MIAMI – The Louisiana Tech baseball team made up a two-run deficit in the top of the ninth via a game-tying two-RBI single from Hunter Wells, but saw the host FIU Panthers stake a 5-4 walk-off win via a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth from senior Lorenzo Hampton Jr. in the final regular season contest of the 2019 season.
 
The Bulldogs (34-22, 17-13 C-USA) will now await their seed in the upcoming Conference USA tournament – dependent on the outcome of the WKU/Old Dominion series finale this afternoon. With a WKU loss, Tech will clinch the no. 3 overall seed in the tournament. With a WKU win, Tech will enter next week's postseason as the no. 4 overall seed.
 
Trailing 4-2, heading to the ninth inning, the Bulldogs put together a rally against FIU closer Jan Figueora. Shelton Wallace, who pinch hit for Philip Matulia in the seventh inning, led things off with an opposite-field single to right. Then, senior catcher Chris Clayton worked a walk, bringing up the top of the order in Taylor Young.
 
The West Monroe native got down a perfectly-placed bunt, moving both runners into scoring position with just one out. After Seth White pinch ran for Clayton at second, Hunter Wells drilled a game-tying single back up the middle, bringing the visitors back.
 
However, in the bottom of the ninth, FIU's lone senior (on Senior Day) in Lorenzo Hampton Jr., smacked a walk-off solo home run off Tech reliever Jonathan Fincher, ending the game.
 
Tech starter Logan Bailey picked up the no decision, pitching 6.0 innings, while allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits, while striking out three and walking one.
 
FIU starter Franco Aleman also did not factor into the decision, going 5.0 innings, allowing just one run on six hits, and was the beneficiary of three double-play ground balls, working out of some crowded base paths throughout his start.
 
FIU got to Tech starter Logan Bailey to begin the scoring for both teams in the bottom of the third inning. A borderline 3-2 walk issued to the no. 8 hitter, Chris Williams, began things, before back-to-back-to-back one-out singles drove home the first three runs of the game for the Panthers. Bailey would retire the side on a 5-4-3 double-play grounder from the cleanup man, Garcia.
 
Meanwhile, through the first four innings, the Bulldogs had their chances, but three ground ball double plays (two inning-ending) squashed any threat of early offense for the visitors.
 
However, in the top of the fifth inning, Tech was finally able to scratch of FIU starter Franco Aleman. Steele Netterville was plunked with one out, who then came all the way around to score from first after a Manny Garcia double into the left field corner drew Tech to within two at 3-1.
 
In the bottom half, FIU would get the run back, unearned, as a fielding error in left from Garcia allowed a Panther to score from second – extending the home team's lead back out to three at 4-1.
 
Tech southpaw Kyle Griffen entered the game in the seventh inning, making his 33^rd appearance of the season. The 33 appearances set a new single-season program record, and Griffen was sharp, allowing only an infield single in a scoreless 7^th.
 
In the top of the eighth, trailing still by two, the Bulldogs built a golden opportunity of left-handed reliever Will Saxton. A pair of one-out singles from Huddleston and Bates, and a wild pitch from Saxton placed both runners in scoring position with just one out. However, the Panther southpaw buckled down and got a strikeout of Steele Netterville and a popout to second from Garcia to hold the Bulldogs off the board.
 
Young notched his second straight three-hit game (3-for-4) from the top of the Tech order.
 
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