RUSTON, La. – The Louisiana Tech Softball team split its doubleheader against UTEP on Sunday, winning game two, 4-2, and losing game one, 4-0, at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field on Alumni Weekend.
 
Two runs in the fifth and sixth innings combined with stellar pitching were the decisive factors in the series finale, a 4-2 win.
 
Trailing 2-0 with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Bulldogs tied the game on an RBI double by Kylie Neel combined with a Miners' throwing error on an overthrow past second base on the play that scored the tying run. Caroline Easom's bases-loaded two-RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning provided the winning runs in the Louisiana Tech (27-16, 10-8 CUSA) victory.
 
Easom led the LA Tech efforts offensively by going 2-2 with two RBI, a double, a run scored, and a sacrifice bunt. Kylie Neel (1-2, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 HBP), Nicole Hammoude (1-2, 1 BB, 1 R), and Claire Raley (1-3, 1 R) also recorded hits in the win.
 
In the circle, Mattison Buster earned her second career victory with three brilliant innings of shutout relief. Buster only allowed no hits while issuing no walks and striking out two Miners. The freshman sealed the victory by striking out UTEP right fielder Halle Hogan to end the game. Allie Floyd started the contest, allowing two runs on five hits, two walks, and one strikeout in four innings pitched.
 
Offensively, Louisiana Tech struggled in their loss to UTEP in the opening game of the doubleheader. Neel and Kaylee Grealy recorded the Bulldogs' lone hits in the loss. Jina Baffuto reached base twice on free passes (base on balls and hit by pitch), Katelin Cooper walked twice, and Alexis Gilio and Paris Endris drew a walk.
 
In the circle, Alyssa Martin was outstanding in relief, allowing just two hits and one unearned run in four innings. Lauren Menzina also provided two strong innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits. Brook Melnychuk (1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB) took the loss in her 16th start of the season to fall to 9-7.

NOTABLES
- Allie Floyd made her 15^th start of the season, eclipsing her start total from a year ago.
- LA Tech had three infielders from the same high school in the starting lineup in game one. Jina Baffuto (Shortstop), Caroline Easom (Second Base) and Paris Endris (First Base) all graduated from Airline High School.
- Caroline Easom collected her 36^th career multi-hit game and 20^th career multi-RBI game with two hits and two RBI in the win over UTEP.
- Alyssa Martin tied a career high with four innings pitched in game one. Martin previously pitched four innings in a 5-0 loss to NC State on March 31, 2023 at the Purple and Gold Challenge in Baton Rouge.
- LA Tech now leads the series with UTEP, 26-14.
- The Bulldogs have now won seven games when being out-hit by an opponent this season. It was their 114^th win this millennium when being out hit by an opponent.
- LA Tech is now 21-9 all-time on April 21.
- Kylie Neel is on a three-game hitting streak.
- LA Tech is 671-405 all-time in doubleheaders.
- The Bulldogs are 98-60 under head coach Josh Taylor who owns a career head coaching record of 331-228.
 
QUOTABLES
On the response in game two…
"When we were trailing in the fifth our message was when is enough enough of the offensive performance. Sometimes when we get in a rut or start to struggle a little bit they go the opposite direction of try harder and try harder which does not work in this sport. It was good to see Carol (Easom) take heart and understand the message and the mentality of the message. She got her barrel out to hit a big double which led to tying the game and we were able to do some short game and use our skill sets with Claire Raley and Aubree Seaney after Nicole Hammoude led off the inning with a single. Carol got her barrel out once again and got the big hit. Like I told the team it is a positive start to another week and we take that lesson to the fifth and the sixth inning." - head coach Josh Taylor
 
GAME TWO
Allie Floyd earned the start in game two for LA Tech, while UTEP went with Taja Felder.
 
Halle Hogan became the game's first baserunner with a one-out walk. That was as far as the Miners would get as Floyd got a popout for the second out of the inning, and Brook Diaz threw out Hogan, who attempted to steal second for the final out of the frame.
 
Kylie Neel was hit by a pitch with one out in the bottom half. Alexis Gilio followed with a walk to put runners on first and second. However, Felder and the Miners were able to get out of the jam again, as she issued two groundouts to escape scoreless.
 
Floyd tossed another scoreless inning in the second while striking out the Miners' Kenna Collett for the second out of the frame. Brooke Diaz walked with one out in the bottom of the second for Tech.
 
