Bulldogs edge Blue Raiders to win series

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – In his 23rd appearance but only his second start of the season, Louisiana Tech’s Landon Tomkins produced the longest outing of his career on a windy, cold and cloudy Sunday afternoon at Reese Smith Jr. Field.

The senior righthander gave up only one run in six innings and earned his eighth save of the season with two scoreless innings pitched as the Bulldogs beat Middle Tennessee, 3-1.

The victory secured the weekend series and moved Tech into a tie with the Blue Raiders for fourth place in Conference USA.

Designated hitter/pitcher Ethan Bates knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly for Tech (22-23, 11-10 C-USA).

The win was not without drama. The Raiders loaded the bases in the ninth with one out before the Bulldogs got their fourth groundball double play of the game to end it. Tech also had big double plays in the sixth, seventh and eighth as things got dicey down the stretch.

“It wouldn’t be Tech Baseball if we didn’t make it tight at the end,” Tech coach Lane Burroughs said.

Tomkins (5-0) was the winner and Blue Raiders starter Kota Sato (1-2) took the loss.

“We decided to roll the dice and go all in with Landon, and the plan came together,” Burroughs said. “You go out on a Sunday and get that kind of a start, it’s just a tremendous feeling.”

In the first, the Bulldogs sent eight batters to the plate and left the bases loaded but scored twice on three walks, an error, and a two-out single from Justin Williams in a 42-pitch inning from Sato.

Tech took a 3-0 lead in the third. Jorge Corona led off with his 15th double of the season to chase Sato.

Philip Matulia greeted reliever Daniel Dewey with a single to score Corona and earn his team-leading 33rd RBI of the season. Dewey walked two to load the bases, the second time the Dogs loaded them in the first three innings, before freshman Ollie Akens relieved and got out of the jam with a strikeout and a popup.

Middle Tennessee (22-21, 11-10 C-USA) loaded the bases in the sixth with no outs but scored only once, on a double play groundball, to make it 3-1.

Meanwhile, James Sells was pitching six innings of scoreless relief for the Raiders to keep things tight.

Tech’s Ryan Harland relieved Tomkins and pitched a clean seventh before giving way to Bates, who walked the leadoff hitter in the ninth and got a fly ball out. Then DJ Wright reached on an error when a fly ball got in the wind and carried away from Matulia, who got his glove on the ball in left. Raider Gabe Jennings then scorched a liner toward third that Tech’s Logan McLeod knocked down and the bases were loaded with one out for leadoff hitter Luke Vinson.

“That’s the one lefty in their lineup, and he can really run,” Burroughs said of the Raiders’ centerfielder.

Vinson hit a sharp ground ball to second baseman Colton Hegwood, who flipped to shortstop Will Safford, who fired to Dalton Davis at first base and set off a celebration among the Tech players.

The Bulldogs are back at home this week. Tech plays Northwestern State Tuesday at 6 and begins a three-game set with UAB Friday at 6.