Eagle Passan Krystal De La Cruz Hurls Louisiana Tech Past Florida International University 1-0 for 2017 Conference USA Tournament Championship, Going to NCAA Regionals

By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2017

Eagle Passan Krystal De La Cruz hurled a two-hit shut out against the Florida International University Lady Panthers 1-0 to earn the Louisiana Tech University Lady Techsters the 2017 Conference USA Softball Tournament Championship, their first-ever, on Saturday, May 13, 2017 at Southern Mississippi University Softball Complex in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, garnering the Lady Techsters an automatic bid to the 2017 NCAA Division I Women’s Softball Regionals, announced Conference USA Sports Information Office.

The Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters avenged an earlier tournament loss to the FIU Lady Panthers in the pivotal Conference USA Softball Tournament Championship Game when it mattered the most.

The Lady Techsters and FIU Lady Panthers battled back and forth through six innings of scoreless play as both teams made key defensive plays to stymie the other from scoring.

Louisiana Tech Lady Techster sophomore pitcher Krystal De La Cruz and FIU Lady Panther freshman pitcher Shannon Sailie hurled a magnificent pitchers’ duel for six innings of play, Mano a Mano, until Lady Techster senior first baseman Pauline Tufi blasted a Sailie pitch deep into straight center field for a solo home run to give the Lady Techsters a 1-0 lead in the top of the seventh inning.  De La Cruz retired the FIU Lady Panthers potent batters in the bottom of the seventh inning to earn Louisiana Tech its first-ever Conference USA Softball Championship and an automatic bid to the 2017 NCAA Division I Women’s Softball Regional Tournament to be announced later this evening on national television on ESPN.

In the Conference USA Tournament Championship game, De La Cruz pitched seven complete innings, allowing only 2 hits, 5 strikeouts, 4 walks, and 1 hit by pitch to earn the win while FIU Sailie went seven innings allowing one earned run, 4 hits, 7 strikeouts, and 2 walks for the loss.

Louisiana Tech Pauline Tufi was named the 2017 Conference USA Softball Tournament Most Valuable Player for her extraordinary hitting during the tournament, going 2 for 3 with the game winning home run in the Championship game and overall 6 for 14 during the Conference Tournament with 6 RBIs and 4 Doubles and 1 Home Run.

Louisiana Tech pitcher Krystal De La Cruz was named to the 2017 Conference USA All-Tournament Team hurling 19 innings in the tournament with an impressive 0.37 ERA and recording three wins in the tournament while teammates second baseman Karlee Jensen and center fielder Tori Charters were also named to the All-Tournamanet Team.

Louisiana Tech Head Coach Mark Montgomery stated that “It is a fairy tale ending to go to the NCAAs.  It’s been our dream.  We have been talking about it since the beginning of the season and we are just excited to go to the next level….All of our players have been leaders. We preach that they all need to step up and be leaders.  When it’s not one on one day, it’s another the next day.   They all do a fantastic job being there for each other, picking each other up and doing things the right way.”   Coach Montgomery added that “the girls were just amazing and kept fighting and persevering. We found a way, and that’s what they did all weekend.”

The Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters will await tonight’s NCAA Regional Tournament Selection Show on ESPN to learn who are they going to play and where are they traveling to play in the Regional tournament.

The Eagle Pass Business Journal congratulates Eagle Passan Krystal De La Cruz on being named to the 2017 Conference USA Softball All-Tournament Team and the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters on winning the 2017 Conference USA Softball Tournament Championship and wishes them the best at the NCAA Regional Tournament.  Go Lady Techsters Go!