by JJ Seldge (Special to the LPJ)
Writer’s note: I’ve decided to change the name of these articles moving forward. Instead of “From a Fan’s Perspective,” these will now be titled “Front Row Focus.” I think it fits what I do and where I watch from a little better.
Fall Baseball (at least at the college level) is for the diehards, the ones who enjoy the sport no matter what time of year. It’s not always a huge number, but they are going to show up if the gates are open. It’s a mix of fans, family and former players. For fans like me, you want to try and learn names, faces and numbers to prepare for the upcoming season. Family members are there hoping whoever they are related to does well enough to secure a roster spot. Ultimately, it’s just another way to enjoy a sport you love.
For the first time in at least five years, if not more, there will be new faces in new places. Tech lost big names like Cole McConnell, who was drafted by the White Sox. Adarius Myers, the Junkyard Dog who was the final player to take the field in both the old and new Love Shack, finished his eligibility and will be a graduate manager for the Dogs this season. Ethan Bates, the nation’s save leader and Tech’s DH, graduated and played in the independent Pioneer League this summer. And arguably the toughest to replace is Jorge Corona. One of the all-time Tech greats was signed by the White Sox as a free agent and joined McConnell out in the Arizona desert this summer for rookie ball.
Tech also has a new face on the coaching side. Longtime assistant Mitch Gaspard announced his retirement this offseason after a career spanning over three decades. “Coach G,” as he was known to players and parents alike, helped bring in many of the names you’ve gotten to know over the tenure of Coach Burroughs. However, the man chosen to succeed him is not a stranger to Ruston. Jake Wells returns to Ruston after 5 years at ULL. Wells was a part of the 2015 and 2016 Tech coaching staff that preceded Coach Burroughs, and was instrumental in helping build the 2016 roster that reached the Starkville regional and broke a nearly 30-year postseason drought for the Diamond Dogs. Based off what I heard at scrimmages, Wells brings a lot of enthusiasm and clearly has a passion for wanting the best out of players.
One other change is that Tech switched their equipment providers this fall. After being with Marucci for the last few years, Tech will now be getting their bats and gloves from the Rawlings family of brands. After talking with several players and parents, the team is excited about the switch, and I could notice a difference in terms of the sound of contact from bat to ball.
But all that being said, this might be the deepest roster that Louisiana Tech has had in the last six or seven years. The ratio of returners and newcomers is almost 50-50. Yet the depth of position players is something Tech hasn’t seen in a while and gives a small comfort level if there is an injury or change that needs to happen. There were numerous position battles that, if they haven’t already been decided, will still be decided in the weeks leading up to the start of the season, which will be February 14 vs Maine.
Before I give my Fall Ball grades, I do want to give some context. It is not like what you would see during the regular season. There really aren’t rules regarding how many players can play or pitch per game. So, you would see a different pitcher every inning or you may see multiple designated hitters in the same inning. The purpose of this is to get as many players time in game situations as possible. Because you never really know how someone may react in a game vs practice.
Grading Fall Ball:
Scrimmages: B
- For 4 weekends in September and October, as well as a single Wednesday, the 2025 squad was split up into Red vs Blue for scrimmages. Both teams had a mix of potential starters as well as likely reserve/rotational players. As I mentioned above, it is all about seeing how a player performs in a game “situation.” I think there were a lot of positives Tech took away from fall camp. Some new faces definitely took advantage of their opportunities and stood out. A few positional players that come to mind are freshman Trey Hawsey and transfers Garrison Berkley and Zeb Ruddell. I’d like to add that I was pleasantly surprised by 2 seniors who have been reserves for nearly their entire career. Thaxton Berch and Slade Netterville clearly put the work in over the summer and made some major improvements to their games. In terms of pitching, you knew what you had with all the returnees. Some new pitchers that stood out in my mind were transfers Logan Forsythe, Luke Cooley, and Owen Schexnaydre.
