By Malcolm Butler
It had been three weeks since junior Lauren Menzina had seen action for Louisiana Tech.
Tuesday night she got a chance and she made the most of it.
The former Cedar Creek star tossed 4.0 scoreless innings in relief, allowing just two hits (both coming with two outs in the top of the 7th) while striking out a career-high six batters to help lead the Lady Techsters (30-18) to a 3-0 win over Grambling State (27-17) Tuesday night at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
It was the seventh straight win for the Lady Techsters (30-18) and the 12th shutout of the year by the Tech pitching staff.
Menzina’s effort impressed her coach.
“Lauren was really, really good tonight,” said head coach Josh Taylor. “Really good. Her stuff was hard and down in the zone. She really controlled the game in her four innings. That really excites me. We are going to need everyone down the stretch if we want to accomplish our goals. And it was exciting to see Lauren throw so well tonight.”
Emma Hutchinson got the start in the circle. Hutchinson threw 3.0 shutout innings, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out four batters.
Hutchinson and Menzina (5-0) kept the Lady Tigers at bay and allowed the Tech offense to finally wake up in the bottom of the fourth inning.
“We were bad offensively tonight,” said Taylor. “We weren’t aggressive at all early. Very passive. I think sometimes our hitters aren’t as aggressive early as they need to be. We’ve talked about it for weeks. I just wasn’t very happy with our approach at the plate most of the night.”
Sierra Sacco led the bottom of the fourth off with a walk and moved to second on a line drive single by Amanda Gonzalez to left field. Kylie Neel then followed with a double down the left field line that was just out of the reach of the GSU leftfielder, scoring Sacco with the first run of the game.
“Kylie has really been swinging well,” said Taylor of the reigning C-USA Hitter of the Week. “I thought her approach was good tonight. She continues to really lead us at the plate. She is attacking pitches in the zone and looking to do damage with every swing.”
After KB Briley laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners, Katelin Cooper hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to plate Gonzalez with the second run of the inning.
Hutchinson and Menziina combined to retire 12 straight batters at one point of the game before an infield error allowed the GSU leadoff batter aboard in the sixth.
Tech added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning as Neel doubled with two outs and then scored on an RBI double by pinch hitter Aleya Hill to left field.
Grambling State tried to rally in the seventh, recording back-to-back single with two outs but Menzina induced a ground ball to Gonzalez at shortstop to end the game.
Janecia King allowed just three runs on six hits while striking out two in the complete-game performance for the Lady Tigers.
Tech will host C-USA leader Charlotte Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
