Louisiana Tech (4-0) opened its 2024 campaign with a four-game sweep of Northern Colorado inside JC Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.

Let's take a look at how it happened.

Game 1 | 'Dogs take advantage of Bears miscues in 9-3 win

WIN | Grant Hubka (1-0) LOSS | Murphy Gienger (0-1)

Trailing 2-1 in the third inning Louisiana Tech scored three runs via a balk, wild pitch, and hit by pitch to take a 4-2 lead and never looked back.

A Will Safford solo home-run gave Tech a 5-3 lead in the 5th.

The 'Dogs would 2 more in the 5th to take a 7-3 lead on an error by UNC SS Kai Wagner.

Tech would get single runs in the 6th and 7th inning to stretch the lead out to 9-3, which ultimately was the final score.

Reed Smith got the start on the mound for Tech and allowed 3 ER in 4.1 innings of work.

Grant Hubka was the star on the mound. The Nebraska native struck out 6 in 4 scoreless innings of relief work.

Game 2 | Bates ties it late, 'Dogs take advantage of UNC error to win 3-2 in 12 innings

WIN | Sam Brodersen (1-0) LOSS | Griffin Webb (0-1)

With the offense quiet for most of the afternoon, Tech's pitching stepped up on Saturday afternoon.

Luke Nichols made his first start in a Bulldog uniform and allowed 2 ER in 5 innings of work. The left-hander allowed 4 hits and struck out 4.

Trailing 2-0 in the 8th, Ethan Bates doubled to right field to drive in Logan McLeod and Kasten Furr to tie the game at 2.

With Sam Brodersen dealing on the mound, Tech's offense needed one run to walk it off and take a 2-0 series lead.

That one run didn't come until the 12th inning when Thaxton Berch grounded to third base but a bad throw home allowed Dalton Davis to score and give Tech the 3-2 win.

Brodersen was spectacular in relief not allowing a hit in 4.1 innings of work. The right-hander struck out 6 and earned his 1st win in a Tech uniform.

Game 3 | Timely hitting and solid pitching leads to Tech 5-3 win

WIN | Turner Swistak (1-0) LOSS | Logan Moser (0-1) SAVE | Ethan Bates (1)

Ethan Bates got the 'Dogs rolling in the 1st inning with 2-run HR to right field to give Tech a 2-0 lead.

Thaxton Berch, Grant Comeaux, and Karson Evans would add run-scoring hits in the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings to answer runs scored by the Bears in the top half of the frames that would ultimately lead Tech to the 5-3 win.

Turner Swistak made his first start in a Tech uniform and allowed 2 runs in 4.2 innings of work. The Tennessee transfer struck out 8.

Ethan Bates earned his first save of the season after striking out 4 in 2 innings of work.

Game 4 | Copeland impressive, 'Dogs finish off sweep of Northern Colorado with 8-0 win

WIN | Caden Copeland (1-0) LOSS | Jake Storey (0-1)

Caden Copeland made the first start of his Bulldog career on Sunday and was phenomenal. The junior fired 5 shutout innings while only allowing 2 hits and striking out 4.

Offensively, Dalton Davis led the charge with a double, three walks, and 3 RBI in the victory.

Tech's big inning came in the bottom of the third when the Bulldogs scored 4 runs with 2 outs in the frame.

The big blow came on a 2-out error by UNC that allowed for 2 unearned runs to score for the Bulldogs off the bat of Jorge Corona.

Ryan Harland, Blake Hooks, Jacob Havern, and Isaac Crabb would combine to toss the final four innings to finish off the shutout for the 'Dogs.

Weekend Notes

- Tech's pitching staff compiled a 1.76 ERA in 41 IP this weekend. The 13 arms that saw action struck out 41 and only walked 8.

- Tech's bullpen saw 9 different pitchers combine for a 0.51 ERA across 17.2 innings pitched this weekend.

- Ethan Bates finished the weekend with 1 HR, 2 2B, and 4 RBI while walking a team-high 6 times and not striking out once.

- Dalton Davis has 5 hits in his first 14 at bats of the season, good for a .357 average. The senior had 2 2B and 4 RBI.

- Adarius Myers collected a team-high 6 hits in 17 at bats this weekend.

Up Next

Feb 23 - 25 - vs Kent State - Friday 6 PM, Saturday 2 PM, Sunday 1 PM

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