Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Louisiana Tech
@HerdBaseball Suffers Setback versus Louisiana Tech
4/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Marshall baseball (14-11, 4-4 C-USA) dropped game two in its series against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (15-8, 4-4 C-USA), 10-6, on a windy Saturday afternoon at Appalachian Power Park.
The Herd struck first in the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Tyler Ratliff (Alexandria, Va.) hit a ball deep into the right outfield for a double, which brought Aaron Bossi (St. Louis) around to score. In the next at-bat, Ryne Dean (Fresno, Calif.) hit a pitch into left field, which brought Ratliff home and gave the Herd a two-run lead.
Louisiana Tech took the lead with one swing of the bat in the sixth, with a three-run home run.
Marshall was able to answer in the bottom half of the inning. Corey Bird (Elkview, W.Va.) had a dribbler in the infield with the bases loaded, which allowed Sam Finfer (Bellevue, Wash.) to score to tie the game up three.
A wild pitch in the top of the seventh brought a Bulldog runner home and put Tech back up, 4-3. A two-run homer for the Bulldogs later in the inning put the lead to 6-3.
With two runners on base, Ratliff hit a towering three-run home run that left the ball park in a hurry, and tied the game at six.
The Bulldogs would not go away, as a four-run inning for Louisiana Tech sealed the Herd's four-run loss.
Ratliff led the way at the plate for the Herd with a 2-for-5 day, including four RBIs from a double and a three-run home run. Six members of Marshall had one hit.
"You like the home runs and all, but it's tough when you lose," Ratliff said. "Especially when you are able to tie the game after trailing by three, and they are able to go out and score four runs in the next inning."
Starting pitcher Parker Danciu (Palm Beach, Fla.) earned a no decision after throwing 5.1 innings with three earned runs. Sam Hunter (Ashland, Ky.) moves to 2-1 with the loss, while Adam Atkins for Louisiana Tech goes to 3-0.
Up next, Marshall and Louisiana Tech will meet in the rubber match on Sunday at 1 p.m.
