RUSTON, La. - Louisiana Tech slugged its way to an 18-11 win in game three of the series against Southern Miss on Sunday afternoon at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park. The Bulldogs scored their 18 runs on 15 hits while Southern Miss picked up 11 runs on 13 hits.  

Southern Miss jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first following a Slade Wilks RBI Single to left, scoring Nick Moniestere. Tech responded in the bottom half of the inning with a Cole McConnell home run to deep center field to make it a tie game. 

In the top of the second inning, USM scored four runs from an Ozzie Pratt grand slam, making the lead 5-1. Tech fought back into the game with a Jorge Corona RBI double to left field, an Adarius Myers RBI walk, and Ethan Bates with Kasten Furr scored, making the game 5-4 in the bottom of the third.

Tech scorched Southern Miss with eight runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ethan Bates (2-for-6, 2 2B, 5 RBI) had a 2-RBI double to left, scoring Dalton Davis and McConnell. Bates scored on a passed ball, increasing Tech's lead to 7-5. Junior Will Safford earned an RBI single, while Kasten Furr earned a RBI after being hit by a pitch at the plate. McConnell (3-for-6, 5 RBI, 1 HR) singled to right, giving him two RBIs and Louisiana Tech an 11-5 lead. Bates picked up another RBI after being hit by a pitch at the plate in the bottom of the fourth. 

Southern Miss scored four runs in the top of the fifth, cutting Tech's lead to 12-9. The Beaumont, Texas native McConnell hit another single in the bottom of the fifth, scoring Will Safford and Michael Ballard and making the game 14-9. Senior Myers earned a two-RBI single at the plate, scoring Bates and Corona (4-for-7, 1 RBI, 1 2B). 

The Golden Eagles scored two more runs in the top of the eight after Seth Smith singled, scoring two runs. Bates doubled again in the bottom of the eighth, giving Tech two more runs and a lead of 18-11. 

QUOTABLES 
Head coach Lane Burroughs 
"Huge win for us especially after the way we got beat the last two nights. We showed a ton of character makeup today, coming out and beating a good team. Coach Gaspard challenged our older hitters today, and they all stepped up."

UP NEXT 
Louisiana Tech will travel down to Natchitoches to face Northwestern State on Tuesday, March 12. The first pitch for Tuesday's game will be at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.

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