Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
The Louisiana Tech Softball team was defeated by WKU 10-6 in a back-and-forth contest during day two of the CUSA Championship at the New Mexico State Softball complex on Thursday afternoon.
“We were not very good in any phase of the game today,” said head coach Josh Taylor. “We did not capitalize on our opportunities offensively. Softball is a game of momentum and whenever we put runs on the scoreboard in the top half of an inning we could not keep them off of it in the bottom half. We are looking forward to bouncing back tomorrow.”
Tech took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning before WKU went ahead 4-2 in the bottom of the third. The Bulldogs would respond with three runs in the top of the fifth to take a 5-4 lead that would be short-lived as WKU answered with six in the home half to put the game out of reach.
A four-run third inning and a six-run fifth inning from WKU were the difference makers in the loss for LA Tech. The Hilltoppers’ Sophie Weber hit two home runs and drove in five runs while Cheyanne Sales hit a three-run home run.
Offensively, the Bulldogs did not fully capitalize on their opportunities by leaving eight on base during the contest. For the second straight game the first four hitters recorded a base hit. Kylie Neel and Alannah Rogers both drove in a pair of runs, courtesy of a two-run double and a two-run single.
Allie Floyd (4 IP, 4 R, 6 H, 3 BB, 2 K) pitched effectively during her 19th start of the year. Mattison Buster took the loss for LA Tech to fall to 2-5.
Rylan Smith (3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 4 K) earned the victory for the Hilltoppers (32-19-1) to improve to 12-6 on the season.
With the loss, Louisiana Tech (32-21) will play No. 1 seed Liberty in an elimination game on Friday at 3:30 p.m. (CT).
