NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State appeared to be in a strong position after a three-run fifth inning handed the Lady Demons a two-run lead, but Louisiana Tech had an answer Wednesday at Lady Demon Diamond.
The Lady Techsters responded with three runs of their own and held off NSU in a 4-3 Lady Demons' loss.
Leading 3-1, NSU surrendered three runs in the sixth inning thanks to two hits, two walks and an error.
Krysta Tutsch doubled in a run to cut NSU's lead to 3-2 before an error in a run down allowed pinch runner Katelyn Cook to tie the game.
The Lady Techsters (16-6) took the lead for good two batters later on a Karlee Jensen RBI-single.
Junior pitcher
Shelby Sells (5-5) took the loss, being credited with four runs (three earned) on five hits and four walks. Sophomore
Micaela Bouvier entered the circle in that sixth inning, surrendering two hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Louisiana Tech loaded the bases in the seventh inning with no out, but a double play turned by junior second baseman
Micayla Sorosiak and junior first baseman
Brittney Jones was key to keeping the Lady Techsters off the scoreboard that inning.
But NSU (16-8) couldn't capitalize, squandering a
Jordan Rains, 1-out single in the seventh.
Seven different Lady Demons recorded NSU's eight hits with sophomore
Hailee Rhodes going 2-for-3.
All three of NSU's runs came courtesy of four doubles in the fifth inning. Rhodes led off with a double, and
Kellye Kincannon, Jones, and
Natalie Landry each doubled with two outs to plate three runs. Kincannon has 10 doubles this season.
Tech reliever Carolina Sanchez (3-2) earned the win by recording the final out in the fifth inning, and sophomore Bailey Allen picked up a two-inning save – her second of the season.
Louisiana Tech took a 1-0 lead in the third inning off senior Anna Cross' solo home run, her eighth of the season.
Cross (2-for-2, two walks) tallied two of Tech's seven hits and six walks.
NSU returns to its home field for a three-game series against Houston Baptist, starting with a 3 p.m. doubleheader Friday. The finale is Saturday at 1 p.m.
The three-game losing streak is NSU's longest of the season and is its first home loss of the season in six games.
