RUSTON, La.—Jeff McKenzie (Sr., El Dorado Hills, Calif., San Joaquin Delta College) improved to 11-1 on the year as McKenzie recorded his fourth shutout of the season to lead Bakersfield (30-17, 13-6 WAC) past Louisiana Tech (15-31, 3-16 WAC) 2-0 Friday night.
The 6-0 lefty scattered three hits as he struck out five while only walking one. McKenzie only faced four over the minimum and allowed only one runner to reach second (on a wild pitch in the fourth). The Bulldogs managed to bring the tying run up in the bottom of the ninth when Tyler Qualls singled to open the inning. McKenzie got the next batter, Taylor Terrasas to ground into a 4-6-3 double play and ended the game when Tyler Ervine grounded out to the third.
Mylz Jones (Fr., Palmdale, Calif., Paraclete HS) broke the seal in the top of the first with an RBI single that scored Tyler Shryock (Jr., Tehachapi, Calif., Desert Christian HS). Shryock drove in Oscar Sanay (Jr., Chula Vista, Calif., Bonita Vista HS) with a single in the top of the fifth. Shryock and Cael Brockmeyer (Jr., Vineyard Haven, Mass., Avon Old Farms HS) combined for four of the six Roadrunner hits. The victory was the 30th of the year for Bakersfield, marking the second time in the 4+ year history of the program that the Roadrunners have won at least 30 in a season (33 in 2011 being the other).
The series continues Saturday at 1 p.m. (PDT).
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