Flames snap Diamond Dogs seven-game win streak

RUSTON, La. – Liberty powers past Louisiana Tech to give Tech their first loss in the CUSA Tournament. No. 1 Louisiana Tech (42-16, 18-7 CUSA) fell 6-2 to No. 5 Liberty (24-32, 12-13 CUSA) in the second of the CUSA Tournament.

Louisiana Tech is now 3-5 all-time in the second of the CUSA tournament after falling to Liberty today. Pitcher Luke Nichols came out of the gate dealing after punching out six batters in the first two innings.

Liberty would earn a run in the third inning when Macaddin Dye sent a ball into center field, picking up an RBI single while sending Kane Keppley home. The Flames sent back-to-back bombs out of the Love Shack to put them up 4-0 in the fourth inning.

Liberty’s pitcher Nick Moran punched six of Tech’s batters following his seven scoreless frames.

Later, in the eighth inning, Flames went up 5-0 on Tech after an RBI double, but Catcher Jorge Corona dimmed Liberty’s lead to three after he destroyed a ball over the left field wall. Corona (2-for-4, 2 RBI, HR) has eight RBI in his last four games. The Flames picked up one more run after a Todd Hudson to go up 6-2 in the ninth inning.

QUOTABLES

Head Coach Lane Burroughs: “It was one of those games. We got beat. I did not play that bad. I thought the ball was coming out of Luke’s (Nicholls) hand well. They got a couple of balls and they have power they play in a big ballpark. Our plays were more offensive and they got on some yesterday too. It was one of those days. They outplayed us but we hit some balls hard but right at them. It seems like everything went their way. I am not taking anything away from them but it was kind of their day. Their lefty (Nick Moran) is good. He pitched against us last Saturday and hooked it up… He pitched extremely well. We have to tip our hat to him.”

On moving forward…

“We have been in this situation before and we were in this situation three years ago. We lost game two and had to beat Southern Miss twice on Saturday. We had to come through the loser’s bracket and were able to do it and get to the championship game. We are at home and I expect us to be playing on Sunday”

On what it takes to get to Sunday…

“When you get in the loser’s bracket it becomes an offensive tournament. We have to swing the bats and I did not think we were great at the plate but we hit some balls hard. Their center fielder (Kane Kepley) made a great play and they made some plays on some balls that we scorched in the infield. They had a double play ball that they dropped at second and we could not cash in on. When the ball hits the bag and scores a run it’s their day. We have to be better offensively for sure.”

LUKE NICHOLS: “I felt like I did not give the team much of a chance to win. We feed off each other and I think Grant [Hubka] will pick me up after today. I expect nothing but good things from him. I was not able to execute pitches. I just have to stay on top of what I am doing and never let up.”

JORGE CORONA: “[Liberty’s starting pitcher] was on it today. He commanded every pitch that he had. The offense has to step up. This is a senior-led team. We need to get better at bats and step up. I thought we did have some pretty good at-bats. A lot of guys hit the ball hard right at people. That’s baseball sometimes. We have been in this position before. We are facing a good Sam Houston tonight and we will just go out and try to attack them.”

UP NEXT: No. 1 Louisiana Tech will No. 4 Sam Houston at 7:30 PM in must-win game in the Love Shack.

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