by Malcolm Butler
Thirteen truly is an unlucky number.
Louisiana Tech saw its perfect start to the 2024 season come to an end Wednesday night when the Bulldogs fell 6-4 to Xavier in the 13th game of the year.
Tech (12-0) struggled offensively through the first seven innings while faltering on the mound for one of the very few times this season.
Eight Bulldog arms combined to record 10 strikeouts, but six walks and three home runs were too much to overcome in the loss to the Musketeers (7-6).
Jacob Havern and Nate Crider combined to toss the first 5.0 innings, allowing just one run on three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.
However, the Tech offense which has been unstoppable for most of the year never got rolling until late. The Bulldogs first hit was an infield single by Kasten Furr in the fifth inning. Tech managed just two singles through seven innings of action.
Xavier added one run in the sixth, two in the seventh and two more in the eighth to extend its lead to 6-0 before Tech responded.
The Bulldogs got on the board with a two-run home run by Dalton Davis in the eighth and then added RBI singles by Cole McConnell and Davis in the ninth. Tech brought the go-ahead run to the plate with two outs in the ninth, but a ground out ended the game.
Tech will host Southern Miss in a three-game series this weekend, starting with a 6 p.m. first pitch Friday night.
