RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech fell 9-7 in extra innings to the undefeated Arkansas Razorbacks in an outstanding game at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park. Friday night's matchup between the Bulldogs and top-ranked Razorbacks saw two lead changes and three ties in front of a raucous crowd in the Love Shack.
 
LA Tech (8-4) carried a 7-4 lead into the top of the eighth before the Razorbacks (11-0) tallied three runs in the frame to knot the contest at 7-7. Arkansas broke the tie with a 10^th-inning, two-run home run from shortstop Jalen Battles to push the game to its final tally.
 
"We had an electric atmosphere, and I was very pleased with the crowd," head coach Lane Burroughs said. "We've got this beautiful stadium, and I thought we played good tonight.

"I want our program to be elite, and I don't go home feeling good after playing good tonight. We need to win these ballgames, and we need to bring it tomorrow. The energy was great tonight, and we put outselves in position to win the game."
 
After three hitless innings to open the game, Arkansas pulled ahead with a crooked number in the fourth, putting three runs on the scoreboard behind a two-run homer from Matt Goodheart and an RBI single from Brady Slavens. The Bulldogs, however, struck back quickly with four runs just an inning later in the fifth.
 
Catcher Jorge Corona wore a 0-1 pitch to lead off the inning with an HBP. Shortstop and nine-hole batter Alex Ray again showed off his skills while batting down two strikes, slapping a single to shallow right field to put runners at the corners with nobody out. The single chased Arkansas starter Peyton Pallette from the game, bringing in reliever Ryan Costeiu from the Razorback bullpen.
 
Costeiu opened his relief appearance with a strikeout, but the 'Dogs managed to string together their four-run fifth inning with one away. Third baseman Hunter Wells recorded a single through the right side to score shortstop Corona from third and move Ray up 90 feet to second base. First-Team Preseason All-American Parker Bates then stepped to the plate to drill a two-run triple to tie the game at 3-3, sending the crowd into a frenzy at J.C. Love Field.
 
Right fielder Steele Netterville put the Bulldogs ahead just one batter later, lifting a sacrifice fly to center field on an 0-2 pitch to bring home Bates from third. The 'Dogs tallied three hits and an HBP during the four-run fifth frame.
 
A solo shot from Arkansas' Cayden Wallace tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the sixth, but the Bulldogs once again answered the Hogs' tally with an RBI single from Corona in the bottom half. Corona's base hit to right field scored designated hitter Manny Garcia after he opened the inning with a leadoff double.
 
The Bulldogs extended their lead to 7-4 in the seventh inning when first baseman Ben Brantley drilled a two-out single into right field, plating Netterville and Bates for a pair of RBI. Arkansas answered in the top of the eighth with a bases-loaded HBP and a two-run single from leadoff batter Robert Moore.
 
Battles' home run in the 10^th put the Hogs in the lead for good before freshman closer Jaxon Wiggins recorded his second save of the season.
 
Bulldog starting pitcher Jonathan Fincher provided a strong start for Tech against a talented Arkansas lineup, allowing just five hits and four runs in six innings of work. The left-hander struck out eight Razorbacks to help the Diamond Dogs finish the night with 11 punchouts as a team.
 
Brantley and Bates paced the Bulldogs with two RBI on the night. Garcia, Brantley, Bates and leadoff man Taylor Young each recorded two hits in Friday's game.
 
The Bulldogs will look to bounce back on Saturday to hand No. 1 Arkansas its first loss of 2021. Right-hander Ryan Jennings will take the mound for LA Tech to face Arkansas' Zebulon Vermillion in the second game of the series.