By Malcolm Butler
Move over Houston Astros fans.
Louisiana Tech boasts its own – newer — version of the Killer B’s.
Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell and Lance Berkman combined to create the Killer B’s nickname in the early 2000 as the threesome wreaked havoc across major league baseball stadiums.
Now the collegiate pitching version of the Killer B’s has come to Ruston.
Meet Sam Brodersen and Ethan Bates, a pair of back-end of the bullpen Bulldogs that have garnered success and accolades throwing BBs — mostly the swing and miss variety — to opposing batters late in ball games this year.
It’s been a one-two punch that few collegiate programs boast.
“There are not too many teams in the country that have two guys like that,” said head coach Lane Burroughs. “They can both be closers. You have one guy who is leading the country or is up at the top in strikeouts per nine innings in Brodersen. And then you have a guy that lives for moment in Bates.”
The duo are a big part of the formula that has led the Bulldogs to the 2024 Conference USA regular season title and 45 wins entering this week’s Fayetteville Regional.
“It’s a luxury that I have never had as a pitching coach,” said Tech pitching coach Cooper Fouts. “I’ve never had it as a coach where I could say we have two legit closers. I truly think you could interchange them. It’s an unbelievable luxury.”
Bates, who began his career at Arkansas before transferring to Navarro Junior College and then on to Tech, leads the nation in saves with 17. He will most likely end the season ranked No. 1 with WKU’s Mason Burns currently ranking second with 15 but done for the year. Oregon State’s Bridger Holmes, Illinois-Chicago’s Reece Lawler and Duke’s Charlie Beilenson are in a tie for third with 12.
The Hot Springs, Arkansas, native has the right mindset to be a closer, one of the reasons he shattered the Tech single season saves mark (the previous record was 12 by Caleb Dudley in 2011).
“You can’t really think about it,” said Bates. “You just have to go out there and throw strikes. At the end of the game, it is usually pretty close if we are out there. It’s usually one or two runs. Whoever you are facing, you have to think you are better than them.”
And for time after time after time this season, Bates has been better than opposing hitters.
In a Tech single season record 35 appearances this year, Bates has a 2-1 record and 3.50 earned run average with the aforementioned 17 saves. He has worked 43.2 innings, allowing just 28 hits while walking 20 and striking out 52. Opponents are batting just .178 against him.
“His mentality for sure,” said Brodersen when talking about what makes Bates so successful. “Ethan will tell you he isn’t the most talented guy or the biggest or most physical guy. But you would be hard pressed to find someone who wants it more or who tries harder than Ethan. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen him say, ‘I can’t go today Coach’ or ‘I’m not feeling up to it.’ He goes out there and you know what you are going to get with him every time.”
According to Fouts, Bates’ arsenal includes “a 3-pitch mix to all hitters. Over 60 percent strikes with all three pitches. More of a horizontal action. Fastball and change will have good arm-side depth. Slider will have good glove side depth. Won’t pitch as much up in the zone. Will get more weak contact with ground balls.”
Whatever it is, it has worked this year. And Tech fans are glad he made the decision to come to Ruston prior to the 2023 season.
So why did Ethan choose to be a Bulldog?
“We played here my freshman year,” said Bates referring to his time with the Razorbacks. “I loved everything about this place. So, when I went to Navarro (Junior College), I told my dad, ‘That’s where I want to go.’ It was still close to home. This place was still brand new. It’s awesome. I really liked how the fans were in the game and how the guys handled themselves. Once I left Arkansas my decision was to come here, and I did everything I could to get here.”
Mission accomplished.
One thing is for sure, Bates most likely wouldn’t lead the country in saves without the success of his buddy Brodersen.
“Sam has thrown so many big, big innings and gotten us out of so many jams,” said Fouts. “If it’s in the sixth inning and we are in a jam, then we are bringing Sam in. So, he is coming in in that major role in the middle of a game where truly the game could be decided. Where if you give up the lead, you just don’t know if you are going to get it back. To have that in your back pocket is a pretty special thing.”
Brodersen signed with Tech after leading Wingate to a Division II national title last season.
He has strikeout “stuff”, ranking No. 3 in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings at 15.63 and breaking the LA Tech single season record (Jonathan Fincher, 14.20 in 2019). Brodersen trails only Arkansas’ Hagen Smith (17.54) and Wake Forests’ Chase Burns (17.43).
“His stuff is electric,” said Bates. “He has a fastball that rides at the top of the zone and a curve ball that just falls off the table. He has a little bit of craziness to him, and he isn’t scared of nobody.”
“His fastball is 92-96 with high vert so we play through the top of the zone,” said Fouts. “The slider is more north and south. Sam will throw more fastballs. More power stuff. His fastball command has grown and gotten so much better this year.”
Brodersen has made 32 appearances on the mound this year, registering an 8-1 record with a 2.47 earned run average. In 54.2 innings, he has allowed just 29 hits while recording 95 strikeouts. His 32 appearances is tied for third most with Caleb Dudley (2011) and trails only Bates (35) and Kyle Griffin (34 in 2019).
One more win and he will enter into the Top 10 single season wins tally. Brodersen said he is comfortable in his role with the Bulldogs.
“Some people struggle (in a closer’s role),” said Brodersen. “They get wrapped up in the moment or they let the moment get too big. It’s what I’ve always felt comfortable doing since I was a freshman in college. I just try to go in one hitter at a time.
“You can go out there and make the moment too big and kind of get lost in it. My mentality is recognizing where I am and live in the moment. I will look around. I will look at the crowd and soak it all in, lock in, and take it one batter at a time.”
Brodersen will have an opportunity to soak it in this weekend at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, a facility that can hold up in excess of 10,000 fans, most of them of the Pig Sooie variety.
The native of Orlando, Florida, said his decision to come to Ruston stemmed from a desire to play in the postseason on the Division I level.
“Leaving Wingate, I knew I had one year of college baseball left,” said Brodersen. “I talked to Coach (Mitch) Gaspard first and then Coach Fouts … and the things they were saying on the phone was they wanted older guys with experience. They wanted guys who had been there before. I felt like it was a really good fit. I felt like I could come in and make an impact right away.
“That tradition of winning at Tech definitely drew me here. I knew I could come here and play for a regional, and that’s what we are doing now. I am excited.”
As Bates, Brodersen and the Bulldogs make their way north on Hwy167 to play for a chance to go to the school’s first ever Super Regional, they do so knowing they have the arms and the mindset that can get the job done late in high pressure situations.
“I think there is something on the back end of the ball game that’s a mentality,” said Burroughs. “It’s why some guys struggle getting the last three outs, whether they are trying to get a complete game or if you have a big lead and you bring a guy in.
“You have to have that mentality and both of those guys have it. It’s a good combination of mentality, character, make-up and stuff that you just don’t get very often.”
With a veteran roster focused on one of their top preseason goals, each Bulldog will look to do their part to get some big-time W’s this weekend.
And if they are to accomplish the historic feat, odds are the Killer B’s will have a crucial part in it.
