Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
Louisiana Tech opens its 58th season playing at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park and the fifth year at the new Love Shack with the Maine Black Bears today for a four-game series.
First pitch is 6 p.m. Saturday’s doubleheader is set for 12 p.m. and Sunday’s finale at 1 p.m.
The previous clash between the two programs featured a four-game series played early during the 2020 season, where the Bulldogs swept the Black Bears by a combined margin of 54 runs.
The games can be heard on 97.7 FM and the LA Tech Athletics app and seen on ESPN+.
The Diamond Dogs present a new look in 2025, having only returned just under 21% of 2024’s run production as well as returning under 42% of the innings production.
The Bulldogs are coming off a remarkable season, winning 45 games and clinching their third Conference USA championship in the last four years as well as qualifying for their third NCAA Regional in as many years.
LA Tech are 6-2 in season-opening games under Burroughs and are a combined 21-6 in the opening series of the previous eight seasons.
Head coach Lane Burroughs and the Bulldogs hold high expectations. With LA Tech’s three Conference USA championships in the last four years, it is the most championships won in a four-year span by a Bulldog team since LA Tech won four-straight conference championships over 60 years ago (1958-1961).
Last year’s regular-season conference championship marked the third time Louisiana Tech won at least three conference championships over a four-year span.
Maine is coming off a struggling season that was riddled with injuries, finishing out 2024 with a 12-37 record while going 8-15 in America East Conference play. Despite a lackluster year, in 2023 the Black Bears clinched an NCAA Regional berth after securing its first America East tournament title since 2011, which was also the last time UMaine went to a Regional.
