Box Score LITTLE ROCK – The Louisiana Tech baseball team scored two runs in the top of the 12^th to take a 5-3 12-inning road triumph over the Little Rock Trojans on Tuesday evening from Gary Hogan Field.
 
"First of all, this game just shows how good college baseball is," Tech head coach Lane Burroughs said. "Everybody is good. You don't just roll up and beat people like you might've done 25-30 years ago. Schools are making a commitment to baseball. There are good coaches and players all over the place. I'm really proud of our guys for the way they hung in there tonight, though. I thought we showed some maturity and were able to put some mistakes behind us and come out on top."
 
The Bulldogs (6-2) owned a late lead of 3-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth, but the Trojans (1-7) pieced together key late hits to send the game into extra innings.
 
Both teams were held off the scoreboard in the 10^th and 11^th frames, before the Bulldogs struck in the top of the 12^th. Chris Clayton led off the inning after a throwing error from the Little Rock third baseman, Lyons. Clayton was replaced by pinch-runner Seth White, who was quickly picked off for the second out of the inning.
 
Taylor Young was then hit by a pitch, bringing up Parker Bates who had previously gone 0-for-6. Bates wasted no time in lining a double into left. Taylor Young made an aggressive turn around third and motored home, forcing an errant throw home to give Tech a 4-3 lead. Bates then also pressed the issue and advanced to third forcing another Trojan throwing error allowing the Tech center fielder to score behind Young, extending the lead to 5-3.
 
Freshman Beau Billings (2-0), who had entered the game in the top of the 11^th, returned to preserve the Tech lead, and retired the side to preserve the victory, earning his second career victory in his second career appearance. Billings went 2.0 innings, while allowing just one hit.
 
The Bulldogs got to Little Rock starter Aaron Funk early in the game, as Hunter Wells and Taylor Young continued their reaching-base prowess as Wells doubled on the first pitch of the game and Young followed with a walk. Steele Netterville worked a walk with one out, and then Mason Mallard drove in the first run of the game on a sac fly to right, scoring Wells from third.
 
Then in the third, Little Rock tied the game off Tech starter Kyle Griffen after an infield single tipped off the glove of the Tech starter to even the score at one.
 
Both Griffen and Little Rock starter Aaron Funk combined for scoreless fourth and fifth innings before the Bulldogs broke the tie in the top of the sixth after an RBI single from catcher Chris Clayton gave Tech a 2-1 edge.
 
Griffen held the Trojans off the board in the bottom half of the sixth, allowing Tech to tack on another in the top of the seventh via a bases-loaded walk from Chris Clayton.
 
Griffen left the game after six complete innings, allowing just one earned run on five hits. The southpaw hit four batters but navigated through trouble and did not issue a walk.
 
Leading 3-2, heading into the bottom of the ninth, Little Rock put together a two-out rally off Tech reliever Quinton Logan. Logan quickly got two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but a single from Reyes and a double from Scott knotted the game up at three, sending the contest into the extra frames.
 
As a team, the Bulldogs walked a season-high 10 times, while the pitching staff walked just two batters, one of which was an intentional free pass.
 
The two teams combined to strand 31 runners in the contest (18 for Tech, 13 for Little Rock).
 
Tech will be back in action at home this weekend, opening a three-game weekend series with the Arkansas State Red Wolves. First pitch for the series is set for Friday at 6 p.m. from J.C. Love Field.