Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Louisiana Tech
@HerdBaseball Drops Game Two at Louisiana Tech
5/13/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
RUSTON, La. - The Marshall baseball team dropped game two of its three-game series at Louisiana Tech in a run-rule shortened contest, 19-4, at J.C. Love Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Thundering Herd falls to 25-25 (12-14 Conference USA). Starting pitcher Jacob Niggemeyer (2-4) picked up the loss by allowing eight runs on seven hits in two innings. Louisiana Tech improves to 34-16 (15-11 C-USA). Starting pitcher Nate Harris (8-0) earned the win after allowing four runs through six innings.
Sam Finfer did what he does best in the top of the first inning to give Marshall an early one-run lead. The senior hit his Conference USA leading 17th home run of the season with a solo shot to right field.
Louisiana Tech didn't trail for long as it tied it at one in the following half inning. Raphael Gladu led off with a double down the right field line. He later moved over to third on a ground out. Brent Diaz drove in Gladu with a sacrifice fly to center field.
The Bulldogs blew the game wide open by scoring nine runs in the third and one in the fourth inning. Louisiana Tech tallied its nine runs from two home runs, three singles and a wild pitch. In the fourth, Jonathan Washman hit a solo home run to right-center field.
The Thundering Herd cut into its deficit in the top of the seventh inning by scoring three runs. Cory Garrastazu led off with a single to left-center field. Billy Sager came in as a pinch-hitter and hit a two-run homer to right field. It was Sager's fourth homer of the season. Leo Valenti followed with a double down the left field line. Valenti advanced to third on a ground out and then came home to score on a Tyler Ratliff sacrifice fly.
Louisiana Tech closed out the game in the bottom of the eighth by scoring eight runs on five hits. The Bulldogs scored its final four runs on a wild pitch, two bases loaded walks and a hit batter with the bases loaded.
Marshall featured five players to combine for eight hits. Finfer, Garrastazu and Valenti each had two hits, while Hanon and Sager had one.
Brandon Romero, Mark Meyer and Michael Gizzi made relief appearances. Meyer had the longest outing, as he pitched five innings and allowed four runs on six hits. He had one strikeout.
Marshall looks to avoid the sweep on Sunday in the final game of the series at Louisiana Tech. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. ET.
