LAKE CHARLES, La. – The No. 18 Louisiana Tech baseball team owned a 3-0 lead heading into the final three innings, but saw the McNeese Cowboys plate two in the seventh and three in the eighth as the hosts took a 5-3 comeback victory on Wednesday evening from Joe Miller Ballpark.
 
LA Tech (28-13) scored the first three runs of the game, first plating two in the third inning via a two-run home run to left field from left fielder Shelton Wallace, making his first start since April 7^th.  The home run was Wallace's fourth of the season, and plated Chris Clayton, as the Bulldogs surged ahead 2-0.
 
After a shutdown bottom half from starter David Leal, Tech extended the lead in the top of the fourth without notching a hit. The Bulldogs' leading hitter in Mason Mallard began the frame with a four pitch walk, and then moved into scoring position via his 18^th stolen base of the year. Then, after moving to third after a wild pitch, Mallard came home to score on an RBI sac fly to deep centerfield from Tanner Huddleston, pushing the Tech lead out to 3-0.
 
Tech starter David Leal pitched the first three innings of scoreless baseball, allowing just two hits, before giving way to reliever Byrce Fagan in the fourth.
 
Fagan entered the game, and was sharp through his first three innings pitched, holding the Cowboys off the board in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
 
However, the Tech offense was unable to generate any insurance during that team, before the McNeese bats woke up in the seventh. First baseman Jake Dickerson got the Cowboys on the board via a leadoff home run to center off Fagan.
 
Quinton Logan entered in relief of Fagan and induced a couple ground balls, one of which was beat out for an infield single and an RBI, plating another Cowboy run in the inning.
 
Tech right-hander Tyler Follis entered the game with runners at first and second and one out, and proceeded to get a strikeout and a groundout, keeping the Tech lead at one at 3-2.
 
The Tech offense was held off the board in the eighth, as McNeese reliever Aidan Anderson tossed a scoreless top half.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, McNeese saw the first two batters reach before third baseman Carson Maxwell lifted a three-run blast to left, giving the hosts their first lead of the evening at 5-3.
 
In the top of the ninth, Tech got a leadoff double to center from Mason Mallard, but McNeese closer Will Dion stranded him there, while picking up his third save of the year.
 
Follis was charged with the loss falling to 2-2, while Anderson improved to 2-4 with the win.
 
Tech will look to bounce back this weekend, heading to Reckling Park in Houston, Texas, to take on the Rice Owls in a three-game Conference USA series.