Final Stats

RUSTON, La. - Thanks to a scoreboard clearing home run in the bottom of the eighth inning, Louisiana Tech pushed their home winning streak to an NCAA-leading 14 games.

Raphael Gladu was the hero of the night as the senior blasted the 3-1 offer from Little Rock left-hander Cole Osburn onto the train tracks that rest beyond the right field wall, a three-run shot that put Louisiana Tech back ahead 4-2.

"We needed this," head coach Lane Burroughs said. "That is what I told the guys. Win or lose, we needed to be challenged. We need these type of ball games. That is a good club over there. They are well coached and they are going to win a lot of games this year. I just could not be prouder of our guys. I never once felt panic in the dugout. We know we can strike quick and we are never out of the game as long as it is close."

Nate Harris picked up his first win of the season tossing two scoreless innings in relief, allowing just a lone hit and striking out three Trojan hitters.

Outside of a two-error play in the bottom of the first inning that allowed Jordan Washam to cross home and give the Bulldogs the early 1-0 lead, Louisiana Tech struggled to get into any kind of rhythm at the plate.

Casey Sullivan picked up his first win of the season going four innings and not allowing a run to cross.

Little Rock starter Cole Townsend pitched the first six innings for the Trojans and did not allow a run outside of the unearned run in the first inning. He gave up four hits and struck out 10, before giving way to Ryan LeMoine.

With two outs in the top of the seventh, Cameron Knight singled up the middle and the Trojans took advantage of the base runner as Hunter Owens followed with a two-run home run over the batters eye in centerfield, which gave Little Rock their first lead of the game at 2-1.

Trailing for the first time this season, how would the Bulldogs respond?

LeMoine would enter the game with the Bulldogs having two in scoring position and just one out in the bottom of the seventh. The hard-throwing submarine pitcher escaped the inning on a strikeout and groundout to maintain the Little Rock lead of 2-1. The Bulldogs were down to six outs.

After Nate Harris quickly retired the Trojans in the top half of the inning, the Bulldogs went back to work, but running out of outs.

Chase Lunceford opened the frame with a single up the middle. A fielder's choice from Brent Diaz left Diaz, the tying run, at first base with just one away. Daigle walked and the Bulldogs had both the tying run and go-ahead run on base with just one away.

Following Gladu's eventual game-winning home run, Nate Harris came on in the ninth and worked around a one-out double to seal the victory.

"[Gladu] was struggling, he was not seeing it," Burroughs continued. "He is one of the best hitters in our league and I was thinking about pinch hitting for him. I went out and told him `If you aren't feeling it, you need to let me know, I won't think less of you.' He kind of stared at me funny. I asked him if he wanted some of that guy and he said `Yessir, I do.' He went up there and did what big time players do, they go to the moment. Some guys run from the moment and some guys run to it."

Louisiana Tech will now make its first road trip of the season for a three-game series with UT-Arlington. All three games will broadcasted on ESPN 97.7.