LA Tech sweeps Saturday doubleheader to take series at Marshall

HUNTINGTON, W. Va. – Louisiana Tech (25-11, 11-4 C-USA) swept a Saturday doubleheader against Marshall (16-20-1, 5-10 C-USA) to take the series victory on the road.

With the two victories today, Tech hwad coach Lane Burroughs reached 300 career wins as a head coach.

Game One

The Herd jumped out on top early in game one as Luke Edwards blasted a solo homer to right to take an early 1-0 lead. Marshall plated three more in the fourth as Ryan Leitch hit a two-run shot and Daniel Carinci singled to bring home another.

The Bulldog bats were held quiet through five innings until Steele Netterville launched his 10th home run of the season making it four straight games with a long ball.

LA Tech plated four more in the seventh as Jorge Corona ripped an RBI double down the left field line to bring home Philip Matulia. Logan McLeod hit a clutch two-run single up the middle to tie things up and Netterville broke the tie with a single to left to take a 5-4 lead.

Cole McConnell added some insurance as he belted a two-run shot over the right center field wall making it a 7-4 lead in the eighth.

The Bulldogs scored seven unanswered runs to complete the come from behind victory in game one of the doubleheader.

Ryan Harland came on in relief tossing 4.2 innings allowing just one hit, no runs, one walk and striking out a season-high eight batters. The true freshman earned his first career win.

Game Two

The Bulldogs and Herd were held scoreless through the first two frames in this one. In the top of the third, Taylor Young got the Bulldogs on the board with an RBI single to left scoring Adarius Myers. With two outs, Cole McConnell blasted his seventh home run of the year bringing home three more to go out in front 4-0.

Marshall answered back in the fourth with a two-run shot off the bat of Eddie Leon to cut their deficit in half, 4-2.

In the fifth, Young came around to score another Bulldog run on a wild pitch. In the bottom half, Marshall hit back-to-back homers to trim the deficit 5-4. The Herd tied the ball game up on a bases loaded walk with two outs.

Jarret Whorff came out of the LA Tech bullpen dealing. The right-hander earned the win hurling 3.1 innings, allowing just one walk, no hits, no runs and punching out seven of the 10 batters he faced.

With the game tied going into the ninth, LA Tech plated six runs on eight hits to blow the game open. Corona added to his outstanding weekend at the plate leading the inning off with a single. Matulia followed with a single of his own. Thaxton Berch came off the bench with a bunt single (First career hit). With the bases loaded, Myers sent a pitch off the center field wall bring home two. McLeod, Netterville and McConnell all recorded RBI knocks in consecutive at-bats to push the lead 11-5.

NOTABLES
• Coach Burroughs 300th career win
• Seven Bulldog home runs in the series
• 39 strikeouts for Bulldog pitching in the series
• Harland earned first career win
• Netterville homers in four straight games
• McConnell homers in back-to-back games
• Corona goes 6-for-13 on the weekend driving in six runs with two home runs
• Whorff earns third win of the year in relief

QUOTABLES
Head Coach Lane Burroughs

“Harland has done it all year. He has been our best lefty out of the bullpen all year. He absolutely attacks the strike zone with conviction. He is not an imposing figure, but he is not scared and he does not get nervous. He is the reason we won the ball game in game one. Marshall’s order is one of the toughest in the league. They made it hard to navigate. We are very proud of Ryan and he gave us a chance to win.”

“Jarret has been our Sunday starter for three years. He has been coming out of the bullpen. We won that game because of Whorff. He came in and threw up some zeroes.”

“Jorge had a big weekend. For Corona to get us going that sets the table for the guys coming up behind him. I was just glad we were able to extend the lead because no lead is safe with Marshall’s lineup.”

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs are back home Tuesday at 6 p.m. for midweek action against Little Rock.

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