CUSA

ODU Baseball Loses a Heartbreaker to Louisiana Tech in Conference USA Tournament

 By Harry Minium            

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi – With a pitching staff patched together with spit and gum, and exhausted from playing five games in four days, the Old Dominion baseball team was playing on fumes, and yet took Louisiana Tech down to the game's final play.

The Monarchs staged an 9th-inning rally, taking a 7-6 lead on a Brock Gagliardi two-run home run, his second of the game, and were two outs away from beating the Bulldogs and claiming a berth in the Conference USA championship game.

But pinch hitter Walker Burchfield shot a dagger into ODU's hearts, drilling a two-run single to left field that scored two runs and gave LA Tech an 8-7 victory Saturday night at Pete Taylor Park.