Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
Baseball
A highly anticipated match-up is on deck at JC Love Field at Pat Patterson Park this weekend, with the Diamond ‘Dogs (8-1) hosting the #12 Southern Miss Golden Eagles (7-1) for a three-game series.
Game 1 is set for Friday, February 27 at 6 p.m. and Game 2 is set for Saturday, February 28 at 4 p.m. CT. The series finale is slated for Sunday, March 1 at 1 p.m. CT.
All three games can be seen on ESPN+.
With the 12th-ranked team in the country coming to Ruston, it marks the first time the Bulldogs have hosted a ranked opponent for a three-game series since the 2021 season, when LA Tech played host to #1 Arkansas.
LA Tech is coming off a midweek win over Northwestern State and improve their winning streak to four games after suffering their first loss of the season to McNeese at home on February 18.
Colby Lunsford has been the hot bat for the ‘Dogs to start the year, holding a nine-game hitting streak and leading the team with a .455 average, 1.538 OPS, 13 runs scored, six doubles, four homers, 33 total bases, slugging 1.000 and has stolen two bases on as many attempts.
The weekend rotation for the ‘Dogs has proved to be effective and efficient through the first two weeks of the season. Declan Dahl, Hudson Rowan and Brooks Roberson all hold 2-0 records and combine for three earned runs allowed across 32.1 innings so far. Rowan, a southpaw transfer from Florida State, has tossed 11 innings without allowing a run while scattering four hits and three walks with eight punchouts.
Southern Miss enters the weekend as the No. 12 team in the country, per D1Baseball’s most recent release of their Top 25 rankings. The Golden Eagles are riding a seven-game winning streak after losing their season opener to UC Santa Barbara at home, 5-1.
USM is coming off a 14-4 eight-inning run rule victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide at home, which was lifted by a second-inning grand slam and a seven-run fourth inning, which included a bases-loaded walk, a two-run single and a second grand slam hit by the Eagles.
The projected weekend rotation for Southern Miss is right-handed pitcher Colby Allen, left-handed pitcher Grayden Harris and right-hander McCarty English. Allen is 0-1 through two starts with an ERA of 2.70. He tossed five innings in the season opener against the Gauchos allowing three runs on eight hits with three strikeouts.
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Softball
Louisiana Tech will close its nine-game homestand with four games in the Bulldog Classic, beginning Friday against Stephen F. Austin (3:30 p.m.) and Central Arkansas (6 p.m.).
The Bulldogs will face Northern Iowa on Saturday night at 7 p.m. before wrapping up the weekend against Central Arkansas on Sunday at noon.
All four games will be streamed on ESPN+.
LA Tech improved to 12-3 after earning a walk-off win over ULM last Thursday, followed by two victories and a series win against Southern Miss over the weekend. It marks the Bulldogs’ best start since 2024, when they also started 12-3 through the first 15 games.
Allie Floyd was named Conference USA Pitcher of the Week and D1Softball Mid-Major Pitcher of the Week. The senior tossed two complete games, highlighted by an 11-inning complete-game victory over ULM. The right-hander logged 20 innings, allowing just eight hits (five bunt singles) with no extra-base hits. She struck out 14 while surrendering two earned runs and four walks, finishing the week with a 0.70 ERA.
Freshman Bradi Gallaway put together a standout week at the plate, batting .529 (9-for-17) with four RBIs, four runs scored and a home run, which was a walk-off solo shot in an 11-inning win over ULM. Gallaway recorded four multi-hit games in five contests last week, including three hits against ULM, and now leads the team with seven multi-hit performances this season.
Thursday
SFA 5, Northern Iowa 0
Friday
1 p.m. Northern Iowa vs. Central Arkansas
3:30 p.m. LA Tech vs. Stephen F. Austin
6 p.m. LA Tech vs Central Arkansas
Saturday
1 p.m. Northern Iowa vs. Stephen F. Austin
3:30 p.m. Central Arkansas vs. Stephen F. Austin
7 p.m. LA Tech vs. Northern Iowa
Sunday
12 p.m. LA Tech vs. Central Arkansas
