Diamond ‘Dogs’ End Season with Heartbreaking Loss to Jacksonville State in C-USA Tournament
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Louisiana Tech Diamond ‘Dogs’ (32-25) saw their hopes for a Conference USA tournament title dashed in a thrilling 7-6 defeat against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (35-24) at Worthington Field.
Jacksonville State set the tone early, scoring in the first inning with a two-out double. The ‘Dogs quickly responded in the second, with Garrison Berkley doubling and subsequently scoring on Brody Drost’s sacrifice fly, leveling the game at 1-1. Tech took a 3-1 lead shortly thereafter, with hits from Will Safford and Sebastian Mexico fueling their offense.
The Gamecocks fought back, equalizing 3-3 by the second inning through walks and a wild pitch. Both teams exchanged leads throughout the game, with Tech’s Zeb Ruddell sneaking home during a strikeout play, restoring the lead to 4-3.
In a see-saw battle, Tech added two more runs in the fourth after a series of strategic hits and a wild pitch, pushing their advantage to 6-5 by the seventh. However, a pivotal two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh saw Jacksonville State score two runs, reclaiming the lead at 7-6.
Despite a strong effort from Tech, including a commendable performance from reliever Luke Nichols—who tallied six strikeouts—the Diamond ‘Dogs could not find an equalizer in the ninth. Eli Berch’s late-game efforts fell short as a groundout sealed the Bulldogs’ fate.
Ruddell had a standout performance with three hits and an RBI, while Mexico contributed significantly by scoring twice. The team’s season ends with a resilient fight and a promise of growth for the next year. For further support of Louisiana Tech Athletics, fans are encouraged to visit BuildTheLegacy.com. Follow LA Tech Baseball on social media for updates and news.
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