April 2, 2011

Box Score

RUSTON, La. - Louisiana Tech relief pitchers combined to strike out five and allow just two hits over the final four innings of play and Will Alvis had what proved to be the game-winning RBI single to left center in the bottom of the seventh as the Bulldogs rallied past LSU-Shreveport, 3-2, in front of a season-high crowd Saturday night at J.C. Love Field.

Trailing by one run in the sixth, Corey White and Kyle Roliard led off with back-to-back singles to center. Mark Threlkeld then drove in White from third with an RBI sacrifice fly to right center off of Jared Mata that evened the game at two apiece. After walking Alex Williams, LSUS went to Logan Norris out of the pen who then induced an inning-ending double play ball that stifled the Tech rally.

In relief, Mike LeBreton retired the first six batters that he faced in both the sixth and seventh innings including one via a pickoff. The Bulldogs then took the lead in the bottom of the seventh with Alvis' single that scored White. However, Norris was able to work out of further damage as he forced a foul out and a ground out to third to strand two Bulldogs on base.

Norris (0-1) was charged with his first loss of the season after allowing one run on two hits while issuing four walks and recording a strikeout in2.2 innings of work. LSUS starter Jared Mata pitched 5.1 innings allowing six hits and two runs to take the no decision.

LeBreton worked into the ninth allowing just two hits before giving way to Dan Breazeale with one out in the inning. With two runners on, Breazeale got Manny Estrada to fly out to left and caught Michael Diffie looking to end the game and pick up his first career save.

LeBreton (1-1) picked up his first win of the season and struck out four batters while walking one and issuing just two hits in 3.1 innings of work.

Tech starter Jeb Stefan allowed runs in the first and third innings but worked 5.0 quality innings allowing four hits and picking up six strikeouts. The Bulldogs got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second as Clint Ewing drove in Joey Ford from second.

Louisiana Tech (14-12) and LSU-Shreveport (30-9) will close out the two-game set tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. as Mike Jefferson will get the start for the Bulldogs at J.C. Love Field.

Notes: Louisiana Tech is now 8-1 all-time against LSUS... Tech has won 17 of their last 19 games at J.C. Love Field... Tech is 11-0 this season when leading after eight innings...The announced crowd of 1,001 marked a season-high...Corey White had a career-high three hits... Joey Ford has now recorded 13 multi-hit games this season and five in his last seven games... Kyle Roliard (7), Joey Ford (7) and Clint Ewing (6) all extended hitting streaks while Mark Threlkeld saw his seven game hitting streak come to an end... Threlkeld has made 97 consecutive starts.