Both sides were kept off the board in the third inning. The Miners' Bri Garcia recorded the lone hit in the frame with a leadoff single to center field.
 
Ashlynn Allen gave UTEP the lead with a two-out RBI double in the top of the fourth. Garcia added another run with an RBI single to make it 2-0. Felder retired Tech in order in the bottom half.
 
Mattison Buster relieved Floyd to pitch the fifth and pitched a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout.
 
Caroline Easom broke Felder's streak of nine-consecutive batters retired with a double down the left-field line. Katelin Cooper followed with a walk to put runners on first and second. Following Cooper's walk, the Miners pulled Felder and went to Zaylie Calderon. The Bulldogs tied it up when Kylie Neel smashed an RBI double into the left-center field that brought in a run. While Neel was going to second, UTEP shortstop Madi Mendonza overthrew the base, which allowed Cooper to score and tie the game.
 
Mattison Buster retired UTEP in order in the top of the sixth, highlighted by an impressive leaping catch on a screaming line drive by third baseman Claire Raley.
 
Nicole Hammoude led off the sixth inning by sitting on a 2-0 changeup from Calderon and driving it down the left-field line for a single. Raley then advanced Hammoude to second with a perfectly placed bunt single along the first-base line. Aubree Seaney followed with a bunt that loaded the bases. Calderon got a strikeout for the first out of the inning. Easom gave the Bulldogs the lead and ultimately the win with a hard-hit ground ball through the left side, scoring Hammoude and Raley to make it the final 4-2.
 
UTEP threatened in the top of the seventh inning with consecutive one-out singles to bring the winning run to the plate. Buster would finish it out, however, by picking out the second out of the inning before fanning Hogan to end the game.
 
GAME ONE
Louisiana Tech started Brook Melnychuk, while UTEP went with its Friday night closer in Faith Aragon.
 
Lexi Morales led off the game with a four-pitch walk before Halle Hogan doubled to right-center field to move Morales to third. Melnychuk then got popouts to Easom at second base and Baffuto at shortstop for the first two outs of the frame. Marijn Crouwel gave UTEP a 2-0 lead with a two-run single up the middle that scored Morales and Hogan.
 
Kylie Neel doubled to left-center field with two outs in the bottom of the first.
 
Lauren Menzina relieved Melnychuk to pitch the second inning. Ashlynn Allen doubled to left-center field to lead off the frame before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt. Aragon, who also batted in the contest, reached on an error to put runners on the corners. A ground out by Morales increased the Miners' lead to 3-0.
 
In the bottom of the second, Paris Endris reached on a one-out walk and Jina Baffuto was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Endris and Baffuto both advanced a base on a hard-hit ball by Karolyn Glover that deflected off Aragon's leg before she threw Glover out at first. Aragon and UTEP would escape, however, with an inning-ending strikeout.
 
Idalis Mendez reached on a one-out infield single in the top of the third. Megan Crouwell then reached on a walk to put runners on first and second. Mendez moved to third on a foul out for the second out of the inning. UTEP looked to take a 4-0 lead by getting in a rundown to score the run from third, but Louisiana Tech challenged, and it was determined that Crouwell left early, so the score remained 3-0.
 
Aragon retired the Bulldogs in order in the bottom of the third.
 
Alyssa Martin entered the circle for LA Tech in the fourth. UTEP added a run in the top of the fourth on a two-out RBI single from Morales. The inning was prolonged due to the Bulldogs' third error of the contest.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Kaylee Grealy pinch-hit and singled into center field. Grealy later advanced to second on Baffuto's two-out walk, but that was all Tech would muster.
 
Martin kept the Miners off the scoreboard with a scoreless fifth inning, capped by Glover throwing out a runner attempting to steal to end the inning.
 
Alexis Gilio reached on a one-out walk in the bottom of the fifth inning.
In the sixth, Martin kept the Miners off the board while registering a strikeout to end the frame. Paris Endris was the lone baserunner in the bottom of the sixth, reaching on an error by UTEP.
 
In the seventh, both teams were retired in order, as Aragon (11-7) finished the complete-game shutout, and UTEP took the series.

NEXT UP
The Bulldogs will be back in action on Tuesday at 6 p.m. when they travel to Northwestern State. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
 
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