Texas tops Louisiana Tech 5-2, will play for regional title

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Skyler Messinger's RBI double capped a three-run bottom of the seventh inning and No. 9 overall seed Texas went on to beat Louisiana Tech 5-2 on Saturday in the Austin Regional.

Texas (44-19) advances to the title game on Sunday. The Longhorns will play the winner of Sunday morning's elimination game between Louisiana Tech (43-20) and Air Force. A loss by the Longhorns would force a Monday finale.

Dylan Campbell's home run in the second gave Texas a 1-0 lead. The Bulldogs pulled even in the fourth on a RBI single by Wade Elliott.

Louisiana Tech got within 4-2 in the eighth on Philip Matulia's RBI ground out, but Trey Faltine led off with a double in the Longhorns' half of the eighth and scored on a Mitchell Daly sacrifice fly to complete the scoring.

Tristan Stevens (6-6) picked up the win for Texas with 3 2/3 innings of relief. He allowed one run on four hits, striking out five. Starter Lucas Gordon went the first 5 1/3 innings, yielding one run while scattering nine hits.

Kyle Crigger (6-3) pitched the seventh and took the loss for the Bulldogs.

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