By Drew Parsley, Louisiana Tech Associate Director Strategic Communications
RUSTON — The Diamond Dogs improve to 3-0 on the season after securing both games of Saturday, 4-2 and 4-0, with the second game only being played in seven innings at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.
Saturday’s doubleheader was moved up to a 10 a.m. start time due to anticipated inclement weather later in the afternoon, which provided a rather windy day in Ruston for the Bulldogs and the Black Bears. With the wind blowing in from the outfield, neither team was able to gain momentum at the plate.
Game 1:
Maine took the early lead in the second inning after a scoreless first on an infield single, but Luke Nichols halted the scoring with back-to-back strikeouts to end the frame.
The Bulldogs were held off the board until the third inning. Will Safford drew a leadoff walk then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Zeb Ruddell. A groundout moved Safford to third before he came across the plate on a wild pitch to make it a 1-1 game going into the fourth.
Nichols continued to dominate on the mound, retiring 11-straight batters and ending the day with a line of 6 1/3 innings, three hits, two runs, one walk and six strikeouts. After allowing the RBI single in the second inning, Nichols faced 17-straight batters without allowing a hit.
Nate Crider took over for Nichols with one out and a runner on third in the top of the seventh. A single to right would then tie it for the Black Bears, but Crider displayed damage control and closed out the inning at a tie game.
On the first pitch in the home half of the seventh, Eli Berch pulled a leadoff double to the left field corner before his brother, Thaxton Berch, entered the game to pinch run for the Ole Miss transfer. Thaxton was able to reach third on a wild pitch before scoring on a fielder’s choice hit by Zeb Ruddell.
Ruddell hit a grounder to the second baseman, who attempted to throw Berch out at home but was unsuccessful and the Bulldogs took the lead. A Michael Ballardsingle put runners on first and second for Cade Patterson, who was entering the game as a pinch hitter for Sebastian Mexico.
Patterson hit into a fielder’s choice, with Maine forcing Ballard out at second then making a throw to first to attempt the double play but Patterson was able to beat the throw. After Ruddell advanced to third, an unaware first baseman had his back turned to the plate and Ruddell was able to sneak in the second run of the inning to double LA Tech’s lead going into the eighth.
Crider kept the Black Bears in check, retiring three-straight with two strikeouts after a leadoff double in the eighth. Blake Hooksentered the game in the ninth and retired three-straight himself with a punchout to notch his first save of the season.
Game 2:
Luke Cooley, a junior transfer from East Central Community College, was lights out in his debut as a Bulldog. After allowing a walk to begin the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the righty hurler would go on to retire 13-straight while punching out seven batters along the way.
The Waynesboro, Mississippi native tallied three consecutive innings with two strikeouts in each frame.
In the home half of the first inning, Ballard doubled down the right field line then moved 90 feet to third on a groundout. During Garrison Berkley’s at-bat, Maine’s pitcher threw a wild pitch to allow Ballard to score and give the ‘Dogs the early lead.
After leaving the bases loaded in the second, Louisiana Tech would double its lead in the third. Colton Coates reached base on a fielder’s choice before making it to third on a wild pitch and another fielder’s choice. Grant Comeaux would drive Coates in with a base hit on the first pitch he saw.
On to the sixth, the left-handed hitting Brody Drost belted his first hit and home run of the year over the left field wall to provide the Bulldog pitching staff with some insurance before the final frame.
After Matt Houston reached base on a walk, Thaxton Berch would enter the game as a pinch runner for the second time in as many games. On the first pitch of his at-bat, Will Safford slapped a ball past the Maine first baseman’s glove to put runners on the corners with one out for Patterson.
The sophomore outfielder drove a ball deep enough on a 1-0 count to center field to score Berch for the final insurance run of the inning.
Logan Forsythe entered the game in the seventh to close it out for the ‘Dogs, but it took some work before he could get it done. After allowing a base hit and a walk on a 3-2 count, the righty Mississippi State transfer got his first out on a fielder’s choice before a 5-3 double play ended the game and secured a series win for the Bulldogs.
Freshman Brooks Roberson picked up his first collegiate appearance on the mound, tossing a scoreless inning allowing one hit, one walk and struck out a batter in the sixth.
First pitch for the series finale with Maine is scheduled for Sunday, February 16 at 1 p.m. CT.
