By Branford Clay, Louisiana Tech Associate Director Strategic Communications; featured photo by Kelsey Chanler
Louisiana Tech reliever Ethan Bates has been named a Third-Team All-American by D1 Baseball, earning his fifth All-American honor this postseason.
Bates has now earned his fifth All-American honor, which is the most in program history, after getting All-American honors from ABCA/Rawlings, Baseball America, Perfect Game, and NCBWA this postseason, in addition to finishing as a John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Finalist and an NCBWA Stopper of the Year Finalist.
The Louisiana Tech senior is one of three players in program history to achieve multiple All-American honors, joining Parker Bates and Taylor Young.
The Arkansas native had an ERA of 3.43 on the bump, with 52 punchouts and 20 walks in relief in 2024. In 44.2 innings (36 appearances)of relief, Bates had a 2-1 record and led the nation in saves with 17, a new Louisiana Tech Single Season saves record.
The LA Tech senior also had a batting-against average of .180, second lowest on the team. Bates batted .337 with 87 hits and 74 RBI with 15 home runs this season. The two-way player led the team in RBI and doubles. In back-to-back seasons, Bates has ten plus saves and ten plus home runs for Tech.