LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The Louisiana Tech Softball team collected a series victory with a 5-4 win over New Mexico State as LA Tech head coach Josh Taylor earned his 100^th victory as the Bulldogs' skipper on Saturday afternoon at the New Mexico State Softball Complex.

Taylor who has a record of 100-61 as head coach of the Bulldogs became the second-fastest head coach in program history to reach the 100-win mark trailing only NFCA and Louisiana Tech Hall of Famer Bill Galloway who accomplished the feat in 132 games.

The Bulldogs once again had brilliant performances in the circle in the win. Brook Melnychuk improved to 10-7 on the season by spinning four innings in which she struck out two and allowed three runs on seven hits. All three runs Melnychuk allowed came on a three-run home run by New Mexico State freshman Desirae Spearman. Mattison Buster was lights out in relief on the way to her second save of the season. The Sulphur Springs, Texas product, yielded just two hits and one run with a strikeout in three innings of work. The lone run Buster allowed was on an inside-the-park home run by New Mexico State second baseman Jessica Carreon.

Melnychuk and Buster did not allow a single walk in the contest marking the 31^st game under pitching coach Chelsea Cohen in which LA Tech did not issue a walk. In those games the Bulldogs' record is 25-6.

Louisiana Tech topped the double-digit mark in hits for the 14^th time this season with 12 hits in the win. Alexis Gilio (3-3, 1 RBI, SF) tied a career high with three hits. Kylie Neel (2-4, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 2B), Brooke Diaz (2-4, 2 RBI, 1 2B), Paris Endris (2-3, 1 R) and Claire Raley (2-4, 1 2B) also recorded multi hits in the victory.

New Mexico State (26-21,11-9) junior right-hander Jaileen Mancha took the loss for the Aggies to fall to 11-7 on the season.

With the win, Louisiana Tech (29-17, 12-8) is in sole possession of third place in the CUSA standings and just a game back on second-place WKU.

NOTABLES
- The Bulldogs are 100-61 under head coach Josh Taylor who owns a career head coaching record of 333-229. Taylor was the second-fastest LA Tech head coach to reach the 100-win mark trailing only NFCA Hall of Famer Bill Galloway who accomplished the feat in 132 games.
- Paris Endris extended her reached-base streak to a career-high four games with a second-inning single. Endris also singled in the fourth inning to record her second career multi-hit game.
- Alexis Gilio recorded her eighth-career three hit game, tying a single-game career high while driving in a run with a sacrifice fly and scoring twice.
- LA Tech is now 25-6 when not walking an opposing batter under pitching coach Chelsea Cohen (2022-now).
- Brook Melnychuk earned her 10^th victory of the season. With the win, Melnychuk (10-7) and Allie Floyd (13-5) became the first LA Tech duo to record 10+ wins in a season since Krystal De La Cruz (17-3) and Preslee Gallaway (19-10) accomplished the feat in 2019.
- Brooke Diaz recorded her 20^th career multi-RBI game with a two-run double in the top of the first inning. Diaz would later single to record her 26^th career multi-hit game.
- Claire Raley went 2-4 with a double today. She now has 25 career multi-hit games.
- The Bulldogs registered 12 hits in the win, marking the 14^th time they've recorded 10+ hits in a game this season after doing it eight times a year ago. LA Tech is 19-3 when out-hitting opponents this season and 450-84 when doing so this millennium.
- LA Tech is now 13-14 all-time on April 27^th.
- Kylie Neel is on a six-game reached-base streak.

QUOTABLES
On Win No. 100 at LA Tech…
"It is a testament to our coaching staff, all of our administrators, support staff and obviously our players. We have been very fortunate since I have been here to have great players and great kids that are coachable. To get 100 wins in less than three years is special but I just give all the credit to our coaching staff, players, our administration and all the people who play a role in our success." – head coach Josh Taylor

On the game…
"We are playing with a lot of energy which equals a lot of confidence and a lot of belief which allows our athleticism to come out. We are playing hard. We had a great start from Brook Melnychuk and Mattison Buster was lights out to finish it off. The effort and energy that we have from our dugout is fantastic right now. They are having fun playing softball and when we do that we have a lot of success. They are letting the game come to them and playing the game the way they are capable of. It is a lot of fun to watch as a coach." – head coach Josh Taylor.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Brook Melnychuk made her 17th start of the year for Louisiana Tech, while the Aggies went with Jaileen Mancha.

A pitch hit Alannah Rogers to lead off the game before she advanced to second on a bunt single by Alexis Gilio. Kylie Neel then singled up the middle, but Alannah Rogers was thrown out at home during the play by New Mexico State center fielder Jillian Taylor for the first out of the inning. Nicole Hammoude drew a walk to load the bases before Brooke Diaz continued her tear at the plate with a two-run double to left-center field that gave the Bulldogs an early 2-0 lead.

With two outs in the bottom of the first, the Aggies got back-to-back singles from Dezianna Patmon and Devin Elam to put runners on first and second. Melnychuk would escape the scoreless inning by fielding a comebacker from Riley Carley and flipping it to Paris Endris at first for the final out.  

Endris led off the second inning with a single to right field to run her reached-base streak to four games. Alexis Gilio singled down the left-field line with two outs to put runners on first and second. Neel smashed a double to left-center field to clear the bases and increase the lead to 4-0.

Menychuk retired the Aggies in order in the home half courtesy of two groundouts and a popout.

In the top of the third, Brooke Diaz reached on a throwing error by New Mexico State shortstop Jayleen Burton, but that was all the Bulldogs would muster.

Desirae Spearman cut the LA Tech lead to 4-3 with a three-run home run to left-center field with no outs in the bottom of the third.

Endris singled to third base to lead off the fourth inning and advanced to second on a bunt single by Katelin Cooper. Rogers loaded the bases with a walk. Alexis Gilio made it 5-3 with a sacrifice fly to right-center field. The Bulldogs stranded runners on the corners as Mancha got an inning-ending strikeout.

Melnychuk issued a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fourth, capped by a strikeout of the Aggies' Jillina Taylor.

Claire Raley singled up the middle with two outs in the top of the fifth. Mattison Buster relieved Melnychuk to pitch the bottom half. The freshman would retire the first two batters on flyouts to Katelin Cooper in left field. Elam doubled with a screaming line drive off Raley's glove at third that ricocheted into left center-field. Buster would then get Carley to fly out to Gilio for the final out of the frame.

With two outs in the top of the sixth, Gilio singled to shallow left field for her third hit of the game and then stole second. Neel smashed a ground ball right at Carley at first base for the final out of the frame.

Mattison Buster worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth, highlighted by impressive defensive plays by Endris and Easom for the first and last outs of the inning.

Diaz singled through the right side with one out in the frame and then would be replaced at first with Easom after she grounded into a fielder's choice. Jina Baffuto pinch ran for Easom following the fielder's choice. Raley doubled into right-center field, and Baffuto was thrown out at the plate on the play to end the inning and keep Tech off the board.

New Mexico State (came within one as Jessica Carreon hit an inside-the-park home run to left-center field that fell between a diving Cooper and Gilio and rolled to the fence to make it 5-4 in favor of LA Tech. However, the situation did not faze Buster as she retired the next three batters courtesy of a strikeout, flyout, and groundout to earn her second save of the season.
 
NEXT UP
The Bulldogs will look to sweep the series tomorrow at 11 a.m.
 
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