Bulldogs 7, UL-Lafayette 3
Logan McLeod hit a game-tying home run leading off the bottom of the seventh and the Bulldogs plated five runs of their final two at bats to defeat UL-Lafayette 7-3 Tuesday night at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park on Tuesday night.
After the Ragin Cajuns (14-14) took a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh on a two-run home run, the Bulldogs (20-9) answered in the bottom of the frame. Tech plated two runs in the seventh and three more in the eighth to win the first of back-to-back midweek games between the two programs.
“They swept us last year so it was nice to get this win tonight,” said Tech head coach Lane Burroughs. “There were some frustrating moments. We are struggling right now offensively, that’s the elephant in the room. I know we left the bases loaded twice and that’s frustrating. I was telling our guys that there are a lot of guys struggling right now, but it is a game of learning how to deal with failure.
“A couple of weeks ago Steele Netterville was struggling and couldn’t buy a hit, and now he is our guy. McLeod has been giving us great at-bats. He had a really nice at-bat at the end to draw a walk, and he jumped the lot and almost had it twice.”
Greg Martinez worked 5.0 strong innings in the start, allowing no runs on just three hits with seven strikeouts. Kyle Crigger picked up his fifth save of the season, working two scoreless innings of relief.
“Proud of our team,” said Burroughs. “Again, it was a tough win. It was a gritty win. Martinez was outstanding tonight, he was seven over zero in strikeouts-to-walks. Tomkins gave up the homer, but got a big punchout to get out of it. And we went all in with Crigger. We needed this win in the worst way.”
After two scoreless innings, the Bulldogs jumped on the board in the third inning on a Young solo home run. Two batters later, Steele Netterville turned on a pitch driving in the second run.
McLeod led off the bottom of the seventh inning driving his first career home run over the left-center field wall to knot things back at 3-3. With two-outs in the inning, Adarius Myers battled a tough at-bat, drawing a walk to bring in the go ahead run.
The Bulldogs scored three more in the eighth inning on a two-run double from Cole McConnell. Taylor Young scored the seventh run on a passed ball.
Tech and ULL will play tonight at 6 p.m. at JC Love Field.
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Techsters 9, ULM 0 (5 innings)
Brooke Diaz hit two home runs and Amanda Gonzalez added a third as the Lady Techsters run-ruled ULM 9-0 in 5 innings Tuesday night at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
Gonzalez gave Tech (23-15) a 2-0 lead just two batters into the game with a two-run shot to right center, scoring Sierra Sacco who led the bottom of the first inning off with a triple. Katelin Cooper’s two-out two-run double upped the advantage to 4-0.
“It was good to see us swing the bats so well tonight,” said Tech head coach Josh Taylor. “Amanda looks really good at the plate right now. And Brooke had some real quality at bats and really put the game out of reach for us. I was proud of how we kept adding on runs even after we had the early lead.”
Diaz connected on a no-doubt, 2-run shot to left centerfield in the bottom of the second inning, scoring Gonzalez who led off with a double.
Diaz then completed the scoring with a three-run home run to centerfield in the third as Tech totaled seven hits – five for extra bases. Diaz finished with a career-high five RBI in the win.
Audrey Pickett (16-4) picked up her 16th win of the season, allowing no runs on three hits while striking out four in 5.0 innings of action.
Tech hosts Stephen F. Austin Thursday at 6 p.m.
