Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications and GSU Athletic Communications
Tech Baseball
USM 8, Tech 3
USM 11, Tech 0
USM 6, Tech 2
The Diamond ‘Dogs (8-4) ended the weekend series with a 6-2 loss to #12 Southern Miss (10-1) Sunday afternoon at the Love Shack.
“We got swept at home, and that’s unacceptable in my book,” said Tech head coach Lane Burroughs. “I don’t care who you’re playing, you have to take care of your house and find a way to get one. But, it’s not the first time we’ve been swept at home.
“I thought we had some opportunities today. We had runners on first and second with our 2 and 3-hole coming up in the fourth inning in a two-run game, and we get two punchouts. Credit to their arms-they’re elite arms.”
The Golden Eagles jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first with a leadoff double followed by an RBI knock through the middle of the infield just four pitches into the game. That would be all Southern Miss would get across in the frame after Eli Berch threw out an attempted base stealer, a strikeout and a fly out to leave a runner stranded.
The ‘Dogs answered back in their turn to bat with a solo homer off the bat of Trey Hawsey for his second round-tripper of the season, hammering a pitch deep over the wall in the right-center gap. Two innings later, Hawsey gave Tech the lead with his second homer of the game being sent over the videoboard behind the right field wall, giving the sophomore the second multi-homer game of his career.
Southern Miss took the lead back with a two-spot in the fourth. The Golden Eagles led off the frame with a base hit to center and drawing a walk the following batter. A sacrifice bunt laid down put runners on second and third with one out before a fielding error allowed both base runners to score.
“You’re facing one of the best pitching staffs in the country, but you have to find a way to cash in when you have opportunities,” said Burroughs.
The Eagles extended to a 4-2 lead in the fifth on a solo shot before a one-out two-run homer in the ninth put the game out of reach for the Bulldogs.
Sunday was the second game this season the Bulldogs saw a player hit two homers following Matt Houston’s two-homer performance in the series finale against Houston Christian on February 15. Landon Fontenot etched in his third consecutive outing without allowing a run, tossing 2 1/3 hitless innings with no walks and striking out two batters.
Fontenot entered the game with the bases loaded in the fifth and minimized the damage by drawing a groundout for the final out of the frame. Casey McCoy picked up his sixth multi-hit game of the season and third in his last four games, along with extending his hitting streak to seven games.
The Bulldogs return to play on Tuesday, March 3 to open a two-game midweek series with Arkansas State at the Love Shack. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
“I hate to put too much on one game and one series this early in the year, but it was a big game,” said Burroughs. “We’re going to be fine. This team is going to be fine-we work hard, we’ve got good players, we’ll learn from this weekend and keep it going.”
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Tech Softball
SFA 2, LA Tech 0
UCA 10, LA Tech 2
UNI 9, LA Tech 2
LA Tech 6, UCA 3
Louisiana Tech closed the Bulldog Classic on a strong note, defeating Central Arkansas 6-3 on Sunday afternoon at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
Tech dropped the previous three games over the three-day event before ending the weekend on a high note.
“There are three components to winning games, and that is great defense, great pitching, and timely hitting, and we finally got all three today,” said head coach Josh Taylor. “That is the difference. We got a great start from Allie Floyd. We got some timely hits from our freshmen, from [ Aleah Brooks] Brooksie, from [Cali] Bennett … from Gallaway, who had a big timely hit there at the end and that is going to be the difference.
“Our slappers have been doing a great job all weekend of setting the tables and we just need to find a way to get that timely hit and we were able to do that today.”
Allie Floyd (5-2) went the distance in the circle Sunday, while a trio of Bulldog freshmen combined for seven hits and five RBI. Freshman Cali Bennett led the Bulldogs with four hits and two RBI, while fellow freshman Aleah Brooks drove in two runs on two hits, followed by freshman Bradi Gallaway who registered one hit and one RBI.
Floyd went the distance, allowing three runs on five hits with five strikeouts over seven innings. The Bulldogs outhit the Bears 9-5. Bailie Runner took the loss for UCA, giving up six runs on six hits while issuing six walks. Tech’s batters struck out just twice.
