RUSTON – A flurry of extra-base hits from the Louisiana Tech softball team were too much for visiting Northwestern State on a chilly Tuesday afternoon in a 9-1 loss in five innings.
The Bulldogs (5-5) had six of their 11 total hits in the game go for multiple bases, including a first-inning home run to give them an early lead and back-to-back long balls in the fourth to break the game open.
While Tech collected the bulk of the multi-bag hits, the Demons (1-9 with the nation’s youngest roster) picked up a pair of their own.
Peyton Peck roped a double to the left center wall to start the second inning, the first double of her freshman season. The Demons were unable to cut into the 2-0 deficit at that point however as Peck was tagged out on a ground out to third two batters later squandering the run-scoring chance.
An inning later sophomore Aly Delafield left no doubt.
Also coming from the leadoff spot in the inning, Delafield drove a ball to the opposite field that cleared the fence by 20 feet for her first career Demon dinger to cut Bulldog lead in half with one swing three pitches into the inning.
“Really proud of Aly tonight,” first-year NSU coach Jenny Fuller said. “She was doing extra (work) with (assistant coach) Brad (Fuller) yesterday after practice and she’s been working really hard on her hitting. We know what she’s capable of at the plate and that’s why we keep running her out there to get those at bats.”
Two of Northwestern’s three hits went for extra bases. Camryn Becnel’s sinking line drive into left, immediately following Delafield’s long ball, was the only single of the night for the Demons.
Making her first career start, Tech freshman Laney Johnson received immediate run support from her teammates after surrendering the home run to Delafield, her former high school teammate at North DeSoto High School
Tech went back up by two in the bottom of the third on a leadoff triple to right and ensuing double to left center. They broke the game open in the fourth with six runs on seven hits, including the two consecutive home runs to secure the five-inning win.
The Demons begin play at the Boerner Invitational hosted by UT Arlington on Friday against the host Mavericks at 4 p.m. on ESPN+.
BASEBALL: Today’s matchup with ULM in Monroe has been postponed because of expected weather conditions
The game has been rescheduled for April 8 in Monroe. That also necessitated a change to Northwestern’s home schedule.
The original home game against ULM on April 8 will move to April 9 to create a home-and-home midweek series between the former Southland Conference rivals. Tickets for the originally scheduled April 8 home game will be honored for the new game date.
The Demons will return to action Friday at 4 p.m. when they open a three-game series at No. 25 Troy.