Tech Storms Back In Ninth For Stunning 13-12 Win
April 04, 2006 | Baseball
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RUSTON, La. - Mat Lacy's single to right field scored JoeyMcCarthy from second base Tuesday night capping a remarkable seven-runtwo-out rally that lifted Louisiana Tech (16-12) to an improbable 13-12win over No. 3 Mississippi State. It was the first non-conference lossof the year for the Bulldogs after a 17-0 start.
Few of the 1,624 fans that watched Mississippi State take an 11-4 leadin the seventh inning at Tech's J.C. Love Field were around when LTU,trailing 12-6, had its first two batters in the ninth --- NickGrunenwald and Lacy, retired by MSU sophomore lefty Andy Wilson. It wasWilson's second inning in relief of starter Jon Crosby and his 2006debut for the State.
But the next four batters hit safely against Wilson, ending his stay inthe game, and bringing junior righty Mike Valentine into the game.Valentine fared little better, giving up an RBI double, a walk, andthree more run-scoring safeties by Tech. Grunenwald's single to leftscored two runs to tie the score at 12-12 and Lacy's single to rightsent McCarthy racing home.
"Baseball is a game of 27 outs. We were able to get only 26tonight," said Bulldog head coach Ron Polk. "It can be a humblinggame. I don't know if I've ever been in a game with a finish likethis."
State scored six runs in the first three frames to take an early 6-4lead and MSU starter Jon Crosby, after a shaky second and third, settleddown and had the game seemingly under control. After giving up two-runhome runs to Brian Rike and Jericho Jones, Crosby quieted Tech's bats,allowing just one single and one walk over his final four innings ofwork.
MSU, meanwhile, continued to expand its lead. Mitch Moreland'ssacrifice fly gave MSU a 1-0 lead in the first while Brad Jones'two-run home run to right stretched that lead to 3-0. State was issuedthree walks, one with the bases loaded, during a three-run surge in thethird inning, and parlayed two more walks and three straight singles toadd two runs for an 8-4 lead. State sent eight batters to the plateduring a three-run seventh and added a 12th run in the ninth inning whenBrooks Tinlsey opened the frame with a double and Brad Jones drove himhome with his third hit of the game.
Wilson, who retired Tech in order in the eighth, was well on his way torepeating that feat in the ninth. But after putting the first twobatters away, the elusive third out never came. Nine consecutive TechBulldogs reached base safely, the first five with hits, one with a walkand the final three with singles. Junior righty Mike Valentine (0-2)pitched to the final five Tech batters in the inning and took the loss.
Mississippi State piled up 15 hits --- three each by Brad Jones andJoseph Hunter. Edward Easley, Jeff Butts and Thomas Berkery alsocollected two hits each, with Berkery extending his SEC-leading hittingstreak to 23 games with a pair of doubles.
But State was not able to fully cash in on 12 walks issued by sevenTech hurlers, leaving 14 base-runners aboard.
Ryan Hamilton went 3-for-4 to lead Tech
Mississippi State returns to action and continues its six-game road runwith a day/night doubleheader against Louisiana-Monroe Wednesday atTrustmark Park in Pearl, Miss. State is the home team for a 4 p.m.contest while the Indians are the designated home team for a 7 p.m.game.
