RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech (3-0) beat Southeast Missouri (0-3) by scores of 8-0 and 6-1 in a doubleheader Sunday. The Lady Techsters completed a season-opening series sweep of the Redhawks.
In game one, La. Tech jumped ahead early with a four-run first inning. Sierra Sacco was hit by a pitch and stole second. Amanda Gonzalez walked and Kylie Neel followed with a RBI-single to left. With one out, Kate Cooper hit a three-run home run to put the Lady Techsters ahead, 4-0.
The Lady Techsters added two unearned runs in the second. Bailey Wright led off with a double and scored on an error. Gonzalez later flied out to left center scoring Alyssa Dean to make it 6-0.
In the top of the third,
Kimmy Fleming led off with single and
Tatum Gerwitz reached on a walk. SEMO, however, came up empty with two runners in scoring position.
La. Tech hit back-to-back home runs to finish off its win in the bottom of the sixth. Jordyn Manning and Wright each delivered solo shots with one out in the inning.
Lauren Menzina and Mary Martinez combined for a three-hit shutout. Menzina was credited with the win after striking out two, walking three and allowing two hits in four innings.
Martinez gave up a walk and one hit in two frames.
Paytience Holman (0-1) suffered the loss in her 2023 debut. Holman gave up eight runs on eight hits, struck out two and walked one in 5.1 innings.
Alyson Tucker went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles to lead SEMO. Fleming had the other hit.
Seven players had a hit for the Lady Techsters.
For the third-straight game, La. Tech grabbed a lead in the first inning when it scored twice to begin the nightcap.
Sacco singled, Gonzalez doubled and Neel was hit by a pitch to immediately load the bases with no outs against starter
Delaney Kell. Brooke Diaz flied out and Sacco scored before Carol Easom doubled down the right field line to give the Lady Techsters a 2-0 cushion.
The Redhawks, who left two on in the first, loaded the bases in the top of the second. Allie Floyd kept SEMO off the board when she got
Paige Halliwill to ground out.
La. Tech tacked on another run in the third inning and loaded the bases to score two more in the fourth. One final tally came for the Lady Techsters in the sixth.
SEMO, which went its first 19 innings of the season without scoring, got its first run on a two-out double by Tucker in the top of the seventh. Tucker's second double of the game scored Halliwill to cut La. Tech's lead to 6-1.
Floyd (1-0) picked up the win tossing six scoreless innings. She scattered five hits, struck out one and walked one.
Kell (0-1) took the loss after giving up five runs on eight hits and walking one in three innings.
The Lady Techsters outhit the Redhawks, 10-5. Tucker again led SEMO going 3-for-4 with a pair doubles.
SEMO returns to action when it hosts Saint Louis in its home-opener on Feb. 19. First pitch of a doubleheader is set for 12 p.m., CT.
