Tutsch delivers game winner as La. Tech sweeps North Texas

After missing more than a month of the season due to an injury, Louisiana Tech junior Krysta Tutsch made her return to the field earlier in the week.

On Sunday, she came through in the clutch delivering a walk-off, two-out RBI double to left centerfield to score Kristen Miles and give the Lady Techsters a 5-4 win over North Texas.

The victory completed a three-game sweep by Tech (29-15, 12-6 C-USA) over North Texas (16-27, 8-12), clinching a spot in the upcoming Conference USA Tournament in Miami in early May. It also marked Tech’s third three-game league sweep this season, the most ever by a Lady Techster team.

The win came on senior day for Bianca Duran and Janine Godwin, who were honored prior to the first pitch on Sunday. It didn’t come easily.

Duran and North Texas’ Monique Garcia both pitched flawlessly through the first three innings as neither team was able to plate a run. However, in the bottom of the fourth, Tech finally broke out on top as Pauline Tufi and Duran each homered.

Tufi’s home run was a laser shot to straight away centerfield. It was her 11th of the season, the third most ever by a Tech player in a single season (record is 17 by Amberly Waits, 2009). Two batters later, Duran hit a towering shot over the left field fence, her ninth of the season and second in as many days.

North Texas answered in the top of the fifth inning as Shelbie Smith hit a home run to left field, the first run the Mean Green had scored against Duran in 12 innings.

The Lady Techsters plated two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Tori Charters singled and Anna Cross walked and both players advanced a base on a wild pitch. Tufi then followed with a line drive single to centerfield, plating both runs and giving Tech a 4-1 advantage.

The game was far from over. North Texas tied it in the sixth on a two-run home run by Taylor Schoblocker off of Duran and a solo home run by Mallory Land off Tufi.

The Mean Green threatened to take the lead in the top of the seventh inning. Spencer Ferrell reached on a two-out error bringing Kat Strunk to the plate. However, Tech catcher Kassie Harris gunned down Ferrell attempting to steal second base to end the threat.

In the bottom of the seventh, Tech junior Kristen Miles beat out a high hopper to third base for an infield single and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Charters. North Texas intentionally walked Anna Cross before retiring Tufi on a fly ball to shallow right field for the second out.

Tutsch, who was Tech’s leader in home runs and RBI prior to the injury on March 22 against Southern Miss, then took a 2-2 offering from NT reliever Stacey Underwood and drove it to left centerfield for the game-winning hit.

Tufi (6-1) picked up the win, allowing one run on one hit over the final 2.0 innings of action.

Offensively, Tech was led by Tufi (2-4, 1 run, 3 RBI), Miles (1-4, 1 run), Charters (1-2, 1 run), Cross (1-2, 1 run), Tutsch (1-4, 1 RBI), Duran (1-3, 1 run, 1 RBI) and Harris (1-1, 2 walks).