LaTech Finishes Regular Season With A Win
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Updated: May 20, 2012
Fresno, Calif. - A two-out, three-run double by Jacob Derouen was all the Bulldogs needed as four relief pitchers combined for 7.0 scoreless innings to lead Louisiana Tech (24-26, 7-11 WAC) to a 5-2 victory over Fresno State (25-25, 8-10 WAC), 5-2, on Sunday afternoon at Pete Beiden Field.
Derouen's three-run double were the first runs batted in for the redshirt freshman this season and the bullpen allowed just two hits in Tech's first road conference win of the season.
Chris Sadberry pitched two innings in Tech's regular season finale, striking out one and allowing just one base runner, who reached on an error. Dakota Doss struck out one hitter in 1.0 inning of work. Sam Alvis pitched 1.1 innings with two strikeouts and forced Fresno State to strand the bases loaded to end the seventh inning and preserve a 4-2 lead for the Bulldogs. Caleb Dudley entered the game with one out in the eighth and shut the door for his ninth save of the season.
Trevor Petersen (6-4) was credited with his sixth win of the season after pitching 2.0 innings while Garrett Mundell (0-2) was charged with his second loss of the season after allowing the three-run double to Derouen.
Second baseman Austin Hedges scored two runs and reached base safely in three plate appearances as the redshirt junior picked up two singles and a walk. Ryan Gebhardt went 1-for-2 in the victory with two RBI and a walk while Alex Williams and Taylor Terrasas extended their reached base safely streaks to 20 games and 11 games, respectively. Williams and Terrasas combined to go 2-for-7 with two runs scored and two walks from the number three and four spots in the Bulldog batting order.
Tech struck first on a two-out, bases clearing double by Derouen. Shortstop Ryan Gebhardt was hit on the helmet to reach first base and reached second base on a failed pickoff with one out in the inning. After a walk to Williams, Terrasas singled to load the bases with one out. After the second out of the inning was recorded, Derouen doubled to the right-center field gap to plate all three base runners and give LA Tech a 3-0 lead.
Fresno State led off the bottom frame with runners in scoring position after a walk to Patrick Hutcheson and a ground-rule double by Jordan Brink. Both runners came around to score on RBI groundouts as Tech's lead was cut to 3-2.
Hedges led off the second inning with a single up the middle and advanced to second base on a wild pitch by reliever William Munro. After moving to third base on a single by Corey White, Gebhardt hit a fly ball to left field, allowing Hedges to come around and score Tech's fourth run of the game.
After a leadoff infield single by Hedges to begin the ninth inning, right fielder Taylor Burch sacrificed Hedges into scoring position, allowing Hedges to move to third base on a ground out by White. Gebhardt drove Hedges in on an RBI single to give Tech its fifth run of the game and a three run lead (5-2) going into the final frame.
Dudley stayed in the game and pitched a scoreless ninth as the California Bulldogs stranded 11 runners in the loss. Kody Neel made a diving stop in left field for the second out of the inning, preventing the tying run from stepping up to the batter's box.
The Bulldogs begin WAC Tournament play against Nevada on Wednesday at 9 p.m. CT at Hohokam Stadium. Hall of famer Dave Nitz will broadcast all LA Tech games on the Louisiana Tech Sports Network, beginning with the pregame show at 8:45 p.m. CT.
