RUSTON – Behind a complete-game shutout from Brook Melnychuk and a three-run home run from Paris Endris, the Louisiana Tech Softball team defeated McNeese 4-0 in its non-conference finale on Tuesday night at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.

With the victory, the Bulldogs (30-18) reached the 30-win mark for the third consecutive season under head coach Josh Taylor. It also marked the 26th season in which LA Tech has tallied 30 or more wins.

Menlychuk was nearly unhittable during her first-career complete-game shutout. The redshirt junior struck out three while allowing just three hits and no walks. With the victory, Melnychuk improved to 11-7 this season.

The Bulldogs plated all four runs in the fifth inning. With runners on first and third and no outs, Endris broke things open by driving a 1-0 pitch from McNeese pitcher Alexis Dibbley over the left-center field wall to put the Bulldogs ahead 3-0. The three-run round-tripper was the first of Endris' career. Kylie Neel then provided insurance later in the inning with a sacrifice fly that scored Katelin Cooper, giving the Bulldogs their final run in the victory.

Alexis Gilio (2-3) led LA Tech with two hits on the night. Caroline Easom and Katelin Cooper doubled, while Brooke Diaz and Claire Raley collected singles in the contest. Raley, Diaz, and Neel also reached base by walking.

Dibbley (4 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) took the loss for McNeese (35-18) to fall to 4-2 on the season.

NOTABLES
- The Bulldogs are 101-62 under head coach Josh Taylor who owns a career head coaching record of 334-230.
- Brook Melnychuk tossed her first-career complete-game shutout. The complete-game performance was her first this season and third of her career. The seven-inning complete-game was the second of her career and first since she went the distance in a 7-2 win at UTEP on April 22, 2023.
- Melnychuk did not walk a single batter during the win. Louisiana Tech is now 26-6 when not allowing a walk under pitching coach Chelsea Cohen (2022-now).
- LA Tech has outscored opponents 48-27 in the fifth inning this season.
- The Bulldogs are 16-1 when hitting a home run this season and 341-159 when doing so this millennium.
- LA Tech is 22-3 when outhitting opponents in 2024 and 454-84 when doing so since 2000.
- Louisiana Tech improved to 16-10 all-time in games played on April 30.
- Paris Endris hit her first career home run with a three-run shot in the bottom of the fifth. She also set a new single-game career high with three RBI. The three-RBI game was the fourth multi-RBI game of her career.
- Kylie Neel collected her 97^th career RBI with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning. She is nine RBI away from cracking the all-time career Top-10 in the LA Tech record books.
- LA Tech improved to 3-0 this season against McNeese. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series with the Cowgirls, 60-31.
- Alexis Gilio notched her 25^th career multi-hit game.
- Caroline Easom's 628 career at-bats are the 10^th-most in program history.
- Brooke Diaz increased her hitting streak to five games and reached-base streak to six games with a one-out single in the bottom of the second inning.

QUOTABLES
On the game…
"When we play our game we are hard to beat. Brook Melnychuk was fantastic, throwing a three-hit shutout against a really good offense. She was working both sides of the plate. Her velocity was there. She elevated a bit to get some fly balls. She did a great job of working ahead in the count. She got a lot of weak contact and ground balls. Our defense played great. Our formula for this season is great pitching, great defense and timely hitting and we got all three of those tonight."- head coach Josh Taylor.

On Paris Endris' three-run home run…
"Paris hitting her first home run was a big at-bat. It was 0-0 in the bottom of the fifth. That was the timely hit that we were looking for. When we get those, we are hard to beat. I am proud of Paris. She showed a lot of resolve and all the hard work she has put in paid off. To have that moment is really rewarding for her." – head coach Josh Taylor.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Melnychuk struck out the Cowgirls' Rylee Ester to open the game before getting a flyout to Katelin Cooper in left field and a groundout to Nicole Hammoude at shortstop to complete a 1-2-3 inning. 

In the bottom of the first, Dibbley retired Louisiana Tech in order courtesy of a lineout and consecutive groundouts. 

In the second inning, Claire Raley made an impressive play on a short-hop at third for out No. 1 as Melnychuk pitched another scoreless frame. Emily Phillips singled into right field with two outs in the inning for the game's first hit, and Reese Reyna followed with a single up the middle, but both would be stranded as Melnychuk struck out Mariana Torres for the third and final out.

Brooke Diaz singled to center field in the bottom half to increase her hitting streak to a team-leading five games.

Defensive highlights were plentiful in a 1-2-3 top of the third inning as Raley snagged a line drive at third for the second out, and Cooper made a running grab in foul territory for the final out of the frame. 

Dibbley retired the Dogs in order in the bottom of the third.

The pitchers' duel continued into the top of the fourth as Melnychuk made it seven-straight Cowgirls retired with a 1-2-3 inning.

With one out in the Tech half of the fourth, Alexis Gilio singled to third base, and Kylie Neel walked. Gilio advanced to third on Hammoude's flyout to deep center field, but that was as far as she would get, as Dibbley got another flyout to end the inning.

In the top of the fifth, Reyna singled to third base and took second on a throwing error with one out, but that was all McNeese could muster against Melnychuk.

The Bulldogs broke things open in the bottom of the fifth. Caroline Easom doubled to left-center field to lead off the frame.  Following Easom's doubled she was pinch-ran for by Jina Baffuto. Raley followed a bunt single that advanced Baffuto to third and put runners on the corners with no outs. Paris Endris broke things open with a three-run home run to left-center field. The three-run round-tripper was the first of her career. Following Endris' home run, Cooper doubled to right field, and Gilio singled to second base with one out to put runners on the corners. Kylie Neel added insurance with a sacrifice fly that scored Cooper and put Tech ahead 4-0.

McNeese would pull starting pitcher Alexis Dibbley after the three-run homer and go to Ryann Schexnayder in relief.

Melnychuk issued her fourth 1-2-3 inning of the game to get through the sixth. Diaz and Raley reached base on walks in the bottom half as Schexnayder tossed a scoreless frame.

In the top of the seventh, Melnychuk finished the complete-game shutout by issuing consecutive groundouts and a flyout to Alannah Rogers in right field. With the win, Melnychuk improved to 11-7 this season.

NEXT UP
The Bulldogs are back in action this weekend when they conclude the regular season with a three-game series against FIU at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
 
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