#6 Louisiana Tech nearly rallied late but came up short against #7 Middle Tennessee 7-6 in the 2nd round of the C-USA Tournament. The Bulldogs will once again face #3 Charlotte in an elimination game on Friday.
ROUND TWO | Furious Bulldog rally comes up just short in the 9th.
WIN | James Sells (6-4) LOSS | Ryan Harland (0-5)
After the offensive explosion on Wednesday morning, the Diamond Dogs’ offense came back down to earth on Thursday.
Louisiana Tech had scored only one run until the drama-filled 9th inning and committed two costly errors that came back to beat the Bulldogs.
LHP Ryan Harland was rewarded with the start on Thursday but was quickly relieved after lasting 1.1 innings, walking one batter, throwing 2 strikeouts, and allowing 2 earned runs in the 1st inning.
A common theme of the contest was the Bulldogs getting into scoring position but being unable to capitalize. This first occurred in the bottom of the 1st when Dalton Davis hit a double on the first pitch he saw, Ethan Bates reached first base with no outs, but Tech was unable to score any runs.
Greg Martinez relieved Harland and was successfully retiring MTSU batters in a hurry, but unfortunately injured himself while warming up. Martinez lasted 1.2 innings, walking zero batters, allowing no hits, throwing one strikeout, and allowing zero earned runs.
Reed Smith replaced Martinez after he was forced to leave the game, and kept the Bulldogs within striking distance, lasting 3.0 innings, walking 2 batters, throwing zero strikeouts, and allowing one earned run.
After the Blue Raiders stretched out their lead to 3-0 in the 4th, Walker Burchfield blasted a solo home run, his 2nd of the tournament, to finally put the Diamond Dogs on the board.
Despite having multiple runners in scoring position in the 7th, the Bulldogs were unable to execute and bring in any runners once again.
Tanner Knight entered the game to relieve Smith and started off with a bang before allowing a solo home run from the leadoff batter in the 8th. Knight lasted 1.0 innings, walked one batter, threw 2 strikeouts, and allowed 2 earned runs.
Leading 4-1 in the 8th after the solo home run, Middle Tennessee drilled a triple into left field to score two more runners and put Louisiana Tech into a 6-1 hole.
Caden Copeland came into the game in the 8th, pitched 1.0 innings, walked no batters, threw one strikeout, and allowed one earned run.
The Bulldogs were quickly struck out in the 8th inning, and the Blue Raiders added another run in the top of the 9th on a fielder’s choice and an unearned run scored.
Isaac Crabb was the final pitcher to take the mound for the Bulldogs, lasting 1.0 innings, walking one batter, throwing zero strikeouts, and allowing zero earned runs.
Trailing 7-1 in the bottom of the 9th, Lane Burroughs tested out a couple of substitutions to get some momentum rolling.
After Logan McLeod was walked, pinch-hitter Karson Evans also walked and put two runners on the bases for the Bulldogs with no outs.
Another pinch hitter entered the game Baylor Cobb and hit nailed his first hit of the season to load the bases for Tech.
With the bases loaded and no outs, Davis crushed a ground rule double that went over the wall in left-center field to score in Cobb and McLeod to cut the deficit to 7-3.
Two runners were now on base with still no outs, and Ethan Bates blasted a homer over the right field wall to score Davis as well as pinch-runner Riggs Easterling to give the Bulldogs hope down 7-6.
Philip Matulia came up next and hit a flyout to give the Blue Raiders their first out of the inning. Burchfield was up next and boomed what looked to be his 2nd homer of the day that came up just short of getting over the wall. With two outs, Brody Drost also crushed a ball that looked like it might tie up the game, but once again fell just short.
Up Next
With the loss, #6 Louisiana Tech will once again face #3 Charlotte in an elimination game at 2 pm on Friday. With a win, the Bulldogs advance to play Middle Tennessee once again on Saturday, with a loss the Bulldogs’ season is over.
Friday’s game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and can be listened to on Sportstalk 97.7 FM.
First pitch is scheduled for 2 pm on Friday.
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