Diamond Dogs are hot, sweep Kent State in 3-game series

Louisiana Tech welcomed back its All-American centerfielder Cole McConnell on Friday night, and it seemed to set the tone for the entirety of the weekend.

Brody Drost got the scoring going for the 'Dogs in the 2nd inning with a 3-run HR, and then helped add another Tech run with a bunt hit in the 3rd that was thrown away allowing Adarius Myers to score.

With Tech leading 5-3 in the fourth inning, McConnell LAUNCHED a home-run to centerfield to extend the lead out to 8-3.

The ball left McConnell's bat at 110 MPH and traveled 410 feet.

Reed Smith got the start on the mound and received a no-decision after allowing 3 runs in 4 innings of work.

Grant Hubka was solid out of the bullpen only allowing 2 runs in 3 innings of work for his 2nd win in as many appearances.

Sam Brodersen was electric late with 5 strikeouts in 2 innings of work to earn the save.

Game 2 | Extra base hits and solid pitching lead to series clinching 10-2 win for the Diamond Dogs

WIN | Luke Nichols (1-0) LOSS | Eric Chalus (1-1)

Louisiana Tech scored three runs in the first inning on an RBI-groundout from Ethan Bates followed by run-scoring hits from Jorge Corona and Adarius Myers to take a 3-0 lead.

The 'Dogs wouldn't look back.

Dalton Davis and Ethan Bates drove in runs in the 2nd inning before a Kasten Furr home-run left field in the 4th inning gave Tech a 6-0 lead.

With a 6-2 lead in the 6th inning, Cole McConnell hit his 2nd home-run in as many days to extend the lead to 7-2.

Bates would drive in 2 more in the 8th, and Corona would add an additional RBI of his own to finalize the scoring on the afternoon at 10-2.

Six Tech hitters had multiple hits in the game led by Ethan Bates with 2 doubles and 4 RBI.

On the mound, Luke Nichols was outstanding for a second straight weekend. The left-hander pitched 5 innings of 2-run ball to earn his first win of the season.

Nate Crider, Jacob Havern, and Ethan Bates combined for four shutout innings to close things out for the Tech bullpen.

Game 3 | Diamond Dogs score early and often to cruise to 13-2 win to sweep the Golden Flashes

WIN | Turner Swistak (2-0) LOSS | Calvin Bickerstaff (0-1)

Turner Swistak was solid in a starting role for a 2nd consecutive weekend and delivered five scoreless frames on Sunday. The right-hander allowed only one hit and struck out two in earning his first win of the season.

Ryan Harland, Blake Hooks, Reece Tarini, Hayden Harmon, and Isaac Crabb combined to throw the final four innings for the Tech pitching staff.

Tarini and Harmon each made their Tech debuts in the win.

Offensively, Tech's bats put up double-digit runs for a 2nd straight day against the Golden Flashes.

Leading 2-0 in the 2nd inning, Logan McLeod hit his first home-run of the season to left field. It was a 3-run shot for McLeod to give Tech a 5-0 lead.

Tech would get four runs in the following frame to stretch its lead out to 9-0. The highlight of the inning came on a Dalton Davis home-run to left field.

Davis and Ethan Bates would each drive in runs in the 5th inning to give Tech an 11-0 lead, and Bates would drive in another in the 7th with his second double of the afternoon to make it 12-0.

Logan McLeod would add a SAC fly in the 8th to score Karson Evans and give Tech a 13-0 lead.

For a second straight day, six Bulldog hitters collected multiple hits. McLeod and Davis each homered and combined for 6 RBI on the afternoon. Bates and Evans each had 3 hits for a Tech team that had 16 on the afternoon.

Up Next

February 28 - @ McNeese - 6 PM first pitch on SportsTalk 97.7 FM

March 1 - vs Army - 6 PM first pitch on the D1Baseball Network/SportsTalk 97.7 FM

March 2 - vs Creighton - 1 PM first pitch on the D1Baseball Network/SportsTalk 97.7 FM

March 3 - vs Air Force - 4 PM first pitch on the D1Baseball Network/SportsTalk 97.7 FM

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