Final Stats

Box Score: LA Tech 5, NSU 4

RUSTON, La. - A lead-off single with the Bulldogs trailing by one in the bottom of the ninth led to Northwestern State issuing four walks to give Louisiana Tech a 5-4 victory over the Demons Wednesday night at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park in Ruston.

With the victory, LA Tech (33-14) claimed the series sweep over Northwestern State for the second year in a row, while it also marked the Bulldogs' 800th win at the Love Shack since the stadium opened in 1971.

LA Tech has now won six straight games and 15 of its last 17 heading into an important road series against league-leader and 16th-ranked Southern Miss. The Bulldogs sit in fifth place in the Conference USA standings entering the weekend.

Down 4-3 entering the bottom of the ninth, Northwestern State brought in Austin Reich to close out the game, a right-hander who entered the night with a 0.90 ERA, 2-0 record and two saves. A lead-off single by Chase Lunceford spelled doom for the Reich and the Demons after LA Tech followed up by drawing four walks, including the game-tying RBI walk by Brent Diaz and the game-winning RBI base on balls by J.D. Perry to give the Bulldogs a 5-4 victory. Reich (2-1) was charged with the loss for the Demons on the mound.

"This was a great team win," head coach Greg Goff said. "My hat's off to Northwestern State. They have a great club. I am really proud of our guys for competing until the last out. They never gave up. It started out with a single by Chase Lunceford followed by some great at bats. I just can't say enough about this team and the magic they continue to develop because of their unselfishness. This is just a tremendous group of 35 guys all pulling the same way. Whenever you have that happen, it is hard to stop."

LA Tech closer Adam Atkins came on in relief in the seventh after Northwestern State had already put up two runs to take a 4-3 lead over the Bulldogs. Atkins came through for LA Tech with 2.2 scoreless innings while only allowing one hit and striking out three to move to 5-0 on the season. Adam Derouen started and allowed two run on five hits in three innings before Mark Baughman came on in the fourth and did not allow a hit in 1.2 innings. Graham Ahlrich and Casey Sullivan each gave up a run in seventh before Atkins came on in relief late in the seventh.

Northwestern State drew first blood in the top of the third when a lead-off single by Kwanstan Adkins led to a two-run home run by rightfielder Bret Underwood to put the Demons ahead, 2-0. However, the lead did not last for long with LA Tech coming to bat in the bottom of the inning.

In the bottom half of the third, Taylor Love led off with a single before Diaz lined a single into right field to put runners on first and second with no outs. Perry lined into a double play to the first baseman who doubled off Diaz, but that brought up Raphael Gladu, who doubled in the left-center gap to score Love and cut the lead to two. Chandler Hall wasted no time on the next at bat by crushing a two-run home run to left field to quickly erase NSU's lead and give the Bulldogs a 3-2 advantage through three innings.

The Demons took a 4-3 lead in the seventh with three base hits, including an RBI single by Nick Heath. The score remained in favor of Northwestern State until LA Tech plated two in the bottom of the ninth thanks to Lunceford's single and four walks.

Both Lunceford and Gladu each totaled two hits, while Gladu added a double and RBI in the victory over the Demons. Hall drove in two thanks to his home run in the third, while Diaz and Perry both had RBI's in the ninth. Love also recorded a base hit in the game, walked and scored a run. LA Tech hitters combined for seven base hits on the night with six walks.

This weekend, the Bulldogs travel to Hattiesburg for a crucial three-game Conference USA series against Southern Miss beginning at 6 p.m. Friday at Pete Taylor Park. The road series against the Golden Eagles continues at 2 p.m. Saturday before wrapping up at 1 p.m. Sunday in Hattiesburg.

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