BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Trailing 4-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, Louisiana Tech softball used back-to-back two-out two-run home runs, capped off by a walk-off blast from
Addison Snyder, her first career home run to defeat New Mexico State 5-4 in the Opening Round of the Conference USA tournament on Wednesday afternoon.
The Bulldogs and Aggies finished with seven hits apiece, but LA Tech's timely hitting in the seventh proved to be the difference. Marchant, Snyder,
Alexis Gilio,
Claire Raley,
Allie Furr,
Alannah Rogers, and
Elena Heng all collected one hit each. Marchant, Snyder, Gilio, Heng and
Nicole Hammoude accounted for LA Tech's five runs.
Alyssa Martin earned the win in the circle after entering the game in top of the first injury, replacing
Allie Floyd who left the game due to injury. The senior picked up where she left off against Sam Houston and tossed 6.1 innings while allowing four runs on seven hits.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Scoreless through the first three innings, the Bulldogs and Aggies left a combined eight runners left on base with four belonging to each team.
LA Tech recorded its first hit of the game in the bottom of the second as Furr ripped a single past the outstretched glove of NMSU's second baseman. Heng would reach base via walk in the inning, but the Bulldogs were not able to make anything of it.
NMSU got three runners abord with two outs in the top of the third, but Martin was able to induce a popout to first to end the Aggies' scoring threat.
The Aggies struck first in the top of the fourth as they collected three hits and one run to make it 1-0. They led off the inning with a single, followed by a line out and another single. With two on, NMSU doubled to left center and got one across, but a strong throw from Gilio, to Raley and a Tag by Snyder would gun down the second run.
The Bulldogs tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth after logging two hits. Heng recorded a one out single and advanced to second on a Gilio hit by pitch, followed by a Raley singled to center to load the bases for LA Tech. After an infield fly to record a second out, Heng used her speed to come around to score on a wild pitch.
While it is only May, the fireworks were flying like it was the Fourth of July as the seventh inning saw a combined three home runs and seven runs. The Aggies went up 4-1 after a single and a walk put two on base for the Aggies. NMSU launched a three-run home run to make it 4-1.
The Bulldogs responded in a big way in the seventh, scoring four runs on three hits and walking off the Aggies to win it. After a flyout to start the bottom half, Gilio singled to second and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Raley moved Gilio over to third on a groundout, followed by Marchant's 18
th home run of the season to cut NMSU's lead to one.
Down in the count 1-2 with two outs, Snyder connected on a two-run home run for her first career bomb to lift the Bulldogs over the Aggies in walk-off fashion.
NOTABLES
The Bulldogs move to 12-12 all-time in CUSA Tournament games.
The win marked LA Tech's third walk-off of the season.
Allie Floyd made her 27
th start of the season.
Alyssa Martin pitched 6.1 innings in relief to earn her third win of the season. It is her second consecutive outing of 6.0+ innings.
Addison Snyder hit her first career home run.
Reagan Marchant set a new LA Tech single season mark for home runs after hitting her 18
th of the year.
Reagan Marchant registered her 17
th multi-RBI game of the season after driving in two runs in the seventh inning.
NEXT UP
The Bulldogs will take on the No. 1 seeded Liberty Flames tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. in the second round. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
