Box Score

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Freshman Erin McDonald recorded her second straight strong outing in the circle and Bayli Simon and Morgan Turkoly each drove home runs to lead Louisiana Tech to a 2-1 win over Stephen F. Austin Wednesday afternoon.

Tech (24-17) won its eighth straight game, the longest winning streak since a nine-game streak during the 2015 season.

McDonald (2-0) worked 5.0 strong shutout innings, allowing just five hits and two walks while striking out three. The Norman, Oklahoma native pitched out of a bases-loaded and nobody out jam in the bottom of the fourth inning to preserve the 2-0 lead, including back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat.

“I am incredibly proud of Erin,” said Tech head coach Mark Montgomery. “She got off to a tough start this year and had to wait for opportunity to come her way. It has been nice to watch her make the most of those and prove that she can really help this team as we go forward.”

Junior ace Preslee Gallaway came on in relief with runners on first and second and one out in the bottom of the sixth inning and Tech leading 2-1 and retired five of the six batters she faced to pick up her first save of the season.

Tech scratched for single runs in the second and third innings against SFA starter Autumn Anderson. Simon singled through the left side with two outs in the second inning to plate pinch runner Emily Daniel and give the Lady Techsters a 1-0 advantage.

Turkoly, the reigning C-USA Player of the Week, drove home Jazlyn Crowder from second base with a one-out single up the middle in the third inning, upping the advantage to 2-0.

SFA plated a single run in the bottom of the fifth inning against reliever Jenny Chapman.

Turkoly (2-3, RBI), Crowder (2-3, run), Simon (1-2, RBI) and Sloane Stewartson (1-2) led Tech offensively in the win.

Tech returns to action Saturday when they host UTSA in a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.