By Kyle Roberts
A solid start by Louisiana Tech junior Luke Nichols would not be enough as Liberty would get the Friday win over the Bulldogs 6-2, setting Tech up for a do-or-die situation tonight at 7:30 p.m. against Sam Houston in an elimination game.
“It was one of those games; we just got beat,” Tech head coach Lane Burroughs said. “I didn’t think we played that bad. I thought the ball was coming well out of Luke’s hand. They out-played us, but we hit the balls really hard — it was just right at them. It seemed like everything went their way. Not to take anything away from them, but it was their kind of day. You tip your hat to them; we had opportunities where we needed just a run or two, and we weren’t able to do it.”
Nichols would throw 94 pitches in 5.0 innings, striking out eight batters– unfortunately while giving up four runs in the top of the third and fourth innings.
The Bulldogs finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the eighth inning with a 364-foot home run over left field by senior Jorge Corona that scored senior Ethan Bates. The homer forced a pitching change away from Liberty’s Nick Moran, who threw 7.1 innings and struck out six in a great outing for the Flames.
“Their guy had it today,” Corona said postgame. “He was commanding every pitch he had; he just attacked it really well. But our offense has to stop up. This is a senior-led team, and we have to get better bats and not quit.”
The Bulldogs finished with six hits but left seven on base in the contest.
Tech will return to action tonight at 7:30 p.m to play Sam Houston in an elimination game. The Bulldogs are expected to start senior pitcher Grant Hubka.
“We’ve been in a situation like this before,” Burroughs added. “We’ve had to come through the losers’ bracket and get to the championship game. We’re at home, and I expect us to be playing on Sunday.”
