Louisiana Tech 6, Southeastern Louisiana 2
RUSTON, La. – Southeastern Louisiana was unable to overcome a four-run Louisiana Tech first inning in a 6-2 non-conference loss Tuesday evening at the Louisiana Tech Softball Complex.
The loss was just the second in the last seven games for the Lady Lions (12-17). Louisiana Tech (20-8) was able to extend its win streak to four games.
Leading Southeastern at the plate were freshman shortstop Sydney Booker and junior outfielder Katie Lacour. Booker hit her team-high seventh home run to account for both of SLU’s runs, while Lacour was 2-for-3, raising her league-leading batting average to .485 and her Southland-high hit total to 49.
Louisiana Tech scored all the runs it would need off freshman Nicole Ayala (2-4) in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore right fielder Tori Charters, senior first baseman Bianca Duran and senior centerfielder Janine Godwin all drove in runs, while a passed ball by senior catcher Spencer Adkinson also forced in a run.
Lady Techster sophomore pitcher Pauline Tufi (4-0) cruised through the first three innings, before SLU broke through in the top of the fourth inning. Lacour led off the frame with a sharp single to left centerfield. One out later, Booker hit a long shot that easily cleared the left field fence to cut the lead to 4-2. In her first season in Hammond, the Madison, Alabama native has a team-high 35 RBI in the first 29 games of her career.
The Techsters got the runs back in the bottom of the fourth. Tufi helped her cause with a two-run single to put Louisiana Tech up, 6-2. That would be all Louisiana Tech would get, as junior Madison Vige’ allowed three hits in three innings of relief, while junior Taylor Bishop retired all six batters she faced.
Southeastern mounted one last threat in the top of the sixth inning, as a single by Lacour and junior designated player Amber Sather’s team-high 24th walk of the season put runners on the corners. However, Tufi retired senior third baseman Megan Moore to keep the lead at four runs. The Lady Lions went down in order in the top of the seventh.
Southeastern will be back in action this weekend, hosting Sam Houston State for a three-game Southland Conference series at North Oak Park. The series opens with a 4 p.m. doubleheader on Friday and concludes with Saturday’s 11 a.m. contest.