By Stephen Featherston, Louisiana Tech Director of Strategic Communications; featured photo by Stephen Featherston
RUSTON — A walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning off the bat of Alexis Gilio lifted Louisiana Tech to a Conference USA series sweep of Middle Tennessee, as the Bulldogs defeated the Blue Raiders 4-3 on Sunday afternoon at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field. The win marks eight straight victories for the Bulldogs as they improve to 19-11 (7-2 CUSA).
LA Tech outhit MTSU 12-3 on the afternoon. Allie Furr led the way with three base knocks, while Elena Heng and Gilio collected two apiece. Nicole Hammoude, Reagan Marchant, Addison Snyder, Jina Baffuto, and Karli Sellersall finished with one hit each. Gilio, Hammoude, Marchant, and Baffuto all drove in one run, while Heng came around to score twice, followed by Marchant and Gracie Floreswho both crossed home once.
Alyssa Martin made the start in the circle for the Bulldogs and pitched 4.0 quality innings, while allowing just three hits and three runs (one earned), along with three strikeouts. Allie Floyd picked up her 15th win of the season after tossing 3.0 innings of scoreless no-hit softball in relief. Floyd picked up all three wins in this weekend’s series after allowing no hits, no runs, and no walks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
MTSU struck first as Addy Edgmon led off the game with a solo blast to center. The Bulldogs got a run back in the bottom of the frame as the Bulldogs posted three hits in the inning but left two on base. Heng, and Furr started the inning with back-to-back singles, followed by Nicole Hammoude who hit a two out single to score Heng.
After two scoreless frames, both teams added two runs in the fourth to stay even at three apiece. MTSU reached on a fielding error, followed by a single to get two runners on base. A wild pitch placed runners on second and third and a throwing error would score two runs for the Blue Raiders. LA Tech answered back with two runs on a Marchant solo home run, and a Baffuto double that scored Flores, who pinch ran for Snyder who reached on a single. Flores was able to score from first on Baffuto’s double to left center to tie the game at 3-3.
After two more scoreless innings, the Bulldogs led off the bottom of the seventh with a pinch hitter in Sellers. The West Monroe native blasted a double to right center to place a runner aboard. Alannah Rogers re-entered and advanced to third on a Heng single to left. Furr followed with a single to left, advancing Heng to third and Rogers to home, but Rogers was thrown out on the play trying to score. With one out and Heng on third, Gilio delivered the Bulldogs their first walk-off hit of the season as she singled through the left side on a 2-2 count to score Heng and secure the sweep.
NOTABLES
LA Tech moves to 16-12 all-time against MTSU.
The Bulldogs have won eight straight games for the first time since the 2023 season.
Alyssa Martin made her fourth start of the season in the circle.
Reagan Marchant hit her seventh home run of the season.
Allie Floyd picked up her 15th win of the season.
Allie Furr collected three hits for the second time this season.
Elena Heng recorded her team-leading 13thmulti-hit game of the season.
Alexis Gilio recorded her 6th multi-hit game of the season.
NEXT UP
The Bulldogs will travel to Natchitoches, La, for a 6 p.m. matchup with the Lady Demons on Tuesday night. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.