Baseball
Louisiana Tech returns home this weekend looking to build on recent momentum as the Bulldogs host Middle Tennessee for a three-game Conference USA baseball series at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.
The series opens at 6 p.m. today, followed by a 2 p.m. first pitch Saturday and a 1 p.m. finale Sunday.
Louisiana Tech (18-16, 6-6 Conference USA) enters the weekend on a three-game winning streak after taking a road series win over FIU and adding a midweek victory at Northwestern State on Monday. The win in Natchitoches marked the Bulldogs’ first road victory over the Demons since 2022 and their first shutout at Northwestern State since 2016.
The Bulldogs are tied for fifth place in the CUSA standings with Kennesaw State University and New Mexico State University, each at 6-6 in league play.
Middle Tennessee (17-16, 5-7 CUSA) sits in eighth place and is still searching for its first conference road win after opening league road play 0-6.
Louisiana Tech holds a 24-18 lead in the all-time series and has won each of the last two series meetings by taking the opening two games. The Blue Raiders last won a weekend series in Ruston in 2022, claiming the deciding game in 12 innings.
The Bulldogs’ offense continues to be led by Trey Hawsey and Colby Lunsford, two of the conference’s top hitters.
Hawsey ranks among the Conference USA leaders with more than 40 hits and is one of only four players in the league with double-digit home runs entering the weekend.
Lunsford also ranks among the conference leaders in slugging percentage, OPS, runs scored, doubles and home runs.
Middle Tennessee comes in after a midweek win over Lipscomb University, although the Blue Raiders were swept last weekend at Jacksonville State University. Despite the sweep, all three games were decided by two runs or fewer.
The games will be streamed on ESPN+.
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Softball
Louisiana Tech returns home this weekend to begin a six-game Conference USA homestand as the Bulldogs host FIU in a three-game softball series at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
The series opens at 6 p.m. Friday, followed by a 2 p.m. first pitch Saturday and an 11 a.m. finale Sunday. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+.
Louisiana Tech (21-19, 7-8 Conference USA) enters the weekend looking to rebound after a 3-1 road loss to ULM on Wednesday night.
The Bulldogs were outhit 8-6 in the loss, with all six hits singles. Allie Furr led the way with two hits and scored Tech’s lone run on an RBI single by Reagan Marchant.
Furr extended her hitting streak to 10 games and now shares the team lead in hits with Elena Heng at 47. Bradi Gallaway is close behind with 39 hits, while Aleah Brooks has 35 and Marchant 31.
Gallaway leads Louisiana Tech with 36 RBIs and 26 runs scored, while her nine home runs rank second on the team. Marchant paces the Bulldogs with 11 home runs and is second with 35 RBIs.
In the circle, Allie Floyd took the loss against ULM and fell to 9-12 on the season. Floyd continues to lead the staff in wins, innings pitched at 113 2/3, strikeouts with 88, complete games with nine and shutouts with two.
Laney Johnson and Bryannah Campos have each added five wins this season. Johnson ranks second on the staff with 66 2/3 innings pitched, while Campos has worked 51 1/3 innings.
This weekend marks the 26th all-time meeting between Louisiana Tech and FIU, with the Panthers holding a 15-10 edge in the series.
FIU took two of three games from the Bulldogs last season in Miami, winning the first two contests before Tech claimed a 5-4 victory in the finale.
