By Drew Parsley, Louisiana Tech Associate Director Strategic Communications; featured photo by Drew Parsley
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Louisiana Tech (23-12, 8-2 CUSA) won a thriller in the second game of the weekend series against Middle Tennessee (15-20, 2-9 CUSA), taking a 10-8 comeback victory thanks to a seven-run rally by the Bulldogs in the ninth inning.
This was the largest comeback in the ninth by the ‘Dogs since April 28, 2008, when they amounted a six-run comeback victory over Hawai’i, 10-9, after trailing 9-3. The last time the ‘Dogs overcame a ninth-inning comeback victory was April 2, 2024 against Little Rock.
Garrison Berkley kickstarted a three-run frame in the second with a one-out solo shot to left field for his fifth homer of the year. Trey Hawsey followed with a single before Brody Drost and Matt Houston drew walks on a full count to load the bases. Will Safford then ripped a double down the first base line past a diving Blue Raider first baseman to increase Tech’s lead to three runs.
The third, fourth and fifth innings were quiet for both sides before Middle Tennessee cracked the scoreboard for the first time with a two-out solo shot in the sixth. The Blue Raiders did not slow down in the seventh, as the first two batters reached base on a hit-by-pitch and a walk before a two-out three-run shot gave Middle Tennessee their first lead of the day and made the score 4-3.
The Blue Raiders essentially blew the game open in the eighth with another four runs added to the home side of the scoreboard. After a base hit and a stolen base, a two-out knock plated another run to give Middle Tennessee a 5-3 lead before another single scored another run for the Blue Raiders. After a fielding error and an infield hit, the Blue Raiders had the bases loaded before a two-run knock through the right side gave Middle Tennessee an 8-3 lead going into the ninth.
With their backs against the wall and down to their final three outs, Hawsey led off the frame by reaching base on a fielding error by the Blue Raider third baseman. Thaxton Berchthen entered the game as a pinch hitter and followed suit by reaching base on a misplayed grounder by the shortstop. Safford drew a one-out walk before Colton Coates doubled off the outfield wall in the left-center gap to clear the bases and advanced to third on the throw home to give the Bulldogs new life now trailing just 8-6.
After a pitching change, Michael Ballard drew a walk to put runners on the corners with one out for Sebastian Mexico. Mexico stepped up to the plate and drew a 1-1 count before pulling a pitch over the right field wall and past the bushes behind it to cap off one of the most incredible comebacks in recent Louisiana Tech baseball history and give the Bulldogs a 9-8 lead.
With the top of the inning not done yet, Zeb Ruddell pulled a base hit through the right side of the infield before stealing second with two outs. Cade Patterson entered the game as a pinch hitter and ripped a double off the first base bag to drive in Ruddell for the insurance run and give Tech a 10-8 lead.
Before the ninth inning, Bulldog closer Blake Hooks was not expecting to make an appearance with the ‘Dogs trailing by five runs, but thanks to the rally put on by the offense he entered the game in the bottom of the ninth and needed just five pitches to retire the side and close the door on Middle Tennessee and secure the series win for LA Tech.
Mexico now has four homers in his last six games with multi-hit performances in five of those games and has driven in 15 RBI. Hooks earned the win and moved to a perfect 3-0 on the year.
The Bulldogs are back in action on Sunday, April 13 for the series finale at 1 p.m. CT at Reese Smith Jr. Field.
Head Coach Lane Burroughs after the thrilling 10-8 comeback victory on Saturday:
“That was some good stuff, and I’ll just keep it at that. That was awesome. Obviously, we had the right guy at the plate in Mexico. He’s been our hottest hitter, our best hitter, and he’s the one guy that can jump the yard, and it was a no-doubter. I thought Brooks [Roberson] pitched outstanding. When he gave up the runs and the homer he still came back and struck out the lefty. I didn’t think he was out of gas, he just lost his command there. He walked their top two hitters, and they ended up hitting the three-run homer. We went ahead and made a move after that, but I thought he still had good stuff. I thought he was still pitching good. He gave us a great start. He was in total command until that one inning. The bullpen, after it was so great last night was kind of disintegrated today and we started kicking it around. It started going bad and it affected everybody. You stay with it and we brought some guys off the bench there at the end to get some at-bats. Their lefty struck out all three of our guys out in the eighth and we wanted to get that righty in there, so we started to unload some right-handed hitters, and we got them in there and got the big knock. Don’t count out Cade Patterson’s big double off the bag, that was an insurance run. Every run counted, but those last two innings were well worth the admission to come to the game. I’m just extremely proud of our team, they just never stopped. Even in the dugout, they were pulling for each other and that’s how you win. That’s how you win championships.”
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