Louisiana Tech (24-25, 13-11) defeated UAB in two out of three games this past weekend to secure a C-USA series win. This coming week, the Bulldogs will host ULL in a rematch from earlier this season, before facing FAU in a three-game series.
GAME ONE | Bulldogs’ bats carry Tech over UAB 16-3.
WIN | Jonathan Fincher (8-3) LOSS | Brooks Walton (3-5)
Adarius Myers rejoined the Bulldogs’ starting lineup this series and started off the opener by rewarding the coaches with his best offensive game of the season. Myers finished Friday’s game with four hits, one RBI, four runs scored, and a home run.
As a team, the Bulldogs had a season-high 21 led by Dalton Davis, Logan McLeod, and Colton Hegwood who all had three hits apiece, and the aforementioned Myers.
The Diamond Dogs also hit 5 homers in the outing, Philip Matulia hit his 14th of the season, Davis added a homer, Brody Drost slammed his 8th of the year, and Jorge Corona bombed a two-run home run in the 7th.
Louisiana Tech’s three strongest innings offensively were the 6th, 7th, and 8th, where they added to their lead by adding 5, 4, and 3 runs respectively.
On the mound, Jonathan Fincher continued his C-USA dominance, and the Bulldogs moved to 7-1 in C-USA games that Fincher starts. He finished Friday lasting 6.0 innings, only walked one batter, threw 5 strikeouts, and allowed two earned runs.
Landon Tomkins relieved Fincher in the 7th, pitching 1.2 innings, walking one batter, throwing 2 strikeouts, and allowing one earned run. Alec Sparks closed the game for Tech, lasting 1.1 innings, throwing one strikeout, and allowing no earned runs.
GAME TWO | Bulldogs come back late to secure series win over UAB.
WIN | Caden Copeland (1-0) LOSS | Christian Clack (2-2)
Heading into the bottom of the 7th, the Bulldogs trailed 4-2 to the Blazers, but put together their best inning of the afternoon to take the lead.
Tech loaded the bases after Will Safford was hit, Colton Hegwood walked, and Dalton Davis was walked as well. With no outs, Logan McLeod came up with a momentum-changing single to score two runs for Tech and even the score at 4-4.
Jorge Corona was ejected earlier in the game for arguing with an umpire and was replaced by Kyle Hasler who scored Davis and gave the Bulldogs a 5-4 lead to close out the inning.
In the 8th, Louisiana Tech was able to cushion the lead via singles from Adarius Myers and Safford who scored on a two-RBI single from Davis to give the Bulldogs a 7-4 victory.
On the mound Ryan Harland produced a solid start, lasting 4.2 innings, walking 3 batters, and allowing 2 earned runs. Alec Sparks saw some action for the second game of the series, lasting just 0.2 innings, walking 2 batters, throwing 2 strikeouts, and allowing one earned run.
Caden Copeland earned the win for the Diamond Dogs, pitching 1.2 innings, walking zero batters, throwing 3 strikeouts, and allowing no earned runs.
Ethan Bates slammed the door shut on the Blazers, pitching 2.0 innings, walking zero batters, throwing four strikeouts, allowing zero earned runs, and securing his 9th save of the season. Bates also bombed a massive home run in the 6th, his 12th of the season, to cut the lead to 3-2 at the time.
With the series-clinching win, Louisiana Tech has now won 5 out of its 8 C-USA series with the wins being Western Kentucky, Rice, FIU, Middle Tennessee, and UAB with the losses being Charlotte and DBU twice. The Bulldogs have now officially clinched a spot in the C-USA tournament that begins May 24th in Houston, Texas.
GAME THREE | Diamond Dogs fall in the series finale to UAB 6-1.
WIN | Carson Myers (2-5) LOSS | Landon Tomkins (5-1)
The Diamond Dogs were limited to only four hits on Sunday afternoon from Walker Burchfield, Brody Drost, Philip Matulia, and Will Safford.
Louisiana Tech scored its only run of the game on a Dalton Davis sacrifice fly that scored Kyle Hasler, who replaced Corona as he was serving his one-game suspension for being ejected from Saturday’s outing.
UAB led the Bulldogs 1-0 until the top of the 7th inning when the Blazers loaded the bases due to errors and walks by Tech and scored two runs because of a wild pitch and RBI groundout. The Blazers would add another RBI single and scored 2 more runs in the 8th to defeat the Diamond Dogs 6-1 and escape Ruston with a win.
Landon Tomkins endured his 1st loss of the year for the Bulldogs and was excelling until the unfortunate 7th-inning breakthrough for UAB. Tomkins lasted 6.0 innings, walking 2 batters, throwing 2 strikeouts, and allowing 4 earned runs.
Greg Martinez came in for 0.2 innings, throwing a strikeout, and allowing 2 earned runs. Reed Smith kept the Blazers off the scoreboard in his 1.0 innings pitched, allowing no walks or earned runs.
Nick Fraginals finished the game for the Bulldogs, lasting 1.0 innings, throwing one strikeout, and allowing zero earned runs.
Struggling on Sundays has been a theme for the Diamond Dogs this season, and the loss to UAB resulted in Tech advancing to 2-7 in games played on Sunday.
Despite the loss, the Bulldogs are still competing with Charlotte for the 3rd seed in the C-USA tournament. The 49ers have a 13-10 record in C-USA, while the Bulldogs narrowly trail with a 13-11 record.
C-USA Standings
1) DBU (20-4)
2) UTSA (19-4)
3) Charlotte (13-10)
4) LA Tech (13-11)
5) WKU, FAU, MTSU (12-12)
Up Next
The Diamond Dogs will stay at home to face UL Lafayette (32-17, 14-10) in a rematch from earlier this season in a game that the Bulldogs lost at Lafayette. This game will be Tech’s final midweek contest of the regular season.
Tuesday’s game will be broadcast on CUSA.tv and can be listened to on Sportstalk 97.7 FM.
First pitch is scheduled for 6 pm on Tuesday night.
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