By MATT DEARMAN

Sports Writer

The Tech softball team snapped a seven game losing skid with a victory over the University of Nevada in Ruston on Saturday.

The win came in the second game of a double header with Nevada (27-19, 2-4 WAC) and landed the Techsters their first win since March 24, improving their record to 14-22 on the year and 1-5 in the WAC.

"We're getting closer to where we should be," Tech head coach Sarah Dawson said. "Hopefully today will be a lesson to us."

In the first contest, Marla Pinkston (8-14) pitched an impressive game for the Techsters, allowing only five hits with five strikeouts in nine innings. Pinkston held the Wolfpack scoreless through eight innings of work but lost the shutout in the ninth when Nevada's Lindsey Hall knocked a two-run blast over the left field fence.

The two runs scored off of Hall's home run was all the Wolfpack needed, as Tech was unable to get any offense together and left ten runners stranded en route to the 2-0 loss.

Tech's four hits in the loss came from Amber Miles, Bridget Broadnax, Alison White and Mary Cohn.

In game two, the Techsters started the scoring early, when Ashley Cameron singled to left field to drive in Brittany Stanley, who also singled.

Tech kept that same offensive consistency throughout the game, recording hits in all of their six innings at the plate. Tech still struggled to turn these hits into runs and left six runners stranded on base.

The Techsters crossed the plate again in the fifth inning after Miles singled, stole second, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Stanley and then scored on a wild pitch. The last run of the day came in the following inning, when Broadnax doubled and then scored on an error.

Recording Tech's eight hits were Stanley, Broadnax and Ashley Palma with two each, followed by one each from Miles and Cameron.

Lindsey Meadows (2-1) pitched the complete game for the Techsters and recorded three strikeouts while allowing six hits and no runs in the contest.

On April 1, the Techsters battled conference foe Fresno State (33-12, 6-0 WAC) and their All-American pitcher Jamie Southern.

Pinkston started opposite Southern on the mound for Tech and had an impressive performance, recording seven strikeouts while allowing only four hits and two runs (one earned) in seven innings of work.

Despite Pinkston's solid outing, the Techsters could not find any offense against Southern and only put up four hits with no runs in the contest.

Cameron and Ashley Aycock accounted for two of Tech's hits in the game with the remaining two coming from Cohn, the only player to find success against Southern.

Tech's offense came out showing new-found signs of life in the second game and took a 3-1 lead in the first inning. The surge of hitting died shortly, however, and the Techsters were unable to produce much offense through the rest of the game.

Fresno rallied back with a run in the third inning, as well as four in the fourth and two in the fifth to go on top 8-3. Tech answered back with another run in the bottom of the fifth inning, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit, as the Techsters would not score again in the game.

Receiving the loss for Tech was Kristin Rupp, who gave up five runs (two earned) off of five hits in three innings of work. Rupp was relieved by Pinkston in the fourth, who allowed three runs (two earned) off of two hits. Meadows then came in to close the game, allowing no runs.