Tech falls in finale with Oral Roberts - KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana News Weather & Sports

Louisiana Tech (2-5) dropped the third and final game of the weekend against Oral Roberts (3-4), 9-3, to give the Golden Eagles a 2-1 series victory over the Bulldogs Sunday afternoon at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park in Ruston.

Junior right hander Richie Navari (0-2) started on the mound for Tech and was charged with the loss after giving up four runs – two earned – off four hits, while striking out five batters in 4.1 innings pitched.

"Playing good people early is going to do nothing but help us," head coach Wade Simoneaux said. "Oral Robert really pitched well and they play the game the way it is supposed to be played. This tells us we have to get better in every phase of the game. They whipped us today and won the series. All we can do is get on the road Wednesday and turn this thing around and that is our intention."

Right hander Tim Zufall (2-0) picked up the win for the Golden Eagles after holding the Bulldog hitters to one run – unearned – off one hit in five innings of work.

Five Bulldog pitchers took the mound in the rubber match with Jamie Gilley relieving Navari in the fifth inning to pitch 2.2 innings and strike out three Oral Roberts batters. Omar Ugarte, Sam Alvis and Adam Derouen each threw 0.2 innings to close out the game.

Shortstop Ryan Gebhardt and designated hitter Taylor Terrasas each were 1-for-3 on the day with a run batted in, while Taylor Burch, Jacob Derouen and Thomas Simoneaux also recorded one hit apiece.

Oral Roberts was led by Graham McIntyre who put in a 3-for-5 performance at the plate with four RBI and a run scored in the win for the Golden Eagles.

Tech drew first blood in the bottom of the third inning as Burch singled through the left side. Jones reached first on a throwing error by Zufall on a sacrifice bunt attempt, advancing Burch to third. Burch scored on the next play on a sacrifice bunt by Gebhardt to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage.

Oral Roberts would respond with a four-run fifth inning highlighted by two doubles to left field by Chris Williams and McIntyre to give the Golden Eagles a 4-1 lead. Oral Roberts added two runs in the eighth and three in the top of the ninth inning to complete the victory. The Bulldogs tacked on one run in both the sixth and ninth innings to complete the scoring for the day and fall 9-3 in the series finale.

Tech returns to action in a midweek matchup beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday as the Bulldogs take on Stephen F. Austin at Jaycees Field in Nacogdoches, Texas.