by Malcolm Butler
While a senior was dealing in the circle, it was a rookie who ended the night.
Freshman Bradi Gallaway drilled a 1-2 change-up deep over the left centerfield wall in the bottom of the 11th to send Louisiana Tech to a 3-2 victory over ULM Thursday night at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
Gallaway’s third home run of the season — her first at home — ended a 3 hour, 12-minute contest that saw Tech (10-2) complete a late rally from a two-run deficit.
With Tech trailing 2-0 and two outs in the bottom of the sixth, senior Alannah Rogers drove a ball down the left field line to plate a pair and tie the game. It was Tech’s only run scoring hit until Gallaway’s heroics in the 11th.
“My thought coming to the plate in the 11th was … well this is my sixth at bat (of the night),” said Gallaway. “I had hit it on the nob or gotten jammed. It was time I figured it out. By that time, I was just thinking … just play softball. Take a deep breath and keep it simple.”
Senior Allie Floyd, the preseason Conference USA Pitcher of the Year, was phenomenal in the circle, allowing just two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five in the complete-game performance. Floyd, who set a career-high with the 11 innings, threw 140 pitches — 89 for strikes — while picking up her third win of the year.
“I just wanted to be out here with my team,” said Floyd when asked about pitching the full 11 innings. “I didn’t start great. I was getting behind batters in the first inning. My thought process was just rely on my defense behind me.
“Throughout the game, I got better at commanding the zone and just continued to throw my stuff.”
After walking the leadoff hitter in the first, Floyd retired 13 straight hitters until a one-out walk in the top of the fifth. ULM would capitalize in the frame with two outs when pinch hitter Reese Briggs drove a pitch into the right centerfield gap to give the Warhawks a 2-0 lead.
Rogers tied it in the bottom of the sixth and then Tech loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh before a ground out ended the threat, sending the game into extra innings.
Both teams had opportunities to score in extra innings but Floyd and ULM’s Ashanti McDade both worked out of trouble.
Until the 11th when Gallaway sent Bulldog fans home happy with her third hit of the night and her third home run of the season.
Furr and Reese Torres each added two hits for Tech.
The Bulldogs will host Southern Miss in a 3-game series this weekend, starting tonight at 6 p.m.
