LA Tech’s Jennings tosses gem at C-USA tourney in 7-2 win over Old Dominion

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – No. 2 seeded Louisiana Tech secured its 40th win on the year with a 7-2 victory over No. 3 seed Old Dominion.

The Bulldogs will advance to the C-USA Baseball Championship semifinals at Pete Taylor Park.

LA Tech (40-18, 20-10 C-USA) topped ODU (39-16, 19-11 C-USA) as Ryan Jennings tossed a gem, taking a no-hit performance into the seventh inning. In support of Jennings, Taylor Young and Adarius Myers racked up multi-hit ball games.

Jennings was masterful in his 13th start of the season. The senior took a no-hitter into the seventh inning until C-USA Player of the Year Matt Coutney singled through the left side with one out. After a walk in the first, the right-hander sat down eight straight Monarchs and finished the day going seven shutout innings two hits, no runs, two walks and 10 strikeouts.

The Bulldogs got the scoring going in the bottom of the second inning. With the bases loaded and one away, Logan McLeod brought home Jorge Corona on a sacrifice fly. Two batters later, Young comes up with a huge two-out two-run single to take an early 3-0 lead.

LA Tech scored one more in the fourth adding on to the lead as Corona smoked a ground-rule double bringing home Steele Netterville following his leadoff double.

In the bottom of the sixth with two outs and no one on, Jackson Lancaster reached on an infield single and began a clutch two-out Tech rally. Following the Lancaster single, the Bulldogs ripped four consecutive singles. Wade Elliott, Young and Philip Matulia all brought home runs to extend the Tech lead 7-0.

Kyle Crigger came on for his 32nd appearance in the eighth. Crigger tossed the final two innings, working a clean eighth and finished his outing allowing two runs on a Andy Garriola home run with two outs in the ninth, no walks and two punch outs.

The Bulldogs pitching staff had gone 17.2 innings of shutout ball to begin the tournament (the longest stretch this season).

NOTABLES
• Bulldogs secure win No. 40 making it back-to-back years with 40 plus wins
• Jennings goes 6.1 innings of no-hit ball; Seven shutout innings
• Jennings improves to 6-1
• Young goes 3-for-5 with three RBI
• Myers goes 2-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored
• Crigger appears in his team-leading 32nd game

UP NEXT
LA Tech have the day off on Friday and will play either Old Dominion or Charlotte on Saturday at 9 a.m. at Pete Taylor Park in the semifinal matchup.

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