Diamond Dogs to Open Season at Southeastern

The Bulldogs and Lions are scheduled to play a three game set with first pitch set for 7 p.m. Friday night, followed by a 2 p.m. start on Saturday and the series will conclude with a 1 p.m. start on Sunday.

Louisiana Tech won 39 games in 2018 and will return eight of its nine regulars along with its top five starting pitchers in 2019.

Expectations in 2019 are sky high as the Bulldogs were picked to finish second in the Conference USA preseason poll.

After averaging over six runs per game in 2018, Lane Burroughs squad is expected to be even more potent offensively in 2019. In total, the Bulldogs will return a core group that hit .284 along with 41 home runs, 292 RBI, 66 stolen bases, and 307 runs scored.

Hunter Wells, a preseason All-CUSA selection, leads that group of returners after hitting .357 a season ago with 12 doubles, two home runs, and 32 RBI.

On the mound, the Diamond Dogs will be without their ace, David Leal, for a couple of months after it was announced earlier this week that he underwent surgery on a broken foot. Leal finished the 2018 season with a 2.27 ERA in a team-leading 87/1 innings.

However, the cause for concern on the mound is not as urgent as one might think. Matt Miller, Logan Robbins, and Logan Bailey combined to start 42 games a season ago and will be the three starters to open the season this weekend at Southeastern.

Miller finished the 2018 season with a 4.20 era in 79.1 innings, while Robbins pitched to a 4.66 ERA in 75.1 innings, and Bailey was absolutely dominant with a team-leading 2.24 ERA in 76.1 innings. Bailey was a first-team All-CUSA selection in 2018.

Matt Riser’s Southeastern squad won 37 games a season ago and like Tech, return a tremendous amount of experience. The Lions were once again picked near the top of the Southland conference and will be a tough test for the Bulldogs to start the season.

Riser’s teams are usually built around its pitching staffs, and this year is no different. Cory Gaconi, Will Warren, and Carlisle Koestler will be the three starters on the mound this weekend.

Gaconi is one of the top draft prospects in the Southland Conference after finishing last season with a 7-1 overall record. Warren possesses a huge fastball that will top out at 95 MPH, while Koestler will attack hitters with multiple pitches.

Offensively, the Lions will have seven seniors in the starting lineup. Keep an eye on Kyle Schimpf. The infielder hit seven home runs a season ago and is expected to have a monster 2019 season after an impressive fall.

Teddy Allen will have the radio call throughout the weekend. The Friday and Sunday games will air on 97.7 FM, while the Saturday game will be on 93.3FM.

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