RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech used a five-run bottom of the eighth inning, including a grand slam from Jorge Corona, to pull away from ULM, 11-5, Tuesday night at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.
Louisiana Tech (31-15 overall) led 6-5 entering the bottom of the eighth inning. Wade Elliott led off the inning with a bloop double on the right field line and Taylor Young followed with a walk. After Philip Matulia flew out for the first out of the inning, back-to-back catcher's interference calls loaded the bases and then brought a run in for the 7-5 lead. Corona then hit the grand slam to left field to essentially put the game away, 11-5.
ULM (15-27-1) started hot, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning, chasing LA Tech starter Greg Martinez in the process.
Ryan Cupit's RBI double brought home
Trace Henry, while
Mason Holt's single to center scored Cupit.
Colby Deaville picked up an RBI single through the left side to make it 3-0 before LA Tech stepped to the plate.
However, Tech wasted little time in answering. Steele Netterville hit a sacrifice fly to score Young and a bases loaded walk brought in Matulia to cut the gap to 3-2.
Wyatt Blalock came out of the bullpen for ULM and recorded the final out of the frame to keep ULM in front.
The Warhawks added a run back in the top of the second as
Grant Schulz's sacrifice fly scored Henry to lead 4-2.
LA Tech tied the game in the bottom of the inning on Netterville's 2-RBI single to center, making it 4-4.
ULM regained the lead in the fourth inning when Henry tripled off the left field wall and came home on Cupit's RBI ground out to make it 5-4.
LA Tech went in front for the first time in the sixth inning as Cole McConnell hit a two-out, 2-RBI single to right field, putting the Bulldogs up, 6-5.
The Warhawks amassed 14 hits on the night and had several chances to increase the lead or regain the lead, including in the top of the eighth inning. ULM had three hits in the frame, but a runner was thrown out on the basepaths and the Warhawks left runners stranded on second and third.
Henry had three hits to lead ULM, while Holt, Washburn and Artzberger had two hits each.
Louisiana Tech had just seven hits but took advantage of nine walks and three hit batters issued by the ULM pitching staff, as well as three Warhawk errors.
LA Tech's Ryan Harland (3-0) threw 4 2/3 innings out of the bullpen to earn the win, allowing one run on four hits with six strikeouts.
Jackie Robinson (1-1) suffered the loss for ULM, allowing two unearned runs on one hit with one strikeout in two innings.
ULM returns to Warhawk Field at 6 p.m. Friday to face No. 15 Texas State.