Fall Ball Game at Home vs Little Rock: B+
- Under partly cloudy October skies and in front of a great crowd (including a surprising number of Little Rock fans), Tech split the day against the Trojans. Game 1 was a 10-7 loss, and Game 2 ended on a walk off Jake LaRocca single for a 5-4 win. And despite what the final scores may have said, pitching was the more dominant factor of the day for the Dogs against Little Rock. Outside of a couple of innings, the Dogs pitching staff looked confident and composed. I was impressed with many of the newcomers who were clearly making their case to be a part of the rotation. On the flip side, it was clear that Tech was adjusting to pitchers who were wearing a different uniform. But once they settled in, they began to make some solid contact. It was also the first time Tech had played with a full umpire crew. There was some adjusting to new strike zones which was also a bit of a challenge after using the Trackman system for nearly all of the fall.
Fall Ball Game on the road at Southeastern Louisiana (Hammond, LA): C-
- Under mostly cloudy skies, and a predominantly Tech crowd, the Dogs took on Southeastern at “The Pat” in Hammond on November 2nd. Unlike the games against Little Rock, the Dogs hitting would be the bigger factor of the day. Despite losing both games to Southeastern (8-5, 9-8), the bats kept the Dogs in both games all day. And to be honest, the second game felt like a heavyweight boxing match. You could sense the disappointment in the dugout after giving it all they had. Unfortunately, a mental mistake here and there ended up being the difference in both losses. And those mental mistakes happened at just the wrong time.
Overall Fall Ball Score: B-.
- While there were highs and lows on both sides of the diamond, it’s still fall ball and there are always going to be things that can be worked on fundamentally. Sometimes pitch and catch can become work, not play. And things that are second nature have to almost be relearned. I felt like there were a few players who were maybe trying to do too much instead of focusing on the fundamentals, especially at the plate. There were also several position battles that were either decided or that will come down to who performs better early in the season. I will say that there is a lot of excitement, hope and optimism in my mind for the upcoming season. If everything comes together, this could be one of the better Tech teams in recent history.
Thoughts on the 2025 schedule:
- The 2025 schedule (https://latechsports.com/sports/baseball/schedule) is definitely an interesting one. The season opens with the Maine Black Bears returning to Ruston. Tech last played Maine in 2020 at Ruston High’s field as J.C. Love Field was in the process of reconstruction after the 2019 tornado. There are a few rivalries being renewed, as Tech will have single games at LSU and hosting Grambling State. And as per usual, Tech will play both ULM and ULL home and away. 13 of the first 16 games are at home, in which Tech will play teams from the Southland, American and Sun Belt Conferences.
That home stretch will be key for building rhythm and chemistry since the following two weeks (March 12-23) will be spent almost entirely on the road. I think that road stretch could potentially set the tone for the 2025 season. Tech will play Oklahoma in Norman on March 12, and then will head up to Wichita State (played there in 2020) for a weekend series. They’ll briefly return home for a game vs ULM before traveling down to Huntsville to play at Sam Houston to open conference play.
Fortunately, Tech will get the biggest conference foe in Ruston this year, as DBU comes to town in late April. However, they will have to travel to both Sam Houston and Western Kentucky. Newcomer Kennesaw State will also visit Ruston, who is a potential conference dark horse in my mind. I would like to note to Tech fans that the next 3 conference baseball tournaments will be away from Ruston, beginning this season with it being held at Liberty. DBU and Sam Houston will be next in line for 2026 and 2027, respectively, to host at their facilities.
Overall, I think this is a very winnable schedule. While there are some tough stretches, there should be confidence that every game and series is winnable. With the new depth Tech has, it gives a bit more peace of mind (at least for now) in terms of making a change at a particular position for any reason. In an era of uncertainty in college sports, Coach Burroughs continues to find hidden gems through both recruiting and the transfer portal. How he does it year in and year out is a mystery to me. But I do know Coach Burroughs and his staff will have them ready to go and hopefully they’ll bring home another C-USA trophy for the case and maybe even another regional appearance as well.
