JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – The Louisiana Tech Softball team defeated Jacksonville State 8-3 to earn a series victory over the Gamecocks on Sunday afternoon at Jana McGinnis Field.
 
Kylie Neel (2-2, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 SF, 2 R) continued her exceptional performance at the plate in the series finale. In the first inning, Neel homered for the second straight game with a two-run blast to right field. She then drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in her next at-bat before registering an RBI triple in her final trip to the plate.
 
Alexis Gilio (2-4, 2 RBI, 2 R) and Alannah Rogers (2-4, 1 R) recorded multiple hits in the victory, with Gilio also driving in two runs. Nicole Hammoude (1-3, 1 RBI, 1 R) and Brooke Diaz (1-3, 1 RBI) each collected an RBI.
 
On a day when Louisiana Tech (26-12, 9-6 CUSA) needed a great outing from its starting pitcher, Brook Melnychuk did exactly that in her 15th start of the season. The redshirt-junior struck out two batters and allowed three runs on just three hits in four innings of work to improve to 9-6. Lauren Menzina (2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R) and Emma Hutchinson (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R) were outstanding in relief.
 
The Bulldogs unleashed on Jax State (18-24, 7-8 CUSA) ace Kat Carter. The reigning Conference USA Pitcher of the Week fell to 7-7 on the season after allowing seven runs on seven hits in five innings pitched.

NOTABLES
- Kylie Neel hit her fourth home run of the season with a two-run shot in the top of the first inning. The home run was the 13^th of her career putting her in a tie with Katelin Cooper for the most on the LA Tech roster. Nine of Neel's 13 home runs have been away from Ruston.
- Neel has homered in back-to-back games joining Nicole Hammoude (WKU and Grambling State) as the only Bulldogs to do so this season.
- Kylie Neel registered her 33^rd career multi-hit game and 4^th career four-RBI game.
- Alexis Gilio registered her 22^nd career multi-hit game and third career multi-RBI game in the victory.
- Alannah Rogers increased her hitting streak to five-games with a pair of hits in the win. With two hits, she recorded her ninth career multi-hit game.
- Brook Melnychuk earned her ninth win of the season and 15^th win as a Bulldog.
- LA Tech is 17-8 in day games this season.
- The Bulldogs are now 15-1 when hitting a home run and 20-2 when out-hitting opponents in 2024.
- The Bulldog pitching staff held Jax State's Emma Jones-Hubbard hitless to snap her 25-game reached base streak.
- The Bulldogs are 97-56 under head coach Josh Taylor who owns a career head coaching record of 330-224.
- The win was the 1,318th in program history.
- Louisiana Tech improved to 19-11 all-time in games played on April 14.

QUOTABLES
On the victory…
"It is going to take fight the rest of the season. Today was the first time in a few weeks that we were complete with our pitching, defense and hitting. The quality of our at-bats were improved. It is a good step forward heading into next week. Any time we can win on Sunday is a good thing especially when we can win two in a row. Being able to take a series is great to carry into next weekend when we finally get to come back home." - head coach Josh Taylor

On Kylie Neel and the LA Tech Pitching Staff…
"Kylie is a threat when she gets up to the plate. You can see it in her body language she is starting to get comfortable and do Kylie Neel things. If she can stay there the rest of the way she is going to be a threat every time she gets to the plate. Brook gave us a great start and gave us four strong innings to set up our bullpen. Lauren Menzina did a great job and Emma Hutchinson came in and did a really great job. It was a complete win that featured a lot of contributions which is what we are going to need down the stretch." - head coach Josh Taylor
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Brook Melnychuk got the ball in the series finale for Louisiana Tech while Jax State went back to their Friday starter Kat Carter.
 
Alannah Rogers led off the game with a single through the left side and then advanced to second on a bunt single. Rogers was thrown out trying to steal third for the first out of the inning. With two outs in the inning, Kylie Neel turned on a 2-1 pitch from Carter and drove it over the fence in right field for a two-run home run. The round-tripper was Neel's second in as many days and fourth this season.
 
In the bottom of the first, Melnychuk struck out her first two batters looking and then issued a groundout to Hammoude at shortstop to complete the 1-2-3 inning.
 
Carter retired the Bulldogs in order in the second inning. Melnychuk faced the minimum in the second inning. Aubree Seaney continued the Bulldogs' string of web gems in the series by making an impressive diving catch on the Gamecocks' Kenzie Nicholson's bunt attempt before throwing it to first to catch the retreating runner and complete the double play.
 
The Bulldogs added three more in the third. Rogers singled to left-center field with one out in the inning. Claire Raley then reached safely by hitting into a fielder's choice, which the second baseman dropped a throw on the force out at second, allowing Rogers to advance. Alexis Gilio smashed a triple into the left-center field gap that scored Rogers and Raley. Gilio would score on a sacrifice fly from Neel, giving the Dogs a 5-0 advantage.
 
Jax State cut the Louisiana Tech lead to 5-1 on Ella Pate's solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the third.
 
Carter retired the Bulldogs in order during the fourth inning. Melnychuk worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth.
 
Carter retired six straight with a 1-2-3 fifth inning. Jax State answered back with a two-run home run by Linley Tubbs to make it a 5-3 game in the bottom half. Lauren Menzina entered the circle in relief after the two-run home run and would keep the Gamecocks off the board. 
 
In the top of the sixth inning, Gilio reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error on the play. Neel increased the Bulldogs' lead to 6-3 with a triple to center field that scored Gilio. Nicole Hammoude made it 7-3 with an RBI single to center field. Brooke Diaz drove home Hammoude with a single down the left-field line to push the LA Tech lead to 8-3. Olivia Ellingson pinch ran for Diaz and was thrown out at home on a Katelin Cooper single to end the inning.
 
Menzina spun a scoreless bottom of the sixth as the Gamecocks stranded runners on the corners.
 
Tech was retired in order in the top of the seventh. Emma Hutchinson relieved Menzina to pitch the seventh inning. After issuing a leadoff walk, Hutchinson would retire the next three courtesy of a strikeout and two popouts.

NEXT UP
The Bulldogs travel to Oxford, Miss. for a doubleheader with Ole Miss at 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
 
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