UCA jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first after recording back-to-back one out doubles. Tech answered with two runs on two hits in the bottom of the inning as Elena Heng drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a Bennett single and to third on a Gallaway sacrifice bunt. Heng came around to score on a passed ball while Bennett advanced 60 feet to third and came home on a Brooks double to left field.
The Bears tied the game in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly. UCA capitalized on a leadoff walk, single and wild pitch to get a runner in scoring position. LA Tech took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth as Alannah Rogers led off the with a pinch-hit bunt single and advanced to second after Allie Furr drew a walk. Heng placed down a sac bunt to put two runners in scoring position while Bennett cleared the bases with a double to right center that scored Furr and Rogers.
UCA cut the lead to one in the top of the sixth using a walk and two singles. The Bulldogs answered in the bottom of the frame, adding two runs on four hits to take a 6-3 lead which would prove to hold. After a groundout to start the bottom half, Heng singled to short and was able to move to second on a Bennett single. Gallaway singled through the right side and scored Heng followed by a Brooks single down the left field line to score Bennett.
Floyd was able to induce two groundouts and one fly out to close the game after issuing a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh.
The Bulldogs will travel to College Station, Texas, to face A&M on Wednesday evening. First pitch is slated for 6:00 p.m. The game will be streamed on SECN+.
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GSU Baseball
Northeastern 4, GSU 1
Dartmouth 12, GSU 11
Northeastern vs. GSU (late Sunday)
Grambling State mounted a furious late comeback but came up just short in a 12-11 loss to Dartmouth on Saturday night at Alex Box Stadium.
Grambling State dropped to 3-8 on the season, while Dartmouth improved to 3-3.
The Tigers erased multiple deficits and scored 10 runs over the final five innings, but Dartmouth’s three-run eighth inning proved to be the difference in a game that featured 23 total runs, 21 hits and five errors.
Dartmouth struck first in the opening inning, capitalizing on a Grambling State throwing error to take a 1-0 lead. The Big Green extended the margin to 4-0 with three runs in the third, highlighted by Henry Murray’s RBI single and a bases-loaded walk.
After Grambling State got on the board in the fourth on Chris Marcellus’ RBI double to right-center, Dartmouth answered with a five-run fourth inning. Taer Rodriguez delivered a two-run single, and Murray added a two-run base hit as the Big Green built a 9-1 advantage.
The Tigers responded in the fifth, using patience at the plate to spark a rally. Aidan Lopez singled home a run, Shannon Martin added a sacrifice fly and Hasani Johnson reached on a hit that led to an unearned run, trimming the deficit to 9-4.
Grambling State continued to chip away in the sixth when Trey Bridges’ single and a balk brought home James Woody to make it 9-5.
The Tigers pulled within a run in the seventh. After Johnson walked and Marcellus singled, Dillon Braxton reached on a throwing error that allowed two runs to score. Martavius Thomas followed with a sacrifice fly, cutting Dartmouth’s lead to 9-8.
Dartmouth created separation again in the eighth. A walk and a pair of singles set the table before Nico Banez delivered a two-run single to left field, pushing the Big Green’s lead to 12-8.
Grambling State made one final push in the ninth. Cameron Hill singled home a run, and Martin reached on a throwing error that allowed two more runs to score, pulling the Tigers within 12-11. The tying run advanced into scoring position, but Dartmouth reliever Trey Sejnoha induced a game-ending strikeout to secure his first save.
Hill finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Bridges went 2 for 5 with a double. Marcellus added two hits, including a double, and drove in a run. Lopez reached base four times with a hit and three walks.
Keyon Guillory (0-1) took the loss after allowing four runs, three earned, over three innings. The Tigers’ bullpen combined for seven strikeouts over the final six innings, but Dartmouth’s 10 walks and timely hitting proved decisive.
Rodriguez led Dartmouth with three RBIs, while Murray added three RBIs and Banez drove in two.
