RUSTON, La. - A five-run sixth inning from Middle Tennessee cost Louisiana Tech the series sweep on Sunday as the Bulldogs fell, 9-5, at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park. LA Tech (25-9, CUSA 6-3) lost at home on a Sunday for the first time this season, which also snapped its 10-game home winning streak in the loss to Middle Tennessee (11-19, CUSA 3-6). 

LA Tech got on the board first, scoring one run in the bottom of the first after a fielding error from Middle Tennessee pitcher Patrick Johnson that led Cole McConnell to score. Later in the third inning, Middle Tennessee delivered with a pair of back-to-back RBI doubles from Eston Snider and Briggs Rutter that put the Blue Raiders up, 2-1. The visitors secured one more run after a sacrifice fly RBI, extending their lead to 3-1 in the third. 

The Bulldogs would tie it up though in the bottom half of the frame after recording back-to-back solo home runs. McConnell (2-for-4, RBI, BB, HR) went opposite field for his 11th homer of the season. Next, Jorge Corona (3-for-5, 3 RBI, 2B, 2 HR) followed with a home run to left center to tie things up at 3-3. 

Eventually, Middle Tennessee knocked in five runs in the top of the sixth, Nathan Brewer started the scoring run when doubled to left field and forced in a run. A single from Brett Vondohlen drove in Brewer, making it a 5-3 game. Meanwhile, Middle Tennessee's final two runs came from an RBI single and an RBI triple, closing the sixth inning out by a score of 8-3. 

A home run from Eston Snider helped extend Middle Tennessee's lead to 9-3 in the top of the seventh, but Corona cut the lead to 9-4 after he registered his second home run on the evening. The Miami, Fla. native drove in another run in the ninth, resulting in the 9-5 score. 

QUOTABLES 
Head Coach Lane Burroughs 
"I thought Turner [Swistak] threw pretty well. He had a little trouble giving up the three spots, but he was able to come back with zeros. Our starters have learned how to get through rough innings and navigate the lineup multiple times, but what he did was unbelievable. I thought the outfield played well, Adarius [Myers] and Will [Safford] made some great plays." 

UP NEXT
Louisiana Tech will be on the road at UL-Lafayette on Wednesday for a rematch of the home-and-away series. The first pitch for the game will be at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.

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