YOUNGSVILLE, La. – Louisiana Tech softball improved its record to 7-2 on Saturday after splitting its two games on day two of the Mardi Gras Mambo. The Bulldogs fell to St. Thomas 8-2 in game one before taking SIU-Edwardsville 7-3 to cap the day.
 
Reagan Marchant and Bradi Gallaway both tallied four hits and two RBI while Cali Bennett collected three hits across the two fames. Marchant, Gallaway and Reese Torres all homered in the win over SIUE.
 
Laney Johnson moved to 3-0 after going the distance in the circle against SIUE. Johnson allowed three runs on eight hits while striking out four. The right-hander did not allow any extra base hits in the victory.
 
GAME ONE – St. Thomas 8, LA Tech 2
 
Scoreless through the first two frames, St. Thomas jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third, using a walk, a sac bunt, a wild pitch and sac fly to strike first.
 
The Bulldogs tied the game in the fifth as Alannah Rogers came around to score on a Marchant single to center. The tie would not last as the Tommies answered with three runs on two hits to take a 4-1 lead.
 
St. Thomas was able to plate four more runs in the next frame to take an 8-1 lead. The Tommies tallied three hits including two two-run home runs in the inning.
 
LA Tech cut the score to 8-2 in the top of the seventh as Elena Heng came around to score on a wild pitch after reaching on a fielder's choice.
 
Marchant registered three hits and one RBI while Gallaway had one hit. Allie Floyd took the loss in the circle after tossing 5.0 innings while allowing four runs on four hits with six strikeouts.
 
GAME TWO – LA Tech 7, SIUE 3
 
The Bulldogs powered their way to seven runs in game two behind three home runs. Tech jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Marchant blasted a solo home run to right center, marking her second of the event.
 
SIUE tied the game in the bottom of the second. The tied would not last as the Bulldogs added six runs over the next five frames. Tech added one run in the fourth as Torres scored on a wild pitch after getting hit by a pitch earlier in the inning.
 
The Bulldogs made it 3-1 in the fifth as Gallaway hit a leadoff home run to right field. Tech took a 5-1 lead in the sixth as Torres came around to score on a Bennett single after reaching on a single to start the game. Gallaway was able to plate Bennett as she followed with a double of her own.
 
SIUE scored once in the bottom of the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-2, but Torres responded with two insurance runs in the seventh, launching her first home run as a Bulldog — a two-run shot that scored Flores, who reached on a fielder's choice.
 
NOTABLES
- LA Tech moves to 9-5 in Mardi Gras Mambo games all-time.
- LA Tech earned its first ever win over SIUE, moving to 1-3 against the Cougars all-time.
- The Bulldogs fall to 1-2 all-time against St. Thomas.
- Reese Torres hit her first home run at LA Tech and the 12^th of her career.
- Reagan Marchant hit her 20^th career home run.
- Reagan Marchant tallied her 15^th career multi-hit game and 20^th career multi-RBI game.
- Bradi Gallaway finished with two hits in both games, giving her three career two-hit games.
- Tech had three different players hit a home run for the first time since Feb. 18, 2025 against Northwestern State.
- Allie Floyd struck out five or more batters for the 28^th time in her career after picking up six strikeouts in game one.  
 
NEXT UP
The Bulldogs will close out the three-day event tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. against Georgia State.