Louisiana Tech (8-7) was swept this previous weekend by #8 Arkansas, marking the first time that the Bulldogs have been swept this season.
The Diamond Dogs will have to pick themselves up quickly, as they seek revenge against an Air Force team that eliminated them last year in the Austin Regional.
GAME ONE | Bulldogs’ rally falls short, loses 7-4 to #8 Arkansas.
WIN | Hagen Smith (3-0) LOSS | Jonathan Fincher (2-2)
Arkansas was able to build an early lead via a pair of two-run home runs in the second inning, a run in the third inning, and two walks against Senior Jonathan Fincher.
Louisiana Tech finally showed up on the scoreboard in the fifth, but Arkansas swiftly countered with a run in the bottom half of the inning.
The Bulldogs were able to add two more runs to their total in the sixth, but once again, the Razorbacks countered with a run in the bottom half of the inning.
Trailing early in games has been an alarming issue for Tech this season, as they have trailed in 12 of their 15 games this year.
Tech got its first hit of the game and Karson Evans got the first hit of his college career when the freshman first baseman, starting in place of Philip Matulia, who played Saturday but was out Friday with a sore neck, doubled to right center on an 0-0 pitch. Logan McLeod reached on an infield single down the third base line, and Brody Drost singled sharply to the right to load the bases. Dalton Davis singled to right on a 1-2 pitch to make it 5-2.
On the mound, Justin Williams gave up nothing in 1.1 innings. Alec Sparks gave up one run in the seventh, and Isaac Crabb pitched a scoreless eighth inning. Tech got two runners on in the seventh, but a diving stop by Razorback first baseman Brady Slavens on a hard-hit ball hit down the line by Ethan Bates ended the rally, and a double play dimmed the impact of a leadoff single by Adarius Myers in the Bulldogs' eighth.
GAME TWO | Diamond Dogs limited to three hits, lose 6-1 to #8 Arkansas.
WIN | Will McEntire (3-0) LOSS | Rawley Hector (1-2)
Razorback’s pitcher Will McEntire simply owned the Bulldogs on Saturday, throwing only 97 pitches, allowing only three hits and one run, and lasting the whole game.
The Diamond Dogs fell behind early again on Saturday, trailing by as much as 4-0 before putting their one run on the board.
While #8 Arkansas is an excellent team that is expected to compete for a trip to Omaha this year, the Bulldogs must find much more consistency on the offensive side if they want to have a year worth remembering.
Louisiana Tech finally got its run in the top of the fifth inning to cut the lead to 4-1 when Adarius Myers reached on a bunt single, advanced to second on the wild throw to first, and scored on an 0-2 single from true freshman Karson Evans making his second consecutive start and earning his third RBI. Logan McLeod hit a fly out to the warning track to end that inning.
For the first time all season, Dalton Davis didn’t reach base, but DH Walker Burchfield was able to continue his hit streak to 6 and his on-base streak to 11.
Lane Burroughs after the loss, “Like I’ve said, we’ll get it going and figure it out, and when we do, it’ll be tough to beat us.”
GAME THREE | Tech jumps out to an early lead, and Arkansas storms back and wins 15-6.
WIN | Hunter Hollan (3-0) LOSS | Reed Smith (0-2)
The Bulldogs were able to take an early 3-0 lead in Sunday’s game against Arkansas, but the Razorbacks exploded for 9 runs in the third inning and blew the game wide open.
To gain an early advantage, Tech DH Walker Burchfield was hit by a pitch leading off the second, advanced on a wild pitch, took third on Philip Matulia’s ground ball to short, and scored when Karson Evans hit a sharp grounder that Razorback’s third baseman Peyton Holt threw home wildly. The Bulldogs added two more to make it 3-0 as Hog starter Hunter Hollan hit two more batters and surrendered an RBI groundout by Adarius Myers.
Reed Smith was able to limit Arkansas to one run in the bottom of the second inning before the Razorbacks completely took over the game and the series in the third inning. Arkansas scored those 9 runs on five hits: including a pair of two-run home runs, a triple, a double, and an additional six walks that damaged the Bulldogs tremendously.
The Diamond Dogs were kept off the scoreboard for a while before taking advantage of a couple of Arkansas errors and getting a three-run bomb out of Karson Evans.
Karson Evans, a 6’2 freshman from Taylorsville, Mississippi, was easily the highlight of the weekend for the Bulldogs. Stepping in for an injured Philip Matulia on Friday, before remaining in the lineup on Saturday and Sunday, Evans went 4 for 11 with two homers, a double, 6 RBIs, and four runs scored.
UP NEXT
Louisiana Tech will return to Ruston and host the Air Force Falcons (5-11) in a two-game midweek series beginning on Tuesday.
First pitch is scheduled for 6 pm on Tuesday and 3 pm on Wednesday.
Both games will be broadcast on CUSA.tv.
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