May 2, 2011
Game Notes
RUSTON, La. - After taking three-of-four games this past weekend against Nevada and claiming their first series win against the Wolf Pack since 2006, the Louisiana Tech baseball team returns to action on Tuesday night with a midweek contest against UT Arlington. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at J.C. Love Field.
This past weekend, Louisiana Tech (24-22) hit .336 against Nevada with Kyle Roliard leading the team with a .533 average, seven runs scored and his first home run of the season. Since moving to the leadoff spot against San Jose State on April 22, Roliard has put together a season-long nine game hitting streak in which he has notched 15 hits for a .441 average.
Overall, Tech is hitting .274 this season with Roliard and Threlkeld leading the Bulldogs with .320-plus averages. Despite nearly half the at-bats as their counterparts, Ryan Gebhardt and Colby Johnson continue to swing a hot bat with a .330 and .346 batting average, respectively.
Senior RHP Josh Barrett will make his third start of the season and his second-straight midweek start. In 15.2 innings of work this season, Barrett has posted a 1-1 record with a 7.47 ERA while issuing 10 walks and fanning 10 batters. The bullpen is anchored by reigning WAC pitcher of the week, Caleb Dudley, who has tallied a conference-leading 23 appearances.
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.
ON DECK
Louisiana Tech concludes the conference home slate this weekend with a four-game set against perennial conference power and 19th-ranked Fresno State. First pitch in the series is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday night while former letterwinners will be honor on field prior to Saturday's doubleheader that begins at 1 p.m. The two clubs will conclude the series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. Tech wraps up the 11-game homestand with a doubleheader against Mississippi Valley State on May 11.
QUICK HITS
• Tuesday will mark the 89th meeting between the two programs.
• Tech has posted a 41-47 record in the all-time series.
• Tech has posted a 18-6 record at J.C. Love Field this season.
• Tech has won 24 of their last 30 games at J.C. Love Field.
• The five shutouts from Tech this season are the most since Tech had six in 1990.v • Tech's 3-0 win over Hawai'i on Sunday (4/17) marked the first time that Tech had won a game with four hits or less since Feb. 23, 2007 vs. ULM.
• 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 15-1 this season when leading after eight innings.
• Tech is 160-7 since the 2004 season when leading after eight innings.
• Tech has featured 35 different starting lineups in 46 games this season.
• Tech is 2-1 this season in extra innings games.
• Tech has picked off 11 runners to lead the WAC.
• Tech is hitting .315 at home while hitting .232 on the road.
• Kyle Roliard has hit safely in nine-straight games as the leadoff hitter (15-for-34, .441).
• Will Alvis ranks second in the WAC with seven home runs.
• The eight home runs allowed by the Bulldogs' pitching staff are the fewest in the WAC.
• Mark Threlkeld ranks second in the WAC with 15 doubles.
• Threlkeld ranks amongst the WAC leaders in 12 offensive categories.
• Clint Ewing has been hit by eight pitches this year, ranking third in the WAC.
• Caleb Dudley leads the WAC with 23 appearances on the mound.
• Mike Jefferson leads the WAC with eight pickoffs on the season.
• Jefferson is the only pitcher in the WAC (1.0 IP/ per game) that hasn't allowed a home run.
SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS
UT Arlington (25-20) enters the week after dropping two of their three games at SFA this past weekend. As a club, the Mavericks have posted a .292 team batting average this season while the pitching staff has notched a 4.19 ERA. Defensively, UTA has been charged with 59 errors for a team fielding percentage of .968.
Individually, Brian Nephew has a team-high .351 batting average with 13 doubles, two home runs and 28 RBI. Ryan Walker checks in with a .333 average to rank second on the team. In 410.2 innings, UTA has issued 178 walks, fanned 275 batters and allowed 21 home runs.
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. New Mexico State outfielder Bryan Karraker claimed hitter of the week honors.
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.
