Bulldog Baseball 13, NMSU 8 (Friday)
NMSU 13, Bulldogs 10 (Saturday)
NMSU 8, Bulldogs 6 (Sunday)
Louisiana Tech dropped the rubber match of its Conference USA series with New Mexico State, falling 8-6 on Sunday at Presley Askew Field.
Tech won Friday’s opener 13-8 before falling 13-10 on Saturday.
On Sunday, Louisiana Tech (15-10, 4-2 CUSA) struck first for the third straight game. Cade Patterson led off with a single and later scored on an RBI base hit by Trey Hawsey. A double play brought home another run, giving the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
New Mexico State (11-12, 3-3 CUSA) answered quickly. A leadoff home run sparked a four-run first inning that included a double, a triple and an infield single to put the Aggies ahead 3-2.
The Bulldogs evened the score in the second on a solo home run by Matt Houston, but the Aggies regained the lead with a series of singles and a walk. Hawsey tied it again with a solo homer, making it 4-4 through five innings.
New Mexico State broke the tie in the fifth, taking advantage of a two-out error and a walk before delivering a two-run single to extend the lead to 7-4.
Louisiana Tech cut the deficit to one in the sixth when Sebastian Mexico drove in two runs with a single after the Bulldogs loaded the bases.
The Aggies added an insurance run in the seventh following a leadoff single and an error, pushing the lead to 8-6.
Louisiana Tech threatened in the eighth with a leadoff single, but a double play ended the rally. The Bulldogs were retired in order in the ninth.
Hawsey led Louisiana Tech with three hits, including a home run and two RBIs. Houston also homered and threw out three runners attempting to steal. Nate Crider allowed one hit and struck out two over 1 2/3 innings of relief.
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Jacksonville State 3, Bulldog Softball 0 (Friday)
Jacksonville State 4, Bulldogs 2 (Saturday)
Jacksonville State 4, Bulldogs 2 – 8 Innings (Sunday)
It was a weekend of what could have been for Louisiana Tech as the Bulldogs led late in the final two games of an important Conference USA series against Jacksonville State.
However, the league-leading Gamecocks (23-9, 8-1) always found a way to make a play late, whether at the plate or in the field, in sweeping Louisiana Tech (17-14, 3-6).
In Sunday’s finale, Louisiana Tech led for six ½ innings before Jacksonville State tied the game in the bottom of the seventh and used a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth to defeat the Bulldogs 4-2 at Jana McGinnis Field.
Jax State trailed 2-1 and was down to its final strike in the bottom of the 7th but a double to left field plated the tying run.
The loss spoiled a solid effort in the circle by Allie Floyd. It was the theme for the entire weekend as Tech pitchers were solid in the circle, but the lack of offensive production throughout the series kept Jacksonville State in the game and ultimately the Gamecocks showed why they are in first place in the league.
Saturday’s game saw Laney Johnson take a 2-0 lead into the sixth inning before Jax State scored four runs on three hits — including the go-ahead home run off Tech reliever Bryannah Campos — as the Gamecocks rallied for that victory.
Tech was barely outhit in the series (17-16) but 16 strikeouts and only two extra base hits during the entire three-game tilt were too much to overcome.
The Bulldogs travel to face LSU Tuesday in Baton Rouge.
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Tiger Baseball 9, Alabama A&M 8 (Friday)
Tigers 19, Alabama A&M 4 (Saturday)
Tigers 13, Alabama A&M 3 (Sunday)
Grambling State completed a weekend sweep with a dominant 13-3 victory over Alabama A&M on Sunday afternoon at Wilbert Ellis Field at R.w.E. Jones Park.
The Tigers (8-14, 5-1 SWAC) used timely hitting and a series of big innings to secure the run-rule win, closing out a strong three-game stretch against the Bulldogs.
Grambling wasted little time responding after Alabama A&M plated a run in the top of the first inning. The Tigers answered with three runs in the bottom half, capitalizing on patience at the plate and defensive miscues to take a 3-1 lead.
The momentum continued in the third inning when James Woody delivered the biggest swing of the day, launching a three-run home run to extend the advantage to 6-1. Woody finished with a game-high five RBIs, going 3-for-4 at the plate.
An explosive fourth inning put the game out of reach. Cameron Hill blasted a three-run homer to left-center field, and Aidan Lopez followed with a solo shot as Grambling stretched its lead to 10-1.
Hill and Lopez each recorded multiple hits, with Hill driving in three runs and Lopez adding two RBIs. The Tigers tallied eight hits but made them count, scoring 13 runs while drawing six walks.
On the mound, Shaun Mante turned in a solid outing, pitching five innings and allowing three runs on five hits while striking out two. Rafael Capistran closed the door with two scoreless innings, striking out three and allowing just one hit.
Alabama A&M managed six hits in the contest, highlighted by a two-run home run from Chris Walker in the fifth inning, but could not keep pace with Grambling’s offensive surge.
The Tigers added insurance in the sixth inning, plating three more runs behind RBI hits from Chris Marcellus and Woody to enforce the run-rule margin.
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Prairie View 19, Tiger Softball 1 (Friday)
Prairie View 8, Tigers 0 (Saturday)
Prairie View 9, Tigers 5 (Saturday)
Grambling State dropped both games of a Southwestern Athletic Conference softball doubleheader to Prairie View A&M on Saturday, falling 8-0 in the opener before a 9-5 loss in Game 2.
Prairie View swept the series, defeating GSU 19-1 in Friday’s opener.
In the first game, Grambling State struggled offensively, managing just one hit. Prairie View A&M broke through in the second inning on an RBI single and added another run in the third to build a 2-0 lead.
The Panthers extended their advantage with four runs in the fourth inning and added two more in the fifth to secure a run-rule victory.
Cadashia Collins recorded the Tigers’ lone hit, finishing 1 for 2 at the plate. Jaidan Richard took the loss, allowing eight runs on 12 hits.
In Game 2, Grambling State took an early lead in the first inning when Z’Natria Evans delivered an RBI single to score Collins for a 1-0 advantage.
Prairie View A&M answered in the second inning to tie the game, then used a three-run fourth inning to take control. The Panthers added three more runs in the fifth to extend the lead to 7-1.
Grambling State responded with a four-run sixth inning to cut the deficit to 7-5. Tavia Leadon highlighted the rally with a two-RBI single, while Hailey Hughes added an RBI double. Kamille Carter also drove in a run during the inning.
Prairie View A&M answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to push the lead to 9-5 and close out the sweep.
Collins led Grambling State offensively in Game 2, going 3 for 3. Evans added two hits and an RBI, while Leadon finished with two RBIs.
Hailei Harrell started in the circle for Grambling State, with Richard providing relief.
