CUSA Baseball Weekly Round-Up - 5.6.2024 - BleedTechBlue: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Football & Basketball Recruiting

With the twelfth weekend of the 2024 season concluding, I will continue my weekly CUSA Round-Up series, where I will be giving a quick recap of how each team in the conference did the previous week.

Western Kentucky (31-16) (13-5)

Last Week’s Record: 0-2; 0-2 Series Loss @ UNC Asheville

Up Next: vs Bellarmine, Series @ LA Tech

Conclusion: Despite playing out-of-conference this week, WKU moved up to the number one spot due to inner-conference losses from LA Tech and DBU. The Hilltoppers’ offense was flat this past weekend but they will need to pick it up in a massive Conference USA series at Louisiana Tech this weekend. WKU’s stellar pitching staff versus LA Tech’s explosive offense will be quite the matchup in Ruston.

Louisiana Tech (35-15) (12-6)

Last Week’s Record: 2-2; Win @ UL Monroe, 1-2 Series Loss @ New Mexico State

Up Next: Series vs Western Kentucky

Conclusion: After crushing the Aggies by game one, it appeared the Bulldogs were well on their way to a dominant series sweep. Instead, NMSU rallied for a wild 16-15 win on Saturday before jumping out to a big lead and holding on for the series win on Sunday. The series loss hurts Tech’s conference standing and RPI, but the Bulldogs have a chance for redemption with WKU coming into town.

Dallas Baptist (31-11) (12-6)

Last Week’s Record: 3-1; Win vs Stephen F. Austin, 2-1 Series Win vs Jax State

Up Next: vs UT Arlington, Series vs Liberty

Conclusion: DBU won a surprisingly close series versus Jacksonville State in a rubber match on Sunday after all three games featured one-run margins on the scoreboard. The offense finally started clicking again, but the bullpen struggled heavily to maintain big leads against the Gamecocks. The Patriots can continue to push for the one seed in their series versus Liberty.

Liberty (21-26) (11-7)

Last Week’s Result Record: 3-1; Win vs Campbell, 2-1 Series Win vs FIU

Up Next: vs Virginia Tech, Series @ DBU

Conclusion: Liberty had a much better week, knocking off a good Campbell team and fighting to come back and beat FIU. The pitching staff is still a large concern for the Flames, but the offense did enough to cover for their flaws and earn a good series win. Liberty can move up to the number three seed with a series win in Dallas this weekend.

FIU (24-22) (11-10)

Last Week’s Record: 1-2; 1-2 Series Loss @ Liberty

Up Next: @ Miami, Series vs Sam Houston

Conclusion: FIU’s offense bounced back this weekend, but their pitching staff helped them back from securing that second win over the Flames. The Panthers are still holding on to the fifth seed even after the series loss and aim to stay there after this weekend’s series against Sam Houston.

New Mexico State (23-24) (9-12)

Last Week’s Record: 3-1; Win vs New Mexico, 2-1 Series Win vs LA Tech

Next Up: @ New Mexico, Series @ TCU

Conclusion: New Mexico State produced an outstanding week, taking down rival New Mexico and out-slugging conference-lead Louisiana Tech. The Aggies play a non-conference slate this week, aiming to stay hot entering the looming conference tournament.

Sam Houston (27-21) (7-11)

Last Week’s Record: 3-1; Loss @ Texas, Series Sweep vs Tarleton

Up Next: Series @ FIU

Conclusion: Sam Houston regrouped after a brutal series in Ruston to sweep Tarleton in non-conference play this past weekend. The Bearkats will lean on projected first-round draft pick Walker Janek to make some noise down the stretch starting this weekend in Miami.

MTSU (17-30) (5-13)

Last Week’s Record: 3-1; Win vs North Alabama, 2-1 Series Win @ Binghamton

Next Up: @ Lipscomb, Series @ Jax State

Conclusion: Middle Tennessee improved their record with a midweek win and a series win on the road in New York. The Blue Raiders’ road series at Jax State this weekend will likely determine who finishes last in the conference, making for an exciting series.

Jax State (16-29) (4-14)

Last Week’s Record: 2-2; Win @ Georgia State, 1-2 Series Loss @ DBU

Next Up: vs UAB, Series vs MTSU

Conclusion: Jax State showed tons of resilience on the road this past weekend, giving DBU all they could handle. The Gamecocks ultimately lost a hard-fought series, but return hope for an opportunity to escape last place in Conference USA.

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