LA Tech gets offensive in Saturday doubleheader sweep at UTSA

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Louisiana Tech hit five home runs and scored 26 runs Saturday in sweeping a Conference USA doubleheader against UTSA at Roadrunner Field.

Tech (25-9, 6-2 C-USA) defeated UTSA (16-17, 6-5 C-USA) 13-1 in five innings in game one and then handed the Roadrunners a 13-7 loss in game two.

The Lady Techsters totaled 31 hits in the two games, including five home runs, while scoring in double figures for the third straight game. Jazlyn Crowder (two), Lindsay Edwards, Bayli Simon and AJ Williams all recorded blasts against three UTSA pitchers.

“We prepared hard for their pitchers the past couple of days,” said Tech head coach Mark Montgomery. “I thought our approach at the plate was phenomenal. We really focused on our approach and we had production throughout our order.

“I thought we got a couple of solid starts from our two pitchers, but we have to do better in relief. This has been an ongoing issue for us and it’s something we have to correct. Early in the year we were winning games with more of a National League style and now we are winning games with more of an American League approach.”

Tech and UTSA will play the third game of the series Sunday at 1 p.m.

Game 1: LA Tech 13, UTSA 1

Jazlyn Crowder and Lindsay Edwards each recorded three hits and Preslee Gallaway was solid in the circle in leading Louisiana Tech to a five-inning run-rule victory over UTSA.

Tech plated four runs in the first, two in the second, one in the third and six more in the fourth while recording 14 hits.

Sloane Stewartson drove home two runs with a double to left field to start the scoring in the first followed by an RBI single by Edwards and an RBI grounder by Bayli Simon.

UTSA answered with a single run in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI double by Kindell Brooks, cutting the Tech lead advantage to 4-1.

Tech pushed the lead to 6-1 in the second as Zoe Hicks and Simon each recorded RBI singles. Hicks drove home another run in the third inning drawing a bases loaded walk as the lead ballooned to 7-1.

The Lady Techsters put the game away in the top of the fourth inning, plating six runs on five hits and three UTSA errors. Marilyn Rizzato recorded an RBI single and Kimmie Atienza drove home another run with a bunt single with a third running scoring on a throwing error on the play. Following another error by UTSA that allowed a run to score, Crowder launched a two-run blast to deep left center capping the scoring.

Crowder (3-3, HR, 3 runs, 2 RBI, SB), Edwards (3-4, run, RBI), Simon (2-4, run, 2 RBI, SB), Rizzato (2-4, run, RBI), Atienza (1-4, run, RBI, SB), Turkoly (2 runs, SB), Hicks (1-2, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Stewartson (1-4, 2 RBI), Kailey Anderson (1-2, run) and Meghan Robicheaux (run) led Tech offensively.

Gallaway (10-6) picked up the win, allowing one run on four hits while recording three strikeouts.

Game 2: LA Tech 13, UTSA 7

Tech saw a pair of leads evaporate late, but the Lady Techsters plated eight runs in the seventh inning to complete the doubleheader sweep over UTSA.

The Lady Techsters recorded a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Kimmie Atienza singled and then scored on a double steal with Morgan Turkoly.

Lindsay Edwards upped the lead to 2-0 in the top of the fourth inning, driving home Zoe Hicks with an RBI single to right field. Jazlyn Crowder double the lead in the fifth inning with a two-run home run to right field, her second of the game.

Krystal De La Cruz pitched her way out of early trouble, stranding eight base runners through the first three innings as UTSA left the bases loaded in both the second and third innings.

After surrendering a leadoff single in the fifth inning, De La Cruz was relieved by Gallaway. One batter later, Gallaway surrendered a three-run home run to Riley Grunberg, cutting the Tech lead to 4-3. Victoria Villareal followed with a solo home run against Gallaway tying the game at 4-4.

Edwards answered for Tech in the top of the sixth inning, launching her third home run of the season to left field and giving the Lady Techsters a 5-4 advantage.

UTSA tied the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning on a solo home run by Madison Washington against Tech reliever Hannah Koenig. UTSA had the go-ahead run on third base but De La Cruz re-entered the game and got the final out to strand the runner (UTSA stranded 13 runners in the loss).

Tech exploded in the top of the seventh inning as the first 10 batters of the frame reached base safely. Zoe Hicks gave Tech a 7-5 lead with a 2-run single and then Edwards drove home two more with a triple down the right field line.

Simon and AJ Williams then recorded two-run home runs to left field for a 13-5 Lady Techsters lead.

UTSA got a two-run home run from Bailee Baldwin in the bottom of the seventh before De La Cruz recorded three straight outs to end the game.

De La Cruz (7-2) picked up the win, allowing three runs on six hits and three walks while striking out eight batters in 6.0 innings of action.

Turkoly (3-4, 2 runs, 2 SB), Hicks (3-5, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Edwards (3-4, HR, 2 runs, 4 RBI, SB), Kimmie Atienza (2-5, run, 3 SB), Simon (1-4, run, HR, 2 RBI, SB), Williams (1-2, HR, run, 2 RBI), Sloane Stewartson (1-3), Rizzato (1-3, run) and Berkley Calapp (run) led Tech offensively.

Turkoly walked three times in the doubleheader, moving past former Techster All-American Lea Ann Jarvis as the all-time leader in walks drawn with 112.