Box Score

LAFAYETTE – The Northwestern State softball team fell 7-5 to Louisiana Tech in the first of two scheduled games on Friday at the ULL Mardi Gras Invitational. The Lady Demons were then tied 0-0 against No. 25 North Carolina in the night cap at the end of four innings, but the game was then suspended after heavy rain.

Louisiana Tech 7, Northwestern State 5

NSU held a 5-2 lead after four innings, but just couldn't close out Louisiana Tech in the first of five games at the ULL Mardi Gras Invitational.

Tara McKenney notched her third multi-hit game of the season for the Lady Demons (2-4), who posted a huge 5-run inning in the 4th to leap ahead after trailing 2-0. Though, the Lady Techsters (2-3) fought back with four runs in the 5th and another in the 6th to seal the victory.

Kelee Grimes (1-2) recorded the loss after surrendering two earned runs in three innings and striking out three. Michelle Jones (2-1) earned the win for LTU, giving up four runs in seven innings.

Jordan Palmer extended her hitting streak to four games with a single in the 4th, and Brittany Virgoe knocked a double in the 5th to reach safely in her sixth straight outing. McKenney's two hits also extended her on-base streak to four in a row.

Brooke Boening pitched two innings of relief and struck out a pair, while Sara Aasness came in to pitch the 6th.

In the first inning, LTU loaded up the bases with nobody out, but Grimes was able to get out of the jam giving up just one run after a RBI groundout – 1-0 LTU.

LTU then extended the lead in the 3rd inning on a pair of singles and a wild pitch – 2-0 LTU.

The Lady Demons then came to the plate in the 4th and quickly got runners on after a Palmer singled and Virgoe was hit-by-pitch. Samantha Robert's then reached when a LTU infielder overthrew her first-baseman on a bunt, and Palmer came in to score. After Kylie Roos walked to load the bases, Blair Beard knocked a RBI single up the middle to score Virgoe. Next up, Cassandra Barefield hit a sac fly to score Shenequia Abby, who came in to pitch run for Roberts, to score the third run. Ward then walked, and Burke registered a RBI groundout to score Roos. To finish off the rally, McKenney sliced a single to left field, scoring Beard – 5-2 NSU.

Though, LTU came back with a big response in the 5th when five singles and two wild pitches re-captured the lead – 6-5 LTU.

The Lady Techsters pushed across an insurance run in the 6th when a leadoff double came around to score after a groundout and a wild pitch – 7-5 LTU

The Lady Demons had some hope when McKenney legged out an infield single to start the top of the 7th. However, she got doubled up on the next play when NSU ripped a line-drive at the third-baseman who just happened to be at the right place at the right time.

Northwestern State 0, #25 North Carolina 0 (4) - Postponed.

In the second of two games on Friday, NSU and No. 25 UNC were deadlocked 0-0 in a true pitcher's duel when play was suspended due to rain at the end of the 4th inning.

Roos was cruising along for NSU (2-4) on the mound, letting up just two Tar Heel (5-0) hits. Brianna Rodriguez tallied a single up the middle in the second inning for the Lady Demon's lone hit.

Play will be resumed at a time yet to be determined. Rodriguez, Palmer and McKenney are scheduled to hit for NSU in the top of the 5th.