LA Tech drops series at Rice with walk-off loss in 10 innings

HOUSTON – The No. 18 Louisiana Tech baseball team fell, 3-2, in 10 innings, to the Rice Owls in the third and final game of the weekend Conference-USA set on Sunday afternoon from Reckling Park in front of 2,339.

The Owls (21-23, 12-9 C-USA) clinched the weekend sweep over the Bulldogs (28-16, 12-9 C-USA), in walk-off fashion on Sunday, as a bases-loaded wild pitch allowed the winning run to score in the bottom of the 10th inning.

The Bulldogs were the aggressors early on in the contest, tagging Rice starter Jackson Pathasarthy for a run in the top of the first, courtesy of a two-out RBI double to left center field from Tech third baseman Tanner Huddleston, plating Mason Mallard, who had singled to center with two outs.

With a 1-0 cushion behind him, Tech starter Logan Bailey was sharp, keeping the hosts off the board through the first five innings.

Tech would add a run in the sixth inning, after back-to-back HBPs from Taylor Young and Mallard chased Parthasarthy from the game. After a Huddleston deep flyout to center moved Young to third, Parker Bates beat out a potential double-play grounder, allowing Young to score on the RBI fielder’s choice.

Trailing now, 2-0, the Owls scratched for the first time in the bottom of the sixth. Rice would lead off the inning with three consecutive singles, including an RBI knock from Trei Cruz, giving the hosts their first run of the game. Then, trailing by just one, cleanup man Andrew Dunlap drove in the tying run on an RBI fielder’s choice, allowing right fielder Bradley Gneiting to score, evening the game at two.

The Owls built another threat in the bottom of the seventh after a catcher’s interference extended the inning off Tech reliever Tyler Follis. With runners at second and third and two outs, Follis gave way to left-hander Kyle Griffen, who won out in his matchup vs. fellow lefty Gneiting, striking out the right-fielder on seven pitches.

Meanwhile, new Rice reliever, Blair Lewis entered for Parthasarthy to begin the sixth in his first action of the weekend, and held the Bulldogs off the scoreboard through his four innings pitched.

Tech called on closer Braxton Smith to begin the eighth inning, still in a 2-2 tie. Smith, making his first appearance since last Thursday vs. Marshall, was electric, striking out the side in the eighth, and adding two more punchouts in the ninth, working around a runner at second with one out.

The Tech offense had a golden chance to take the lead in the top of the ninth after Steele Netterville worked a leadoff four-pitch walk. Seth White then pinch ran for the Tech left fielder, as Chris Clayton attempted to move the go-ahead run into scoring position. The Tech backstop laid down a sac bunt down the first baseline, but was ruled out for running inside the basepath, interfering with the throw to first. White eventually advanced to second on a wild pitch, but was left stranded there.

Tech again had an opportunity in the top of the 10th inning after Hunter Wells led off with a single off new pitcher Dalton Wood, before moving to second on a successful sac bunt from Taylor Young. With one out and Wells at second, Mason Mallard singled sharply to left, however, Wells was gunned down trying to score from second for the second out. Huddleston then singled to right for his third base hit of the day, moving Mallard to third with two outs, but Wood induced a groundout to short from Parker Bates, retiring the side.

Smith allowed a one-out single to Cruz in the bottom of the 10th, then got a weak flyout to left from Dunlap for out number two. However, with two outs, Cruz stole second, before a pair of walks (one intentional) loaded the bases. With the bags full, Cruz came home to score the winning run on a wild pitch, giving the Owls the 3-2 extra-innings win.

Four Bulldogs finished with multiple-hit efforts as Wells (2-for-5), Mallard (2-for-4, 1 R), Huddleston (3-for-5, 1 RBI) and Manny Garcia (2-for-4) helped Tech crank out 10 hits.

Bailey pitched 6.1 innings, allowing just two runs on eight hits, while striking out four and did not walk a batter.

Follis and Griffen combined for a scoreless inning, while Smith fell to 1-3, pitching 2.2 innings, allowing one run on two hits, while striking out five and walking two.

Tech will return to Ruston for a short time before hitting the road on Tuesday evening, taking on Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La., in a midweek matchup set for 6 p.m.