RUSTON, La. — Louisiana Tech University saved its best for last Sunday, erupting for seven runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to stun Missouri State University 9-8 and complete a three-game Conference USA baseball sweep at J.C. Love Field.
Trailing 8-2 entering its final at-bat, Louisiana Tech (27-18, 14-7 CUSA) mounted its largest ninth-inning comeback since 2008 and secured back-to-back home conference sweeps.
Sebastian Mexico delivered the game-winning hit, slipping a single through the right side with the infield drawn in to score Colton Coates from third and send the Bulldogs pouring out of the dugout.
“What do you say, where do you start?” Tech coach Lane Burroughs said. “Our guys hung in there and kept going. … That last inning — I told the guys that’s old-school Louisiana Tech baseball and what we call Love Shack magic.”
Missouri State (26-15, 14-7) appeared in control after scoring five runs in the seventh inning and adding two more in the ninth for an 8-2 advantage.
But the Bulldogs answered immediately. Mexico and Wesley Scott opened the bottom of the ninth with singles, and an error helped trim the deficit to 8-3. Matt Houston followed with a hit to load the bases before Colby Lunsford ripped a bases-clearing triple to left-center, cutting the margin to 8-6.
Two pitches later, Trey Hawsey launched his team-leading 13th home run off the right-field videoboard to tie the game.
After Coates and Eli Berch reached base, Mexico ended it with his decisive ground-ball single.
Burroughs praised Mexico, who addressed the team earlier in the week.
“I’m proud of Sebastian Mexico — he’s been through a lot,” Burroughs said. “I felt like it was pretty appropriate for him to come to the plate with a chance to win the game, and he got it done for us.”
The dramatic finish capped a strong weekend for Tech, which had already clinched the series Saturday by taking both ends of a doubleheader.
The Bulldogs completed Friday’s suspended opener with a 9-2 victory. Tech scored six runs in the first inning and never looked back after weather delayed the game overnight. Thomas Allen returned Saturday to finish the final 2 1/3 innings in relief.
Later Saturday, Tech edged Missouri State 6-5 in a tense second game that ended on a relay throw at the plate. With the Bears threatening to tie the score in the ninth, Cade Patterson fielded a carom off the wall and started a relay to Coates, whose one-hop throw to Berch nailed the runner trying to score.
“I’m a baseball fan too, and that’s my favorite play in baseball,” Burroughs said after Saturday’s win. “It just had the feel of a postseason game, two really good teams going at each other.”
Burroughs said the response from his club after a challenging week was especially meaningful.
“We challenged the team on Thursday about as hard as I have ever challenged a team, and they responded,” he said. “That’s what makes this job worthwhile and fun.”
With the sweep, Burroughs earned his 450th career victory in 14 seasons as a head coach.
Louisiana Tech returns to action Tuesday with a road game at University of Louisiana Monroe before traveling to face Dallas Baptist University next weekend.
