Louisiana Tech (17-6) will open Conference USA play by hosting Jacksonville State (9-11) in Ruston this weekend.

Dates/Times | Saturday 1 PM,
Saturday 4:30 PM, Sunday 1 PM

Location | JC Love Field at Pat Patterson Park in Ruston, LA

TV/Stream | ESPN+

Radio | SportsTalk 97.7 FM/LA Tech Athletics App

Louisiana Tech HC | Lane Burroughs (240-148 in 8th season at LA Tech)

Jacksonville State HC | Steve Bieser (9-11 in his 1st season at Jacksonville State)

Pitching Probables | LA Tech LHP Luke Nichols (2-0, 4.50) vs Jacksonville State LHP Will Baker (1-0, 4.24), LA Tech TBA vs Jacksonville State RHP Jackson Sleeper (0-1, 8.20), LA Tech RHP Turner Swistak (3-0, 6.52) vs Jacksonville State RHP Austin Cornelius (1-1, 4.50)

Scouting the Diamond Dogs

Key Players | DH Ethan Bates (.365, 4 HR, 33 RBI), CF Cole McConnell (.358, 6 HR, 31 RBI), 1B Dalton Davis (.362, 4 HR, 26 RBI), 2B Mike Ballard (.310, 10 RBI), SS Kasten Furr (.318, 2 HR, 13 RBI), C Jorge Corona (.321, 2 HR, 13 RBI), RHP Grant Hubka (3-0, 4.08), RHP Sam Brodersen (2-1, 3.18), RHP Nate Crider (1-0, 2.25)

Louisiana Tech split two midweek games this week in its final tune-up before Conference USA play starts this weekend.

The Bulldogs fell 11-1 on Tuesday night at #5 LSU before defeating Nicholls State 6-4 on Wednesday night.

In the win Wednesday night, Dalton Davis has 2 RBI and Will Safford came off the bench for a pinch hit 2-run home-run in the 9th inning.

Connor Nation, Reed Smith, Sam Brodersen, and Ethan Bates combined for 7 strikeouts in 6.2 innings of scoreless relief work in the win.

Scouting the Gamecocks

Key Players | C Bear Madliak (.316, 2 HR, 11 RBI), RF Logan Walters (.302, 4 HR, 12 RBI), LF Drew Collins (.293, 2 HR, 5 RBI), LHP Josh Sibley (1-0, 0.79), RHP Sam Maynard (1-1, 3.09), RHP Colby Morse (1-0, 3.27)

Steve Bieser is in his 1st season as the head coach at Jacksonville State. Bieser has previously been the head coach at Missouri (7 seasons) and Southeast Missouri State (4 seasons).

The Gamecocks are off to a 9-11 start in 2024. While Jacksonville State has lost 3 of its last 4 games, Bieser's club does hold a series victory Iowa in early March.

The Gamecocks are hitting .241 as a team and are averaging 5.9 runs per game.

On the mound, Jacksonville State has a 6.93 era.

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