Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
Louisiana Tech secured a Conference USA series win with a pair of shutout victories over UTEP in a Thursday doubleheader, defeating the Miners 5-0 and 3-0 at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
The Bulldogs (28-23, 14-12 CUSA) moved the series up a day to avoid forecasted storms and responded with dominant pitching performances, combining to hold UTEP scoreless across 14 innings.
Louisiana Tech head coach Josh Taylor credited his team’s all-around performance following the doubleheader sweep.
“I saw pitching and defense,” Taylor said. “Our pitchers were incredible. Anytime you throw two shutouts, if they don’t score and we do, we win. That’s the goal. It was a true staff outing today, and defensively we played really well. When you combine that with timely hitting, that’s the formula for success.”
In the opener, Allie Floyd earned her 10th win of the season after allowing just two hits over four scoreless innings while striking out six and issuing no walks. Bryannah Campos closed out the final three innings to record the save, allowing no runs and striking out one.
Louisiana Tech outhit UTEP 6-4 in Game 1, with Allie Furr and Alannah Rogers leading the way with two hits each. Furr, Gracie Flores, Bradi Gallaway, Rosalie Dufresne and Jina Baffuto each drove in a run.
The Bulldogs took control early, scoring in the first inning as Furr led off with a double and later scored on Gallaway’s RBI double. Tech extended the lead to 3-0 in the second behind RBI hits from Furr and Flores.
After Floyd retired the first nine batters she faced, UTEP managed two singles in the fourth but could not capitalize. Tech added two insurance runs in the fifth, highlighted by a sacrifice fly from Baffuto and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch that brought in another run.
Campos retired the side in order in both the sixth and seventh innings to secure the win.
In Game 2, Laney Johnson improved to 8-4 after tossing four scoreless innings, allowing four hits. Ruby Fidge earned her second save of the season, striking out three over the final three innings.
Flores paced the Bulldogs offensively, going 3-for-3 with three doubles and an RBI. Reagan Marchant drove in two runs, including a solo home run — her 17th of the season — in the fourth inning.
Tech struck early again as Furr doubled to open the game and later scored on Flores’ RBI double. Flores came home on a sacrifice fly by Marchant to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
After a quiet stretch through the middle innings, Marchant’s home run extended the lead to 3-0. It was Marchant’s league-leading 17th home run of the season, her 14th vs CUSA teams setting a single season conference record.
Fidge preserved the shutout, working around two hits, a walk and an error over the final three frames.
The two teams will close out the series Saturday at 11 a.m.
