By Drew Parsley, Louisiana Tech Associate Director Strategic Communications; featured photo by Chase McGough
The Diamond Dogs ended the opening weekend of the 2025 season with a perfect 4-0 record, clinching the sweep over the Maine Black Bears Sunday afternoon, 9-8.
Maine came out of the gates early, putting up a quick run in the first inning before Louisiana Tech responded with a four-spot in the home half.
Garrison Berkley led off with a triple to the left field wall on the second pitch thrown by the Maine hurler. The very next at-bat, Michael Ballard tied it with a ripped double down the third base line for his third double on the weekend. After Colton Coates reached base on a walk, Ballard stole third to put runners on the corners with one out for Zeb Ruddell.
Ruddell reached base on a fielding error by Maine’s first baseman to bring Ballard across the plate and give the Bulldogs the lead. The scoring continued after Coates stole third along with Ruddell moving up to second to put two runners in scoring position for Eli Berch.
The Bulldog backstop drove a 2-1 pitch up the middle to score Coates and give the ‘Dogs a two-run advantage. Brody Drost then picked up an RBI to give LA Tech a 4-1 lead through the first frame.
After keeping the Black Bears at bay in the second, the ‘Dogs put two more runs on the board on a Ballard sacrifice fly and a Coates RBI double to right.
Maine answered back with four runs of their own in the third to cut their deficit to just one run and played a sly pitching game with the Bulldogs by not allowing a hit for 19 consecutive batters.
A Black Bear solo home run on the first pitch of the fifth inning tied the game at 6-6 before Maine would then record a double, a fielder’s choice and a groundout to take a one-run lead.
After being held at bay for four-straight innings, with one out on an 0-2 count Ruston native Cade Patterson drove his first career home run over the left field wall to even the game back up at 7-7. But the lead did not last long, as a hit-by-pitch and back-to-back singles put Maine back on top by one.
In the bottom of the eighth with two outs, Ballard knocked a base hit that was just high enough to get over the outstretched Maine second baseman. As Coates is in his at-bat, Maine’s pitcher balked to put Ballard in scoring position with a chance to tie late in the game. Down to his final strike of the inning, the LA Tech designated hitter slapped a single to the left-center gap for the second tied score in the last three innings.
Extra innings were played at the Love Shack for the first time in 2025 as neither team could get a run across in the ninth.
Blake Hooks kept the Black Bears in check in the top of the 10th. After allowing a leadoff single, he bounced back to get a pop up and a double play to give LA Tech a chance.
Berkley wasted no time singling through the right side before Ballard would move him to second on what was played as a sacrifice bunt, but there was no Maine fielder to cover first base to set the Diamond Dogs up with runners on first and second with no outs.
Coates flied out to left deep enough to advance Berkley and Ballard, which forced Maine to intentionally walk Trey Hawsey and load the bases for Patterson.
Patterson battled his entire at-bat, fouling off six-staight pitches before delivering the final blow with a ball hit to the right-center gap. The center fielder attempted to throw Berkley out at home, but the throw was too late as LA Tech notched its second-straight season with a 4-0 start.
The Bulldogs return to action on the road when they travel to Hattiesburg, Mississippi for a three-game series with the Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Pete Taylor Park.