RUSTON – The Bulldogs (25-16, 10-5 CUSA) opened the series in a Friday night 12-inning slugfest, falling to DBU (29-12, 12-4 CUSA), 16-15, in 12 innings at the Love Shack.
The 31 combined runs were the most scored in a game the Bulldogs played in since the 39 runs scored in their 27-12 victory to open the series at Wichita State on March 14. The Bulldogs' 15 runs scored where the most since putting up 16 at UL-Lafayette on April 2 and their 10th double-digit game this year.
Friday's loss marked the first loss for Tech when scoring at least 10 runs in a game this season.
The Patriots opened up the first frame with a two-run base hit up the middle of the infield following a one-out walk and a two-out double to the left center gap. The 'Dogs answered back in a big way with eight runs in the home half, seven coming in with two outs.
Tech loaded the bases with
Colton Coates leading off with a walk,
Michael Ballard knocking a base hit off a diving shortstop's glove and
Sebastian Mexico getting hit by a pitch on the first one of his at-bat.
Garrison Berkley then hit a one-out sacrifice fly deep enough to left to put the 'Dogs on the board before
Zeb Ruddell put his team out front, 4-2, with a three-run blast to right field.
The bats continued for Tech as
Eli Berch singled on the first pitch he saw before
Cade Patterson was hit by a pitch and
Will Safford drew a walk to load the bases yet again. A bases-clearing double by Coates put the 'Dogs out front 7-1, forcing DBU to make a pitching change. Ballard then ripped a double to the left center gap on his first pitch of the at-bat to cap off the eight-run frame.
It is the first time the Bulldogs scored five runs in the first inning and eight runs in an inning since that 27-12 victory over the Shockers. It is also the first time Tech batted around to start a game since April 15, 2018 against Charlotte.
A pair of RBI base hits from the Patriots cut their deficit to 8-4, but Tech stayed hot adding another run on Ruddell's second homer of the day and team-leading seventh of the year.
Just one runner combined was allowed through the third and fourth innings before DBU cut Tech's lead to just two runs after three runs came across on an RBI knock and a two-run shot to center, bringing the game to a 9-7 score. The Bulldogs continued answering back after
Zeb Ruddell doubled before moving to third on a groundout.
Cade Patterson knocked him in to put the 'Dogs up 10-7 before both sides exchanged solo homers in the seventh, with Patterson cranking his fifth long ball of the season to bring the score to 11-8 going into the eighth.
The Patriots tied the game after a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and a two-out two-run single, ultimately forcing extra innings for just the second time this season at the Love Shack. DBU applied pressure as soon as the extra frames hit, loading the bases with two outs on back-to-back walks after a leadoff single.
DBU then took a 15-11 lead on a grand slam following a pitching change, giving the 'Dogs just three outs to work with in making an effort to come back in the game. Coates started to give the home side life with a one-out base hit that dropped between the Patriots' center fielder, shortstop and second baseman. Ballard drew a walk before Mexico juiced the bags with his own knock dropped just in front of the center fielder.
Trey Hawsey then stepped up to the plate, drawing his at-bat to a 2-1 count before delivering another clutch swing for the Bulldogs. He blasted a no-doubter grand slam to right that traveled over 420 feet, completely shifting the momentum back to the home crowd to tie the game in the late stages.
Neither side could push across a run in the 11th, but the Patriots took the lead again after three singles brought in the go-ahead run and bring the score to 16-15 entering the home half of the 12th. Hawsey attempted another late rally for Tech with a leadoff single before Berkley dropped a bunt single to get the tying run in scoring position.
Thaxton Berch entered as a pinch runner for Hawsey before Ruddell loaded the bases on a four-pitch walk. The 'Dogs looked in prime position to even the score, but a strikeout, pop out and a strikeout cut the comeback effort short.
Lane Burroughs' comments after Friday's series opener:
"A crazy game and very proud of our guys. They fought their tails off and can't ask them to compete much harder than they did tonight. That's all we ask of them—go out and compete, play hard—and that's what they did tonight. We score eight runs in the first off of a really good arm, probably knew it wasn't going to be enough because they're really good offensively, and it proved to be right. Very proud of the guys for grinding and finding a way to tie the game after the grand slam.
Trey Hawsey—big swing, and he's really coming into his own. Couldn't be more proud of him. I'm proud of our club because they fought their tails off. You know, bases loaded with nobody out and you can't get a run across, and that was pretty unfortunate right there."
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