RUSTON, La. – Nine runs between the fifth and sixth innings powered No. 14 LA Tech to an 11-4 victory in game one of Saturday's doubleheader at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park. The Bulldogs then dropped game two 11-5 as the Thundering Herd stormed back to clinch the doubleheader split.
 
Both games in Saturday's doubleheader were seven innings.
 
LA Tech (28-10, 14-5 C-USA) and Marshall (7-25, 3-16 C-USA) will conclude this weekend's series with an early-morning series finale at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Right-hander Ryan Jennings is projected to start Sunday's game at the Love Shack.
 
Game 1 Recap: No. 14 LA Tech 11, Marshall 4
 
After taking an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, the Diamond Dogs saw their two-run advantage turn into a two-run deficit in the top of the third when Marshall three-hole batter Luke Edwards notched a two-run homer to left field, putting the Thundering Herd up 4-2.
 
Despite giving up a pair of homers over the first three frames, right-hander Jarret Whorff responded with three straight scoreless innings to keep the Bulldogs within striking distance. In the bottom of the fifth, the Diamond Dogs' offense erupted for six runs, turning a 4-2 deficit into an 8-4 lead.
 
Centerfielder Parker Bates began the Bulldog rally with a one-out single on the first pitch of his at-bat. Four LA Tech hits followed Bates' leadoff single, including an RBI single from left fielder Cole McConnell and an RBI double from catcher Jorge Corona to knot the game at 4-4.
 
With runners at second and third and just one out, Marshall decided to bring its infield in to give its fielders a chance at a play at the plate. Right fielder Philip Matulia beat Marshall's defensive alignment, smacking an RBI single through the right side to put the Bulldogs in the lead for good. Pinch hitter Ben Brantley then provided the Bulldogs with breathing room, blasting a three-run homer to right field to stretch Tech's lead to 8-4.
 
Holding a four-run lead, Whorff struck out the side in the top of the sixth to keep Tech's newfound lead intact. LA Tech's offense rewarded the right-hander's dominant frame with three more runs in the bottom half. Third baseman Hunter Wells tallied a leadoff triple off the center-field wall to open the inning before Bates blasted a two-run shot to center field just two pitches later to make it 10-4 Diamond Dogs. Tech scored its final run of the ballgame on a double-play ball.
 
Wells' second three-bagger of the season moves him into a tie for first place in program history with nine triples across his career. Wells is now tied with former Bulldogs John Cassibry (1969-72) and Bill Laird (1963-65) for the all-time record.
 
Whorff recorded his team-best seventh pitching victory of the season after striking out nine opposing batters and allowing just two walks.

Game 2 Recap: Marshall 11, No. 14 LA Tech 5
 
In game two, a go-ahead two-out, three-run homer from leadoff batter Taylor Young looked like it would be the difference in the bottom of the sixth. Young's blast to center field broke a 2-2 deadlock, giving LA Tech its first lead since the top of the fourth.
 
The Thundering Herd, however, pushed across nine runs in their final team at-bat, erasing a three-run deficit behind designated hitter Kyle Schaefer's grand slam. Schaefer's slam put the Thundering Herd up 7-5 before Marshall scored four more runs before the inning's conclusion. Eight of the nine runs scored in the frame came with one out.
 
Catcher Kyle Hasler put the Bulldogs ahead first with a sacrifice fly to right field, giving LA Tech a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Marshall then responded to Tech's early tally with two runs in the fourth to take its first lead of the game.
 
With two down in the fifth, Parker Bates worked a two-out walk to keep the inning alive for first baseman Manny Garcia. Garcia then ambushed an 0-1 pitch from left-hander Ayden Hodges for an RBI double into the gap in left center to knot the game at 2-2.
 
Bulldog starting pitcher Cade Gibson delivered 4.1 strong innings on the mound, allowing no earned runs with four strikeouts and one walk. Young led the Bulldogs with three RBI, while McConnell scored a team-high two runs.