RUSTON, La. — Cole McConnell had a home run, a double and three RBIs, and No. 16 overall seed and host Louisiana Tech beat No. 3 regional seed Alabama 10-8 in a Ruston Regional elimination game on Sunday.
The Bulldogs (42-19) advanced to the regional final to face No. 2 seed North Carolina State Sunday night. Louisiana Tech lost to the Wolfpack 8-3 on Saturday and needs to beat them twice to clinch the region.
Steele Netterville hit a two-run home run in the top of the fourth and Philip Matulia added an RBI single to give Louisiana Tech a 9-5 lead.
Bulldogs reliever Kyle Crigger (4-2) allowed three runs, one earned, in 4 1/3 innings of relief to pick up the win.
Jacob McNairy (1-1) got the loss for Alabama (32-26), which scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth but left the tying run on first when Zane Denton flied out to end the Crimson Tide’s season.
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