Walk-off home run lifts LA Tech to 7-5 triumph over Sam Houston

RUSTON, La. – Katelin Cooper’s walk-off two-run home run gave the Louisiana Tech Softball team a 7-5 win over Sam Houston in the Conference USA opener on Friday night at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Brooke Diaz drew a walk to put the winning run on first base. Katelin Cooper stepped to the plate and smashed a 1-2 pitch from Sam Houston pitcher Abigail Young over the right field wall to end the ballgame and improve the Bulldogs’ record to 14-4. The two-run round-tripper was Cooper’s first this season and the 12th of her career.

On a night when pitching was not as dominant as usual and hits were hard to come by, the Bulldogs were still able to scrap their way to a victory.

Louisiana Tech plated seven runs on just five hits while drawing eight walks. Before the walk-off homer, the Dogs plated all five of their runs in the fourth inning courtesy of four walks, an error, and a bases-clearing double from Caroline Easom.

Easom went 2-4 with three RBI, while Cooper walked three times in addition to her walk-off home run. Kylie Neel doubled, and Aubree Seaney singled for the Bulldogs’ two other hits in the contest.

Brook Melnychuk was magnificent in relief for the second consecutive game. The Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, Canada, product allowed just one hit over 2.2 scoreless innings on her way to her sixth victory of the season. With runners on second and third in the top of the seventh, Melnychuk was able to escape a one-out jam by issuing consecutive groundouts to keep Sam Houston (9-11) off the board and set the table for Coopers’ walk-off home run.

The Bulldogs’ 14-4 start through 18 games is the best by a Louisiana Tech team since the 2019 Conference USA Champions and NCAA Regional participant Tech squad started 15-3.

NOTABLES
– Kylie Neel doubled in the fifth inning to increase her hitting streak to five games.
– Caroline Easom went 2-4 with three RBI, notching her 33rd career multi-hit game and 17th career multi-RBI game. It was the fourth three-RBI game in her career.
– Katelin Cooper’s walk-off home run was the first by a Tech player since Aleya Hill hit a walk-off solo home run in a 3-2 win over Tulsa on Feb. 20, 2022.
– The home run was Cooper’s 12th of her career which leads all active Bulldogs.
– Cooper’s walk-off was the second of the season for LA Tech, Caroline Easom previously had a walk-off RBI single in a 3-2 11-inning win over Missouri State.
– Cooper tied a career high with three walks in the win. She previously accomplished the feat on April 24, 2022 in a 3-2 win over UAB.
– The Bulldogs are now 14-6 all-time in games played on March 8.
– The Bulldogs are now 85-48 under head coach Josh Taylor who owns a career head coaching record of 318-216.
– Brook Melnychuk earned her sixth win of the season, tying her win total in 2023.
– Tech is off to its best start since 2019 when the eventual CUSA Champions and NCAA Regional participants started 15-3.
– Louisiana Tech has now won 1,288 games all time, including 522 in Ruston.
– The Bulldogs lead the all-time series with Sam Houston 18-12.

QUOTABLES
On the victory…
“It was a good thing we opened up at home to get that last at-bat. Our offense found a way with a five-spot in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead but then we gave it right back. It is Conference USA and that is the way each game is going to be. It is a good thing because we have a really competitive conference. We were not at our best tonight there is no doubt about it but good teams find a way to win. Cooper had four incredible at-bats tonight including a walk-off home run in the seventh… Brook Melnychuk came in and really did a great job of keeping it at 5-5 and allowing our offense to find a way to push that run across.”– head coach Josh Taylor.

On walk-off home run…
“I was looking for an inside pitch. That is what I got in my at-bat previously and I got into a two-strike count and she threw the pitch I was looking for. I was really happy with how I performed today.” – Katelin Cooper.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Allie Floyd made her sixth start of the season for Louisiana Tech, while Daryn Grams took the ball for Sam Houston.

Floyd kept the Bearkats off the board in the first inning. Morgan Holliday’s two-out double was the Bearkats’ lone hit in their first plate appearance. Claire Raley walked with one out in the bottom half for the Bulldogs’ first base runner of the contest.

Sam Houston took an early 2-0 lead on Hannah Schaeffer’s two-run home run to left field. The home run was just the second Floyd had allowed this season.

Aubree Seaney led off the bottom of the second by lining a single down the left-field line. Kylie Neel followed with a one-out walk. Katelin Cooper then walked with two outs to load the bases. However, the Bulldogs left the bases loaded as Grams capped the inning with a strikeout.

Ellie Grill led off the third inning with a double into the right-centerfield gap. A single up the middle put runners on first and second with no outs. Sam Houston would increase the lead to 3-0 courtesy of an RBI single through the right side by Elia Hebel. Right fielder, Alannah Rogers threw out the second runner trying to score on the play for the second out of the inning. Floyd then limited the damage with an inning-ending strikeout.

Caroline Easom legged out an infield single for the Dogs’ lone hit in the bottom of the third inning.

A two-out walk was all Floyd would surrender in the fourth as Rogers made a running grab along the right-field line to end the inning. A pitch hit Nicole Hammoude, and Kylie Neel walked to lead off the bottom of the fourth. Both would advance on a sacrifice bunt from Brooke Diaz. Cooper walked for the second time in the game to load the bases. The Bulldogs cut the lead to 3-1 on an RBI fielder’s choice from Alannah Rogers. Cooper advanced to second on an error by the Kats’ second baseman. A bases-loaded walk by Gilio made it 3-2 in favor of the visitors. Caroline Easom then cleared the bases and gave LA Tech a 5-3 lead courtesy of a double down the left-field line.

Lauren Menzina relieved Floyd in the fifth. Sam Houston plated two runs on three hits to tie the game with one out in the inning. Brook Melnychuk came in from the bullpen and issued a fielder’s choice before Diaz threw out a runner to end the inning. Tech loaded the bases in the bottom half but couldn’t break through. Kylie Neel doubled to left-center field with one out in the inning while Diaz was hit by a pitch and Cooper walked.

Both sides were retired in order in the sixth.

In the seventh, Sam Houston threatened with a lead-off single and an error, putting two runners on with no outs. Both advanced on a sacrifice bunt for the first out of the inning to put runners on second and third. Melnychuk would get consecutive groundouts to escape the jam and set the table for what would transpire in the home half.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Brooke Diaz drew a walk before Katelin Cooper stepped to the plate and sent a 1-2 pitch over the right field wall to give the Bulldogs a 7-5 walk-off win.

Abigail Young took the loss for Sam Houston to fall to 2-4 on the season, while Brook Melnychuk picked up the win in relief to improve to 6-3.

NEXT UP
The Bulldogs will resume their series with Sam Houston tomorrow at 5 p.m.

For all the latest in Bulldog Softball, follow them on Twitter (@LATechSB), Instagram (@LATechSB) and Facebook (Louisiana Tech Softball) or visit the official website at LATechSports.com.