RUSTON – 34 total runs. 11 innings. 37 hits. Over 4 hours. Louisiana Tech was constantly fighting to make a comeback in the first game of this series against the UTSA Roadrunners, but despite a display of firepower from both teams, the Bulldogs fell 18-16 on a warm, late Thursday night at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.
 
Jonathan Fincher was the LA Tech (26-28, 14-14 C-USA) starter in his final home game of his career. The first two at-bats for UTSA (37-16, 20-7 C-USA) were two different tales, with Fincher earning a strikeout against their leadoff hitter before giving up a solo home run to the next batter. The damage was limited, and the 'Dogs got their bats started early.
 
Dalton Davis got the first-hit-of-the-game jitters out of the way for Tech with a single to kickstart the home offense. The Bulldogs have played a few games this year where the bats took several innings to warm up, but this evening was not one of those games. Ethan Bates followed Davis with a single of his own, and a Brody Drost single right after loaded the bases.
 
Still in the bottom of the first inning with no outs, Jorge Corona hit into a bang-bang play at first base but appeared safe and was initially called out. The Love Shack and the Tech coaches rose to their feet in protest, and after much deliberation from the umpires, Corona was called safe and the run he'd batted in made it a 1-2 game with no outs.
 
Philip Matulia, the Bulldogs' most thunderous hitter for most of the season, was up next and would not be outdone in getting the home faithful fired up. With the bases loaded, he sent a baseball high into the setting sun for a grand slam, putting LA Tech ahead 5-2. The first inning came to an end soon after, and the defense came through with a three-up, three-down top of the second.
 
In the top of the third, a Bulldog error that would've gotten the lead runner allowed the bases to quickly load, and UTSA put up four runs on a double and a couple of sacrifice flies to pull back ahead.
 
Alec Sparks came in to relieve Fincher in the top of the fourth, and the LA Tech crowd gave the senior hurler a standing ovation as he tipped his cap and walked back to the dugout.
 
UTSA stretched their lead by tacking on three more runs, but the Bulldogs caught some new life from a Dalton Davis 3-run home run that also scored Kyle Hasler and Logan McLeod and brought an 8-9 ball game into the fifth inning. It's worth noting here that McLeod reached base in this inning after being hit by a pitch for the 21st time this season, setting the new program record for being plunked and taking it like a champ.
 
The offensive fireworks continued in the fifth inning. UTSA put up four runs, one from a solo HR, but the Bulldogs matched their efforts with four runs of their own. Dalton Davis turned on his second deep ball of the game to make it 13-11, and then Bates immediately followed up with a fence-clearer of his own to get Tech within a single run.
 
The Roadrunners threatened in the top of the eighth, but Matulia made a diving catch in right field for the third out, stranding two UTSA baserunners and opening the door for the Bulldogs to tie the game in the bottom half. They would do that on a Hasler RBI single that scored Adarius Myers.
 
Into the ninth inning. Tied at 14. Ethan Bates (4-3) entered in relief.
 
Bates would get Tech out of a two-on, two-out jam in the top of the ninth, and would pitch a three-up, three-down top of the tenth, but the 'Dogs couldn't get enough offense going to end the game. McLeod would single in the bottom of the tenth, giving him a 4-for-5 evening at the plate.
 
Pitching woes in the eleventh gave way to home runs that eventually plated four more for the visitors. Tech tried to fight their way back (again) in the bottom of the inning and managed to get two runs back but no more. Game over. An 11-inning game that brings the total innings played for Tech over the last three games to a whopping 37.
 
"I'm extremely proud of our hitters," said head coach Lane Burroughs. "They kept hitting. They kept fighting. But [UTSA] can really hit. One of the best-hitting teams in our league, and it showed tonight."
 
Burroughs went on to sing the praises of Fincher and his commitment to the Louisiana Tech Baseball program.
 
"He knows how I feel about him. It didn't go well today, and that's unfortunate. But I love Finch. He's one of the best to ever put the uniform on. He leaves it all out there, and he'll get at least one more start next week in the tournament."
 
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs wrap up this final regular season series vs UTSA on Friday (6:00 p.m.) and Saturday (noon) before beginning C-USA Tournament play the following week.
 
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