Tech to host Missouri State in four-game softball series
The Louisiana Tech Softball team looks to get back in the win column when it hosts Missouri State for a four-game weekend series beginning at 6 p.m.
Tech is 6-1 this season and coming off a 9-3 loss at UL-Lafayette in a game that featured a season-high four errors from the Bulldogs’ infield.
Claire Raley paced Tech offensively, going 2-for-4 at the plate with a single, a home run, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. Raley›s two-run round-tripper came in the top of the fifth when she smashed a 1-0 pitch from the Ragin› Cajuns Chloe Riassetto over the wall in the right-center field. Nicole Hammoude drove in the Bulldogs› first run of the ballgame with an RBI single to right-center that scored Raley in the top of the first. Alexis Gilio, Kaylee Grealy, Kylie Neel, and Alannah Rogers also recorded a hit in the loss.
Through seven games this season, the Bulldogs have outscored opponents 62-19, totaling 66 hits, 17 doubles, and 6 home runs. Louisiana Tech has homered in five consecutive games, their longest streak since March 19 to April 1, 2022, when they homered in seven straight games.
Caroline Easom has been on fire offensively this season. Easom leads the Bulldogs with a .529 batting average and .636 on-base percentage. She has collected 9 hits, 3 doubles, 2 RBIs, 5 walks, 5 runs scored and 12 total bases.
Raley leads the Bulldogs with 3 home runs. She is just one shy of her single-season high of four, which she set in 2023 at Utah State. Gilio has also been impressive at the top of the Tech order, posting a .500 batting average.
Easom and Hammoude have reached base in all seven games this season, while Alannah Rogers and Alexis Gilio are on six-game reached base streaks.
Louisiana Tech has excelled in the circle in 2024. The Bulldogs have recorded a 2.07 team earned run average and 0.95 WHIP as opponents are hitting .204 against the Bulldogs’ pitching staff this season.
Allie Floyd leads Tech in innings pitched (18) and strikeouts (17) this season while owning a 1.56 ERA. She also holds a 2-0 record.
Brook Melnychuk has been impressive as well. The redshirt junior holds a 1.91 ERA in 18 2/3 innings pitched. Opposing hitters are batting .212 against her. She was recently named Conference USA Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 19.
Tech is led by head coach Josh Taylor, who is 77-45 in three seasons at Tech and 310-213 in his career, with prior stops at Nevada (20172021) and Feather River College (2009-2012).
Missouri State is 2-6 this season. The Bears opened the 2024 campaign at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida, where they posted a 1-4 mark with an extra-innings win over Army (9-6) and losses to Clemson (12-0) WKU
(1-0), NC State (4-3) and Oregon (8-0). Last weekend the Bears went 1-2 in a three-game series at Southern Miss with a 3-2 win in game one before dropping the final two contests 9-2 and 4-3.
This weekend will be the 14th meeting between the two programs. Tech leads the all-time series
8-5. The Bulldogs won the last matchup 8-4 on Feb.
10, 2019 in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Mary Terral hit a three-run home run in the win.
