RUSTON— A four run fifth inning including a three-run home run by Paris Endris was all Louisiana Tech needed in its 4-0 softball win over McNeese Tuesday night.
 
McNeese falls to 35-18 on the season with the loss while the Bulldogs improve to 30-18.
 
Tech outhit the Cowgirls 7-3.  Reese Reyna led McNeese, going 2-for-2 and Emily Phillips picked up the other Cowgirl hit.  Tech was led at the plate by Alexis Gilio, who went 2-for-3.
 
The game was a pitcher's duel between Cowgirl starter Alexis Dibbley and La. Tech starter Brook Melnychuk for the first three and a half innings with both pitchers also getting help from their defense.
 
McNeese missed an opportunity to get on the board in the second inning when with two outs Phillips singled to right and Reyna singled up the middle, but Melnychuk struck out Mariana Torres to end the threat.
 
The Cowgirls missed another opportunity to score in the fifth when Reyna was stranded on third after reaching on a single and going to second on a throwing error.  A ground out by Torres moved her to third but Crislyne Moreno popped out to second for the third out.
 
Melnychuk, who improved to 11-7 on the year, retired the final six batters she faced to pick up the complete game win.  She also struck out three and didn't allow a walk.
 
Dibbley fell to 4-2 on the year with the loss after giving up three runs on five hits with one walk and one strikeout.  Ryann Schexnayder relieved Dibbley in the final two innings and allowed one run on two hits, two strikeouts and two walks.
 
McNeese will return home this weekend to host Southeastern in the final Southland Conference series with the regular season title on the line.
 
This weekend is also senior weekend.  McNeese will recognize seniors Ashley Vallejo, Mariana Torres, Shaelyn Sanders, Chloe Gomez, and Emily Phillips following Saturday's 1 p.m. doubleheader.