May 18, 2011

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RUSTON, La. - After a nine-day hiatus, the Louisiana Tech baseball team returns to action this weekend with a pivotal four-game set against the Hornets from Sacramento State. Game one of the series is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT while the two teams will play two games on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. CT before concluding the regular season at 3 p.m. CT on Sunday.

Currently two games under .500, Tech can finish anywhere from the third seed to the seventh seed in the conference race. In order to qualify for the conference tournament, Tech needs to just win one game against Sacramento State this weekend. However, after splitting two games with then-19th-ranked Fresno State, the Bulldogs will look to continue their hot streak riding into the WAC tourney.

During conference play, Ryan Gebhardt ranks third in the league with a .418 batting average while Kyle Roliard has hit .368 against conference foes. Overall, the Bulldogs ranks third in the WAC with a .286 batting average while the pitching staff has tallied a 4.55 ERA.

All four games can be heard live on ESPN 97.7 or via LA Tech All-Access. The voice of the Bulldogs, Dave Nitz, will provide play-by-play analysis during all four game.

ON DECK

Pending this weekends results against the Hornets of Sacramento State, the Diamond Dawgs will likely travel to the WAC Tournament that will be held from May 25-29 at Hohokam Stadium (Mesa, Ariz.).

QUICK HITS

• Friday will mark the 22nd meeting between the two schools.
• Tech has won six-straight games in the series including two-straight in California.
• Tech has posted a 23-8 record this season at J.C. Love Field.
• Tech has won 29 of their last 35 games at J.C. Love Field.
• Tech's win over No. 19 Fresno State marked the first win over a ranked team since March 4, 2008 (No. 11 Baylor).
• The five shutouts from Tech this season are the most since Tech had six in 1990.
• The shutout against Hawai'i was also the first time Tech had shutout an opponent on the road since March 11, 2005 when Tech knocked off Nicholls State, 1-0.
• Tech is 19-1 this season when leading after eight innings.
• Tech is 164-7 since the 2004 season when leading after eight innings.
• Tech has featured 37 different starting lineups in 51 games this season.
• Tech is 2-1 this season in extra innings games.
• Tech has picked off 13 runners to lead the WAC.
• Tech is hitting .324 at home while hitting .232 on the road.
• Kyle Roliard has hit safely in 15-straight games as the leadoff hitter..
• Ryan Gebhardt has hit safely in 16-straight home games.
• Mark Threlkeld and Will Alvis rank second in the WAC with seven home runs.
• The 13 home runs allowed by the Bulldogs' pitching staff are the fewest in the WAC.
• Mark Threlkeld ranks fifth in the WAC with 16 doubles.
• Caleb Dudley leads the WAC with 28 appearances on the mound.
• Dudley is tied for first with Matt Buckle (200) on the all-time single-season list with nine saves.
• Mike Jefferson leads the WAC with nine pickoffs on the season.
• Jefferson's complete game against Fresno State was the second of his career and came exactly one year to the date after throwing his first against Sacramento State (5/8/2010).

SCOUTING THE HORNETS

Sacramento State (18-36, 5-15 WAC) enters the weekend fighting one of the last few slots in the conference tournament to be held in Mesa, Ariz. Currently sitting in seventh place, the Hornets essentially need to sweep the Bulldogs to earn the final slot in the WAC tournament.

The Hornets are hitting .248 as a team this season and have combined for 21 home runs and 198 RBI. Individually, Blake Miller and Will Soto lead the Hornets offense. Miller boasts a .279 average on the season with a team-high five home runs and 25 RBI. Soto checks in hitting at a .278 clip with six doubles and 13 RBI.

In terms of pitching, Sacramento State ranks sixth in the conference with a 5.28 ERA. The Hornets' staff has tallied 238 strikeouts while issuing 206 walks in 458.1 innings of work. This weekend, the Bulldogs will face a pair of veterans and a pair of freshman arms. Senior Brandon Sandoval leads the staff with a 3.74 ERA and has posted a 3-3 record on the season. In 55.1 innings of work, Sandoval has posted 29 walks to just 33 strikeouts.

Defensively, the Hornets rank third in the WAC with a .970 fielding percentage. As a team, Sacramento State has turned 54 double plays and has committed 61 errors on the season. On the base paths, the team has combined for 50 steals in 70 chances.

DUDLEY DOES IT AGAIN

Louisiana Tech sophomore Caleb Dudley has been named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Baseball Pitcher of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Monday afternoon. The award is the second such citation for Dudley this season. Additionally, Dudley was one of five pitchers named national player of the week by CollegeBaseballInsider.com on Wednesday.

Dudley, a sophomore from Texarkana, Texas (Texas HS), held his opponents to a .158 batting average while picking up two saves and a win in relief to clinch Louisiana Tech's first series win against Nevada since 2006. In 5.0 innings of work, Dudley gave up only three hits and didn't allow a single run.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK... AGAIN

For the third time in as many weeks and the fourth time this season, a Louisiana Tech pitcher has been named pitcher of the week. Mike Jefferson, a junior from Cincinnati, Ohio (Clermont Northeastern HS), earned his fourth win of the year on Sunday against Hawai'i. Jefferson tossed 8.0 innings without giving up a run to earn a 3-0 victory against the `Bows. The 8.0 innings of work marked a season-long outing and was the second longest outing of Jefferson's career. Additionally, his six strikeouts against UH was one shy of his season high.

Ewing Named Finalist for Lowe's Senior CLASS Award

Louisiana Tech senior Clint Ewing was named one of ten NCAA® baseball student-athletes who excel both on and off the field and was selected as a finalist today for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence - community, classroom, character and competition.

"Not only is Clint a great player for us both on and off of the field but he displays the importance of what it means to be a student-athletes," said Louisiana Tech head coach Wade Simoneaux. "We've been fortunate to have him in our program over the past four years and as a coaches, you can't ask for anything more."

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

Ewing, a 2010 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American, has totaled 18 doubles and 22 home runs in four years at Louisiana Tech for a career .308 batting average. Additionally, a 2011 preseason all-WAC selection from Baseball American and Perfect Game USA, the Shreveport, La. native and civil engineering major currently boasts a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in February. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help determine the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote via the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award website or on the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award Facebook fan page through June 5. Fan votes will be combined with media and coaches votes to determine the winner.

Lowe's, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the winner June 24 at the NCAA College World Series® in Omaha.

STEFAN TOPS IN THE STATE

Just a year removed from Tommy John surgery, the native of Lafayette, La., allowed just two hits and fanned four batters as he held New Mexico State, the nations' top-ranked offensive club, in check as he tossed the first complete game shutout of his career. His outing earned him Louisiana Sports Writers Association Baseball Pitcher of the Week as announced on April 11.

WALK-OFF THIS WAY

This season, Louisiana Tech has tallied four walk-off wins with three capping come-from-behind victories and the most recent on a walk-off wild pitch. Junior Kyle Roliard has tallied the two walk-offs for Tech as he notched a walk-off bunt single against UTPA and a walk-off, run-rule single against NMSU.

BUILT FORD TOUGH

Senior Joey Ford has primarily played four positions this season, splitting time between all three outfield positions and second base. Ford also leads the Bulldogs with 18 multi-hit games and ranks fourth on the team with a .276 batting average. Against Mississippi Valley State, both Ford and Will Alvis played all nine defensive positions.

For complete coverage of Bulldog Baseball, please visit the official home of Louisiana Tech Athletics at LATechSports.com.