RUSTON, La. – Sophomore Rylee Rodriguez hit a grand slam in the first inning of the day to give UTSA a 4-0 advantage, but LA Tech rallied to get by UTSA, 7-4 in game one. The Lady Techsters then used four runs to defeat the Roadrunners, 4-0, in the second game at the Lady Techster Softball Complex on Saturday afternoon.
Game One: LA Tech 7, UTSA 4
The first game of the day saw UTSA strike first with a big four-run opening stanza as seven Roadrunners made plate appearances in the frame. Sophomore Celeste Loughman got things going with a leadoff walk while junior Bailee Baldwin followed with a double down the left field line. Freshman Victoria Villarreal joined the outfielders on-base as she was hit-by-a-pitch. With the bases loaded Rodriguez hammered out a grand slam to give UTSA a 4-0 edge.
LA Tech responded with a single run in the bottom of the second inning as a Roadrunner fielding error cut UTSA's lead to 4-1.
The Lady Techsters then exploded for six runs on five hits and two UTSA errors in the bottom of the third inning to take 7-4 lead.
UTSA battled back in the top of the sixth with runners on second and third, but LA Tech brought in pitcher Krystal De La Cruz to retire the inning. Overall, the home squad used four different pitchers to keep the Roadrunners off the scoreboard for the last six innings and secure a 7-4 victory.
Getting her 18th start of the season, senior Lizzy Fox (10-9) took the loss in the circle despite fanning a game-best three batters over 6.0 innings.
Game Two: LA Tech 4, UTSA 0
In the second game LA Tech scored runs in the first three innings and one in the fifth to put UTSA away, 4-0. Overall, the Lady Techsters paced the game with five hits.
The Roadrunners produced three hits as Loughman, Baldwin, and Rodriguez each collected hits.
In the circle, freshman Madison Nelson (5-12) delivered six innings, relinquishing just two earned runs and two walks while striking out two.
UTSA and LA Tech will close out the series on Sunday. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
