March 24, 2011
Game Notes
RUSTON, La. - Louisiana Tech (10-11) is coming off of a pair of midweek wins against Alcorn State and Grambling State and will play host to the Broncs from UTPA this weekend at J.C. Love Field. The series begins Friday evening at 6 p.m. CT and will conclude with a doubleheader set for Saturday at 1 p.m. CT.
The Bulldogs are hitting .264 as a team with Mark Threlkeld leading the way with a .337 average. Senior Joey Ford ranks second on the club with a .317 average and a team-high 10 multiple hit performances.
Trevor Petersen leads all weekend starters with a 4.64 ERA while tallying 20 strikeouts and 16 walks in 33.0 innings of work. Out of the pen, Caleb Dudley leads the conference with 10 appearances on the mound, nine of which have come from relief appearances in which he has converted three saves.
UTPA (5-6) enters the week looking for their first win in the month of March. The Broncs have dropped their last six games and have been outscored by a combined 31 runs in those games.
All home games this season will be streamed live courtesy of LA Tech All-Access while live stats will be provided via Game Tracker on www.LATechSports.com, the official home page for Louisiana Tech Athletics.
Dave Nitz will provide play-by-play commentary for all three games this weekend. Fans can listen within the greater Ruston area on ESPN 97.7 or log on and listen via LA Tech All-Access.
QUICK HITS
• Louisiana Tech and UTPA have met on 49 prior occasions.
• Tech has featured 19 different starting lineups in 21 games this season.
• Tech has won 13 of the last 14 games at J.C. Love Field.
• Tech has dropped their last 12 games against teams from Texas.
• Tech is 2-0 on the season in extra inning contests.
• Tech is 8-0 when leading after eight innings but 1-11 when trailing after eight.
• Tech is 5-0 when out hitting opponents.
• Eight Bulldogs currently own hitting streaks of two-plus games.
• Joey Ford has tallied a team-high 10 multiple hit performances this season.
• Will Alvis ranks second in the WAC with four home runs.
• The three home runs allowed by the Bulldogs' pitching staff is the fewest in the WAC.
• Mark Threlkeld leads the WAC with nine doubles.
• Threlkeld ranks amongst the WAC leaders in 12 offensive categories.
• Threlkeld leads the WAC with three sacrifice flies.
• Threlkeld and Clint Ewing rank second in the WAC with five HBP.
• Ryan Gebhardt leads the WAC with four sacrifice bunts.
• Caleb Dudley leads the WAC with 10 appearances on the mound.
• Mike Jefferson leads the WAC with five pickoffs on the season.
SCOUTING THE BRONCS
Louisiana Tech owns a 34-15 all-time record against the Broncs and a 2-1 mark during the Wade Simoneaux era. Friday's meeting will be the first time the two clubs have met at J.C. Love Field since the 1998 season when the Bulldogs took the first two games of the series before dropping the weekend finale.
With only 11 games under their belts this season, the Broncs have posted a 5-6 record. However, the Broncs will be looking to snap a six-game skid dating back to March 1 against Texas A&M. As a squad, UTPA is hitting at a .233 clip while their pitching staff has posted a 3.64 ERA.
Individually, Stuart MacInnes leads the team with 13 hits for a .371 batting average. A total of four pitchers have recorded 11-plus innings on the mound with Cody Plunk leading the team with 16.2 innings of work. As a staff, the Broncs have walked 57 batters while fanning 77 in 99.0 combined innings of work.
LAST TIME AGAINST UTPA
Alex Williams hit a two-run triple off of the right field wall with the score tied at eight and two outs in the top of the ninth to lead Tech to a 10-8 win over the Broncs last season in game one of the weekend series. It took 13 innings, but the Bulldogs clinched the series win on Saturday when Mark Threlkeld hit a go-ahead two-run single in the top of the 13th inning to lead the Bulldogs to a 9-5 win. UTPA scratched out a win in the series finale by pounding out 23 runs on 18 hits.
ON DECK
Following the three-game set with the Broncs of UTPA, the Bulldogs will play host to Southern Arkansas on March 29 at 6 p.m. CT and will host LSU-Shreveport next weekend.
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Friday night, the first 250 fans will receive free hot dogs compliments of Super 1 Foods. Saturday will mark Tech's annual "Strike Out Hunger" promotion. In honor of American Red Cross Month, fans can trade two canned food items for a chance to win Tech memorabilia and autographed items.
