LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Diamond 'Dogs (31-21, 17-9 CUSA) clinched the weekend series over Liberty (35-16, 18-8 CUSA) Saturday afternoon with a 9-6 victory at Wilmington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium. The 'Dogs never lost the lead for the second-straight game in their final road trip of the season.
 
With Saturday's win, Louisiana Tech is now 10-2 all-time against the Flames and a perfect 6-0 when playing them on their home field.
 
The 'Dogs were quickly out to a 3-0 lead after the top half of the first, opening with three-straight one-out base hits from Trey Hawsey, Eli Berch and Sebastian Mexico, with Berch and Mexico each picking up an RBI for the first two runs of the afternoon.
 
A backside ground rule double off the bat of Matt Houston capped off the frame before Liberty prevented any additional damage with a pair of strikeouts.
 
A pair of first-pitch singles from Colton Coates and Berch led off the third for Tech before Mexico made it a four-run lead with a sacrifice fly to left.
 
Hudson Rowan retired the first six batters he faced before allowing his first baserunner on a hit-by-pitch to lead off the third. A walk and a base hit loaded the bases with no outs followed with a sac fly to give the Flames their first run of the game.
 
Tech put up a crooked number in the fifth to give themselves a 6-1 lead. The frame was led off with a Coates single and a Berch double, allowing Mexico to plate a run on a groundout and Houston tacking one more across with a sac fly.
 
A grand slam in the seventh from the home side closed the gap to just one run, but the 'Dogs responded accordingly with three of their own in the top of the eighth to gain a four-run advantage.
 
A four-pitch one-out walk was drawn by Colby Lunsford followed with a backside double down the line and out of play delivered by Hawsey, putting a pair of runners in scoring position for the 'Dogs. Berch delivered his second and third RBI of the day on his fourth hit to give Tech an 8-5 lead before scoring on a double off the left field wall from McCann Libby.
 
Liberty trimmed the lead back to three on a two-out infield RBI knock before a fly out to shallow right sent the game to the ninth.
 
Hudson Rowan picked up his fifth win of the season, tossing six frames allowing three runs on four hits, one walk and fanning three Liberty hitters. Riley Fisher earned his team-leading fifth save of the season and first since March 14.
 
Berch picked up his first four-hit performance as a 'Dog along with three RBI and three runs scored. Coates picked up his fifth three-hit game of the season and sixth of his career, along with coming across the plate on three separate occasions. Hawsey also added a multi-hit game with a pair of runs scored.
 
The Bulldogs look for a sweep in the series finale on Sunday, May 10 at Wilmington Field. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. CT/1 p.m. ET.
 
Quotables
 
Head Coach Lane Burroughs:
"McCann Libby is one of those young men that you really and truly would want your daughter to marry. He's an unbelievable person and works his tail off every day. He had a great fall, and even in the early stages of spring he was one of our better hitters. It just hasn't gone his way, but he prepares every day like he's a starter. He knows his role right now is late-inning defense and pinch running. We had the lead so we let him hit—I thought he got it out of the yard but he capped it. That was obviously a huge hit for us to drive in that last run. I couldn't be prouder of McCann—when guys work hard every day and you treat the game right, the game will pay you back and it will reward you. He's one of those young men that doesn't say much, but he comes to the ballpark every day and works like an everyday starter. We're proud to have him on our team. The amazing thing is how crazy our dugout went when he got that hit. He's well liked and I'm very proud of him."
 
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