JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – The Louisiana Tech Softball team dropped its series opener, 8-4 against Jacksonville State on Friday night at Jana McGinnis Field.

A five-run bottom of the fifth inning by Jax State that featured three walks and a hit batter was the difference-maker in the loss. LA Tech rallied for three runs in the seventh but would fall short with the tying run on second base.

Brooke Diaz led the Bulldogs (24-12, 7-6 CUSA) offensively by going 3-4 with an RBI. Aubree Seaney (2-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2B), Alexis Gilio (2-3, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB) and Alannah Rogers (2-5) also had multi-hit nights.

Left-handed relief pitcher Amber Reed earned the victory for Jax State (17-22, 7-6 CUSA) by throwing three innings in relief of starter Kat Carter, allowing three runs on four hits to improve to 3-2 on the season.

Allie Floyd (4.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 5 BB) earned the loss for the Bulldogs to fall to 12-4 this year.

NOTABLES
- Caroline Easom singled in the seventh inning to run her hitting streak to a team-best four games.
- Brooke Diaz collected her fifth career three-hit game by going 3-4. Her three hits were a season-high.
- Alannah Rogers increased her hitting streak to three games with an opposite-field single in the second inning. She registered her eighth career multi-hit game with two singles in the win.
- Aubree Seaney hit a two-run double in the seventh inning giving her the 13^th multi-RBI game of her career. Seaney also singled to collect her 14^th career multi-hit game.
- Alexis Gilio recorded her 21^st career multi-hit game with two hits in the loss.
- The Bulldogs 12 hits were the most since they recorded 13 in a win over Illinois on March 2.
- Jax State now leads the all-time series with LA Tech 6-1.
- The Bulldogs are 95-56 under head coach Josh Taylor who owns a career head coaching record of 328-224.
- LA Tech is now 12-10 all-time on April 12.

QUOTABLES
On the game…
"I was encouraged by how we battled back in the seventh but we need to have that fight for the entire game not just one inning. We have to execute better in the circle in order to put ourselves in a position to win ballgames. I am looking forward to seeing how we respond tomorrow." - head coach Josh Taylor

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bulldogs' Allie Floyd made her 12th start of the season for Louisiana Tech, while Jax State went with right-hander Kat Carter.
 
Alexis Gilio became the game's first baserunner with a two-out walk in the top of the first. The walk was Gilio's 14th of the season.
 
With one out in the bottom of the first, the Gamecocks Emma Jones singled up the middle and then stole second. Nicole Hammoude made an impressive play by backhanding a ground ball deep in the hole at shortstop and firing it across the diamond for the second out of the inning. Floyd then issued an inning-ending groundout to complete the scoreless frame.
 
Hammoude led off the second inning with an infield single. A batter later, Caroline Easom replaced Hammoude at first by grounding into a fielder's choice. Aubree Seaney then singled off the outstretched glove of Jax State second baseman Kenzie Nicholson, sending the ball into center field and past the Gamecocks' Morgan Nowakowski, allowing Easom to score. Nowakowski was charged with an error on the play. Brooke Diaz then made it 2-0 in favor of Tech with an RBI ground-ball single up the middle that scored Seaney. Katelin Cooper reached on an error, and Alannah Rogers singled into left field to load the bases with one out, but Carter would get a strikeout and a ground out to minimize the damage.
 
In the bottom of the second, the Gamecocks loaded the bases with no outs courtesy of a leadoff double, infield single and walk. Jax State cut the Bulldogs' lead to 2-1 courtesy of a Makalyn Kyser sacrifice fly.
 
Alannah Rogers then made a nice running catch in shallow right field for the second out of the inning. Floyd would then get Ashley Phillips to pop out to Hammoude for the final out of the inning.
 
Kylie Neel walked to lead off the third inning and was thrown out, attempting to steal second base. Floyd threw a scoreless home half, highlighted by Gilio tracking down a fly ball at the wall for the second out of the inning.
 
Seaney reached on a throwing error by Jones to start the fourth. Diaz followed with a single through the left side for her second hit of the day. Following the single, Taylor pinch-ran Jina Baffuto and Olivia Ellingson for Seaney and Diaz. With one out, Rogers singled to left to load the bases. The Bulldogs had some bad luck one batter later as Claire Raley laced a line drive that bounced off of Carter's glove and was caught by Nicholson at second base. Louisiana Tech increased its lead to 4-1 courtesy of back-to-back infield singles by Neel and Gilio.
 
Amber Reed relieved Carter after the fourth and would pitch the remainder of the game.
 
Jax State answered back with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, courtesy of a solo home run by Nowakowski and a two-out error.
 
The Bulldogs were retired in order in the fifth. With one out in the home half, Nicholson doubled to right field, Nowakowski walked, and Tubbs was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Floyd then backhanded a ground ball and fired it home to Diaz to get the force out for out No. 2. A bases-loaded walk tied the game at 4-4. Brook Melnychuk relieved Floyd after the walk. Following the pitching change, Phillips gave the Gamecocks a 6-4 lead with a two-run single. A four-pitch walk loaded the bases before Richardson increased the lead to 8-4 with a two-run single.
 
In the top of the seventh, Gilio singled up the middle to lead off the inning and raise her average to above .400. Following a strikeout and a flyout, Easom singled into center field, and Seaney drove home both runners with a two-run double into right-center field. Diaz singled through the left side to put runners on the corners. An error by Richardson on a Katelin Cooper ground ball made it 8-7, but that was as close as the Bulldogs would get as Reed issued a game-ending ground out.

NEXT UP
The Bulldogs will look to even the series tomorrow at 1 p.m.
 
For all the latest in Bulldog Softball, follow them on Twitter (@LATechSB), Instagram (@LATechSB) and Facebook (Louisiana Tech Softball) or visit the official website at LATechSports.com.