Louisiana Tech and Krystal De La Cruz fall to Minnesota Gophers 11-3 at Tuscaloosa, Alabama NCAA Regional Softball Tournament

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

The 2017 Conference USA Tournament Champions Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters fell to the Tuscaloosa, Alabama Regional No. 1 seed Minnesota Gophers 11-3 via the eight run rule after five innings on Friday, May 19, 2017, as Eagle Passan Krystal De La Cruz took the loss going 1 1/3 innings and allowing five earned runs on four hits, one walk, and one hit batsman in an uncharacteristic Lady Techsters game.

Louisiana Tech appeared to be flat in the first two innings allowing the Big Ten Regular Season and Tournament Champions Minnesota Gophers to score three runs in the first inning against Conference USA Newcomer of the Year De La Cruz and another five runs in the second inning with two outs against De La Cruz and freshman relief pitcher Jenny Chapman to take a commanding 8-0 lead which they would never relinquish.  De La Cruz overall season record is now 13-4.

The Gophers added three more runs in the game while the Lady Techsters battled and plated three runs against the potent Minnesota pitching corps of All-American Sara Groenewegen and relief pitchers Amber Fiser and Tori Finucane.

The Minnesota Gophers improved to 55-3 overall in the season while Louisiana Tech goes to 37-23 overall in the season.

Tournament host Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the University of Albany Great Danes 5-1 for the right to face Minnesota in the winner’s bracket tomorrow at 11:30 A.M.

The Louisiana Tech will now play the University of Albany Great Danes on Saturday, May 20, 2017, at 2 P.M. at the University of Alabama Rhoads Stadium.  The game will be televised on ESPNU.  

Louisiana Tech Head Coach Mark Montgomery and the Lady Techsters will regroup and battle the Albany Great Danes for the right to play the winner of the Alabama Crimson Tide and Minnesota Gophers in the double elimination regional tournament.