Lady Techsters outlast NSU in 15-inning marathon
Photo by Chris Reich
Audrey Pickett threw 227 pitches in 12 2/3 innings of work in the circle Tuesday night as Louisiana Tech defeated Northwestern State 3-2 in 15 innings on the road in Natchitoches.
NATCHITOCHES — Zoe Hick scored on an infield bad-hop single by Kara Goff in the top of the 15th inning, and Hannah Koenig retired all three batters in the bottom of the frame as Louisiana Tech swept the season series against Northwestern State with a 3-2 marathon victory Tuesday night at Lady Demons Diamond.
In a game that lasted 4 hours and 44 minutes, Tech (19-24) registered an 11th hour rally in the top of the seventh inning to send the game into extra innings.
Trailing 2-0 entering the top of the seventh inning, Amanda Gonzalez singled and advanced to second on a ground out by KB Briley. After Brooke Diaz flied out for the second out of the inning, Tanjala Smith reached on an infield single to first base to put runners on 1st and 3rd.
Sophomore Kylie Neel then recorded the at bat of the night. Neel fouled off pitch after pitch against NSU starter Kenzie Seely and then on the 12th pitch of the at bat lined a double off the base of the right centerfield wall to tie the game at 2-2.
Tech starter Audrey Pickett survived some early jams and then settled down, working 12 and 2/3 innings while throwing 227 pitches before being relieved with two outs in the bottom of the 13th inning. Pickett allowed just two runs on 13 hits and four walks while striking out eight. Her 12 and 2/3 innings ties for the fourth most by a Techster pitcher in a single game in program history.
Koenig worked the final 2.2 innings, but not without some stress in the bottom of the 14th. Northwestern State (19-17) loaded the bases on a single and two hit by pitches but got a line out to left field off the bat of Kaitlyn St. Clair to end the threat.
In the top of the 15th, Zoe Hicks singled to start the frame and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Caroline Easom. Goff then hit a hard ground ball at NSU second baseman Cayla Jones then took a bad hop, ricocheting off Jones’s chest and rolling away. Hicks never slowed down coming around third and scored all the way from second base on the play.
Koenig worked a perfect 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the 15th to seal the win.
Neel tied a school single-game record with seven at bats. Jordyn Manning and Easom led Tech with two hits each.
NSU reliever EC Delafield took the loss, allowing one run on four hits and four walks with 10 strikeouts over the final 8.0 innings of action.
Northwestern State left 21 runners on base while Tech left 14.
Tech will return to action this weekend when it travels to Hattiesburg to face Southern Miss starting Friday.
