What. A. Day.
There is no accurate way to describe Louisiana Tech's two dramatic walk-off victories over Southern Miss on Saturday.
Game 1 | Netterville delivers walk-off 1B to give Tech 11-10 win
Louisiana Tech completed an improbable comeback in the afternoon game Saturday.
After falling behind 8-0 through 4.5 innings of play, the Bulldogs began to chip away.
In the bottom half of the 5th inning, Tech scored 6 runs on 5 hits, 1 HBP, and 1 USM error to trim the lead to 8-6.
Trailing 9-6 in the 7th, Taylor Young would score on a wild pitch and Manny Garcia would single to LF to make it 9-8 USM.
The Bulldogs would take a 10-9 lead in the bottom of the 8th on a Steele Netterville SAC fly.
In the top half of the 9th inning Danny Lynch would hit a HR to CF to tie the game at 10.
With the scored tied at 10 and 2 outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, Netterville lined a shot all the way to the wall in RF to allow Hunter Wells to come around and score to give Tech an 11-10 win.
Offensively, Netterville and Cole McConnell combined to go 5/8 (.625) at the plate with 5 RBI.
On the mound, Cade Hodges was the story. Making his first appearance since March 9th, Hodges delivered 4 innings on the mound while allowing only 1 ER.
Kyle Crigger (3-2) earned the win in relief after tossing 2 scoreless innings.
Game 2 | Philip Matulia' s late heroics propels Tech to 6-5 win
Manny Garcia launched an opposite-field HR in the 8th inning to give LA Tech a 2-1 lead.
However, in the top half of the 9th Southern Miss would respond.
Slade Wilks hit a 3-run HR to RF to give the Golden Eagles a 4-2 lead.
After stretching the lead to 5-2, Tech would have one final shot at the plate.
The 'Dogs would bite.
Eight Bulldogs would come to the plate and score 4 runs to give Tech a 6-5 win.
Philip Matulia's 3-2, 2 out single to RF would score Cole McConnell and Adarius Myers to give Tech the win.
Greg Martinez was FANTASTIC on the mound. Martinez tossed career-high 8.1 innings, allowed only 4 runs (3 ER) in the best pitching performance of his young career.
Casey Ouelette (1-0) earned his first win of the season after getting the final two outs in the 9th inning.
Offensively, Manny Garcia was a perfect 5/5 at the plate with his 8th HR of the season.
Championship Sunday
Louisiana Tech (40-17) and ODU (41-14) will square-off in the C-USA Championship game Sunday afternoon.
Game Time
Sunday | 1 PM
The game will be aired on CBS Sports Network. Dave Nitz will have the radio call on SportsTalk 97.7 FM.
Pitching Probables
TBA vs RHP Nick Pantos (4-2, 5.04)
Scouting the Bulldogs
Louisiana Tech has earned four victories in the C-USA tournament to this point.
All 4 Bulldog victories have come in walk-off fashion.
With the 4 wins, Tech's RPI currently sits at #19.
Scouting the Monarchs
ODU is currently one of the hottest teams in the country having won 6 games in a row while averaging 10.8 runs per game.
Carter Trice leads an explosive offensive attacked with a .368 average to go along with 13 HR and 53 RBI.
ODU's RPI currently sits at #10.
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