RUSTON - Louisiana Tech softball secured its first Conference USA series win of the 2026 season after defeating Delaware 8-7 on Saturday afternoon at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field. The win moves LA Tech to 16-10 (2-3 CUSA).
 
There was no shortage of offense as the Bulldogs and Blue Hens combined for 15 runs and 16 hits, with LA Tech outhitting Delaware 9-7.
 
Elena Heng and Allie Furr led LA Tech with three hits apiece while Reese Torres drove in four runs for the Bulldogs. Aleah Brooks added one hit and two RBI while fellow freshman Bradi Gallaway chipped in with one hit and one RBI.
 
Bryannah Campos (4-2) earned the win in relief after entering in the fourth with two outs. She pitched 2.2 innings, allowing one run on one hit with three strikeouts and no walks. Allie Floyd recorded her first save of the season after pitching the seventh, retiring all three batters she faced with one strikeout.
 
Laney Johnson started in the circle and pitched 3.1 innings, allowing six runs on six hits with three walks.
 
After securing an inning ending double play in the top of the first, LA Tech jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The Bulldogs used back-to-back singles from Heng and Furr to start the game while Reagan Marchant loaded the bases after getting hit by a pitch. Torres followed with a hit by pitch that scored Heng, while Gallaway was hit by a third consecutive pitch that plated Furr. After a pitching change, Marchant crossed the plate on a wild pitch while Gallaway advanced to second and Torres took third. Brooks then scored Torres on a sac fly to left to make it 4-0 after one inning.
 
Delaware took advantage of a single, double and sac fly to make it 4-1 in the second before LA Tech took a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the third. Gallaway logged a one out single and scored on a double to left field from Brooks.
 
The Blue Hens took their first lead of the series in the top of the fourth, scoring four runs on a grand slam and adding two more on a two-run home run to go up 7-5. Delaware opened the inning with a walk, single and another walk to load the bases before the grand slam, while a single set up the two-run shot.
 
Delaware's lead did not last long as the Bulldogs regained the lead, 8-7, with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. A walk by Alannah Rogers and singles from Heng and Furr loaded the bases for Torres, who cleared them with a double to right-center.
 
Campos retired the side in order in the fifth and sixth while Floyd shut the door in the seventh to secure the 8-7 win for LA Tech.

Coach Taylor's Postgame Comments.…
"It is just a team win. I really like that component of the team aspect of it. It came from a lot of different places. When you look at Laney [Johnson], I thought she gave us a really quality start. Obviously, it got a little weird in the fourth, but we have talked about that. But I think overall her level of competitiveness was there, and it has been there all season with her. I am really proud of that. Bryannah Campos came in and was a little shaky at first and then settled in and really gave us a quality two and two-thirds innings. She did a good job of keeping us there. Hits came from a number of different places. We were able to load them up early and we took some walks or we got hit by pitches. Those are big moments. And then, obviously, [Reese] Torres there in the fifth inning just with that swing, excuse me, in the bottom of the fourth inning to answer their sixth spot to give us the lead back was absolutely tremendous. And then for them to put zeros on the board, our pitchers to put zeros on the board from there on out to hold that lead."
 
"I mean, Malcolm said it to me after that half inning that we did not think eight runs was going to be enough and our pitchers certainly proved him and I wrong. I think that was huge for us and just a complete team win with a lot of contributions from a lot of people. I think our defense was good. If you look at the play that Brooksy [Aleah Brooks] makes there in the seventh inning off Schaefer's bat, it's a game-changing play. That is two outs and nobody on at that point, but that ball is smoked, and for her to glove that is a big play. That is not as easy as people think. That ball is running away from her. For her to pocket that was really huge for us. And obviously Allie [Floyd] was able to finish it."

 
NOTABLES
- Josh Taylor moves to 151-101 as head coach at LA Tech.
- LA Tech leads the all-time series against Delaware 2-1 after the win.
- Elena Heng recorded her 13^th multi-hit game of the season while Allie Furr logged her seventh.
- Elena Heng has reached base safely in 14 consecutive games, while Reese Torres has reached safely in 11 straight.
- Reese Torres drove in multiple runs for the seventh time this season and recorded her second four-RBI game of the season.
- Reese Torres and Aleah Brooks recorded their eighth doubles of the season.
- Allie Floyd registered the 12^th save of her career.  
 
NEXT UP
The Bulldogs and Blue Hens will close the series tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.