fourth inning but would be stranded. Floyd spun another scoreless frame in the bottom half.
 
The Bulldogs broke through in the fifth. Cooper led off the inning with a walk before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt from Rogers. Raley tied the game with a double into left-center field. Gilio followed with a single to left to move Raley to third. Caroline Easom came through as usual with an RBI single through the left side, giving Tech a 2-1 lead. The Bulldogs plated two more when Middle Tennessee misplayed a sky-high infield popup off the bat of Kylie Neel. Kaylee Grealy followed with a walk to load the bases before Cooper drew her second walk of the inning to increase the lead to 5-1.
 
Floyd spun a hitless frame in the bottom half and struck out her sixth batter of the night.
 
In the sixth inning, Claire Raley laid down a bunt that Middle Tennessee pitcher Mary Martinez threw into right field, allowing Raley to reach second. However, LA Tech could not advance Raley further as the Blue Raiders kept the Dogs off the board.
 
Floyd made it five straight scoreless innings in the sixth. Julia Garcia's infield single was the only blemish in the inning.
 
Brooke Diaz was the only Bulldog in the seventh to reach base as she drew a two-out walk. In the bottom of the seventh, Gilio made an incredible over-the-shoulder catch against the wall in center field for the first out of the inning. Floyd walked the next batter before getting Shelby Sargent to strike out swinging for the second time in the ballgame. Easom ended the victory in style by backhanding a ground ball up the middle and using a glove flip to get the force out at second base.

NEXT UP
The Bulldogs will look to take the series tomorrow at 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
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