LA Tech overcomes four-run deficit in 10-6 comeback win at Marshall

BECKLEY, W. Va. – The Louisiana Tech baseball team rallied back from a four-run deficit, and scored four in the seventh, then five in the eighth, taking a 10-6 comeback triumph over the Marshall Thundering Herd on Saturday afternoon from Epling Stadium. With the win, Tech clinched its fifth Conference-USA series win of the season.

“Today was a grind,” head coach Lane Burroughs said. “We weren’t getting much off their starter, but we hung in there and stayed with it. I’m proud of our games. Those are the kind of games you have to win. Marshall has a good club, but we just grinded it out – no other way to put it. Our bullpen was great in keeping us in it, and then they held it together once we took the lead. I thought (Quinton) Logan, (Tyler) Follis and (Kyle) Griffen were outstanding there at the end of the ballgame.”

Through six innings, LA Tech (28-13, 12-5 C-USA) found itself stymied by Marshall (17-19, 5-12 C-USA) starter Joshua Shapiro, who had limited the squad to just three base hits. Meanwhile, the Marshall offense had scratched across single runs in each of the first, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, and owned a 4-0 lead through six.

However, in the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs were able to capitalize on some Marshall miscues, and turn the game around. The inning began with back-to-back singles from Cole Warken and Taylor Young. Both of whom, moved into scoring position after Young’s single was booted in left. Catcher Jonathan Parker then drew a walk, loading the bases with nobody out.

Leadoff man Hunter Wells struck out, bringing up Dalton Skelton who hit a sharp grounder to third. The Herd attempted to turn the relatively routine double-play grounder, but Skelton hustled down the line, beating out the throw, allowing Warken to score and keeping the inning alive. The very next batter in Mason Mallard drove a two-RBI double to right, followed by a one-RBI double from Tanner Huddleston, tying the game at four, and capping off the two-out rally.

With the game knotted up, Quinton Logan got two outs, and Tyler Follis entered to get a big strikeout, capping off the shutdown inning the Bulldogs needed.

Logan was strong in relief of Tech starter Logan Robbins. The lefty reliever worked 1.2 innings allowing a hit and a run, while striking out three of his seven batters faced.

With an opportunity to take its first lead of the game, the Bulldogs wasted no time in carrying over its offensive momentum to the top of the eighth against new Marshall reliever Hunter Sexton (0-1). Just like in the seventh, Warken led the inning off with a single to right. The Tech first baseman had one of his more impressive games of the season – sparking the offense from the bottom of the lineup, going 3-for-5 at the plate, and scoring three runs.

With Warken at first, Young successfully moved him to second via a sac bunt. Warken then moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt after a wild throw back to second. Parker flew out, but with two outs, Hunter Wells walked, keeping the inning alive. With runners on the corners and two outs, Skelton struck out swinging on a pitch that hit the plate, and bounded back to the backstop, scoring Warken and allowing Skelton to take first.

Now owning a 5-4 lead, Mallard worked a walk before Huddleston and Bates broke the game open with back-to-back two-RBI doubles.

Follis allowed a leadoff double and a walk to begin things in the bottom of the eighth, and Tech called on left-hander Kyle Griffen to put out the fire. Griffen would give up a single, and then a bases-loaded walk to Zban at the top of the Marshall order. Cabrera then flew out to left, deep enough to score Rodriguez. Now in a 9-6 ballgame, Griffen buckled down and got a swinging strikeout of Ray, followed up with an impressive spinning pickoff of Robbins at second, ending the Marshall threat.

Tech would add an insurance run in the top of the ninth on a botched intentional walk to Skelton. With a 3-0 count, Marshall decided to put the shortstop on intentionally, but Sam Boone airmailed the delivery, allowing Warken (who led off with a double) to score from third for Tech’s 10th run.

Griffen worked a perfect ninth, recording two more strikeouts and preserved the comeback victory for the Bulldogs.

Follis (4-2) earned the win as the pitcher of record. Robbins went 5.0 innings while allowing three runs on nine hits. The left-hander also struck out a season-best seven batters, while walking just one. Griffen tossed 2.0 innings, allowing just one hit and one walk, while striking out three.

Mallard, Huddleston and Bates combined for all seven of Tech’s RBI, while Warken notched three base hits, and scored three runs. Tech drew nine more walks as a team, and has now walked 21 times in two games this weekend.

The series finale is set for Sunday morning at 9 a.m. CT. Logan Bailey (6-1, 1.89 ERA) is set to make the start for the Bulldogs, with a chance to sweep its first weekend road C-USA series since joining the league.