For much of the season, Louisiana Tech baseball sported the better lineup.
But in the Ruston Regional at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park, the No. 1 seed Bulldogs ran into a team that mashed better than them.
North Carolina State (33-17) blasted Tech for 32 hits over two games, handing Tech two losses. In the regional final Sunday, the Wolfpack had 18 hits en route to winning 14-7 to advance to super regionals.
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The loss ended the season for Louisiana Tech (42-20) and soured its first regional host bid in program history.
Louisiana Tech won the hit battle over Rider and Alabama in the regional, collecting 25 hits over those two games. But Tech couldn’t manage double-digit hits in either game versus NC State, and the Wolfpack took advantage to score 22 total runs over the two games versus Tech.
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Senior Parker Bates gave Tech a 4-0 lead by the third inning, but the Pack offense woke up.
NC State tied the game in the fifth before Devonte Brown drove an opposite field grand slam to give the Wolfpack their first lead of the game, at 9-5. The Wolfpack never looked back to end Tech’s historic run.
Earlier in the day, the Bulldogs defeated 10-8 in an elimination game.
The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide (35-23) combined for six home runs in the first four 3 1/2 innings.
Tech’s home run barrage got the best of Alabama, highlighted by a three-run shot from freshman Cole McConnell.
The Bulldogs had four total homers, with Steele Netterville, Phil Matulia and Manny Garcia each hitting solo shots.
Kyle Crigger (4-2) came in on relief of starter Jarret Whorff to earn the win for the Bulldogs, tossing the final 4.1 1/3 innings.
Alabama tightened things up in the ninth, plating two runs before Zane Denton flew out to deep right field with two runners on base.
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