By Kyle Roberts
A stellar relief performance by Louisiana Tech junior lefty Connor Nation paired with solid run production propelled the Bulldogs to an 8-7 win Saturday afternoon, setting Tech and Liberty up for a night match for the chance to play in Sunday’s championship game.
“I’m extremely proud of our team and our guys,” Tech head coach Lane Burroughs said. “The only way we know how to do it is the hard way it seems. We made it interesting at the end, but we got the runs we needed. I think Connor Nation would be the player of the game. He was outstanding. I was college roommates with his dad, and the young man just wanted a chance out of junior college. We gave it to him, and all he’s done is continue to get better.”
Nation came into the game at the start of the fifth inning, striking out five and giving up no runs all the way until the top of the ninth before giving up a two-run homer. Both his 5.1 innings pitched and strike outs were season high’s for Nation before Tech senior Ethan Bates came in to close the game out with a save.
“Connor was amazing,” Tech senior catcher Jorge Corona said after the game. “I love him as a pitcher — he’s one of our dudes. We probably don’t use him as much as we should, but he was just attacking the zone and hitting spots and dominating.”
Liberty opened scoring early with a left-field home run by senior Noah Rabon, getting three runs across homeplate after junior Bulldog pitcher Noah Swistak gave up two hits in the top of the first.
Corona tied the game 3-3 in the bottom of the first with a 392-foot three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning with one out after both seniors second baseman Dalton Davis and Bates had reached base on singles. Corona is now second all-time in program history with 47 home runs.
“For Jorge to come back to get that three-run homer, that was huge,” Burroughs said. “It got us right back into the ballgame and got the crowd back into it. We knew it was going to be a high scoring game just by the way the ball flew.”
After Tech’s Dalton Davis singled in the bottom of the second, starting Flame pitcher Todd Hudson was pulled for giving up five hits and three earned runs in 1.1 innings pitched. Bates needed no time with new Liberty pitcher junior Trey Carter and doubled down the right field line to score Davis, giving Tech its first lead of the day 4-3.
Liberty retook the lead in the top of the third with a two-run double by sophomore pitcher Todd Hudson with one out. Junior pitcher Blake Hooks then replaced Swistak after the Bulldog starter gave up five hits and five earned runs in 2.1 innings pitched.
Liberty would not score again until the top of the ninth inning on a two-run home run by Aidan Sweatt, bringing Bates in to close.
“I just tried to do what everybody needs me to do,” Nation said. “I’m going to do the role that I’m put into and give the team some length. It’s what (pitching) Coach (Cooper) Fouts always talks about. I wanted to save a little bit of the bullpen.”
Bulldog freshman third Grant Comeaux tied the game 5-5 in the bottom of the third with a no-out double to center, scoring senior second baseman Michael Ballard and putting two runners on with no outs and ending Carter’s day on the mound. Left-handed freshman pitcher Josh Swink came in for relief. Senior Kasten Furr would score senior Adarius Myers shortly after on a sacrifice fly to reclaim Tech’s lead 6-5.
Hooks would then work his way out of a jam in the top of the fourth after walking two batters and getting the bases loaded with one-out. Sweatt would then pop out to third with Macaddin Dye striking out looking in the ensuing at bat. Nation would take over in the top of the fifth.
Tech extended its lead to 7-5 after Ballard hit into a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the fourth, scoring Bates from third.
After getting beaned in the top of the sixth for the second time of the ballgame, a visibly frustrated Bates would find his way to third and score on a wild pitch adding a run for the Bulldogs for an 8-5 lead.
Tech and Liberty will square again tonight at 7:30 p.m. with the winner advancing to Sunday’s championship game against Dallas Baptist. The Bulldogs are expecting to start senior pitcher Greg Martinez.
“It’s about grit and determination,” Burroughs said in conclusion. “It’s about fight. We’re looking forward to going out and competing again tonight.”
