LYNCHBURG, Va. – Louisiana Tech scored five runs in the top of the ninth to defeat Liberty, 7-2, on Friday night at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium. The win moves LA Tech to 24-23 (10-12 Conference USA).
The Bulldogs outhit the Flames 9-6, led by Alannah Rogers, who tallied four hits and two RBI. Tech recorded four doubles, with two from Rogers, and one each from Bradi Gallaway and Reagan Marchant. Marchant joined Rogers with two RBI.
Gracie Flores, Jina Baffuto and Aleah Brooks also recorded hits. Gallaway and Baffuto each added an RBI.
LA Tech used to strong relief outings from Laney Johnson (7-4) and Bryannah Campos in the circle. Johnson earned the win with four innings of relief, allowing just two hits. She relieved Bryannah Campos, who threw 4.1 innings and allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts. Allie Floyd started and surrendered one run on two hits in the first.
The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Allie Furr walked, advanced to second on a groundout and scored on an infield single from Rogers. Liberty answered in the bottom of the frame, capitalizing on two hits and two walks to tie the game.
After scoreless second and third innings, Tech regained the lead in the fourth. Rogers led off with a double and scored on a Marchant double to make it 2-1.
Liberty tied the game in the fifth on a solo home run by Brynn McManus, its final run of the game.
Neither team scored in the sixth or seventh, sending the game to extra innings. Flores singled to lead off the eighth, but Tech could not capitalize. Liberty drew a leadoff walk in the bottom half, but a double play and a popout ended the threat.
The Bulldogs broke through in the ninth, scoring five runs on three hits and two Liberty errors. Brooks singled to open the inning and was replaced by pinch runner Avery Jefferson. Rosalie Dufresne reached on a throwing error on a bunt, allowing Jefferson to advance to third. Baffuto followed with an RBI single to give Tech the lead.
After a wild pitch and a walk loaded the bases, Dufresne was out at the plate on a fielder's choice. A second fielder's choice and throwing error allowed two runs to score, extending the lead to 5-2. Gallaway added an RBI on a fielder's choice, and Rogers capped the scoring with an RBI double to left-center, driving in Flores to make it 7-2 which would prove to hold.
NOTABLES
- Josh Taylor moves to 159-114 as head coach at LA Tech.
- LA Tech earned its first win over Liberty as the Flames lead the all-time series 11-1.
- Gracie Flores upped her hit streak to 13 games.
- Alannah Rogers recorded her fifth multi-hit game of the season and the first four-hit game of her career.
- Reagan Marchant registered her 10th multi-RBI game of the season while Alannah Rogers tallied her third.
- The Bulldogs move to 3-1 in extra-inning games this season.
NEXT UP
The Bulldogs and Flames will be back in action tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 p.m. CT.
