Stephen F. Austin
Louisiana Tech
La. Tech Edges Ladyjacks
4/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 22, 2009
RUSTON, La. - Sophomore Lauren Luetge pitched six innings of five-hit softball, but Louisiana Tech got a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning to collect a 2-0 win over Stephen F. Austin Wednesday in non-conference action. The shutout loss is only SFA's sixth of the season, and it ends the Ladyjacks' bid to extend their winning streak to a season-best eight straight games.
The loss moves SFA to 26-22 on the season, while Louisiana Tech improves to 26-19.
Luetge started in the circle and held the Techsters to one base hit with four strikeouts through the first three innings. But Amber Waits led off the fourth with a double to right, and Kylie Bassett followed with a homer to right-center. The next batter singled, but Luetge escaped further damage by getting out of the inning on a line-drive double play and a fly ball.
Louisiana Tech managed just one more hit over the final two innings, but SFA was unable to put together any offense. The Ladyjacks went down in order in the first two frames before Karissa Jones led off the third inning with a single to left-center. SFA would get base knocks in the fourth and sixth from Briana Bishop and Kendal Harper, respectively, and Ashley Struchtemeyer was hit by a pitch giving the Ladyjacks a runner in the fifth.
But SFA left a runner stranded in each of the last five innings, and the Ladyjacks only advanced into scoring position once the entire game.
Luetge (9-10) finished with five strikeouts and a walk to go along with the five hits Louisiana Tech mustered.
The Ladyjacks will be back in action this weekend, when they travel to San Marcos, Texas, for a crucial three-game series against Texas State, the first-place team in the Southland Conference. SFA goes into the series tied with McNeese State for second in the league with a 15-9 record. The series will begin Saturday with a doubleheader, scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
-- SFA --
