Feb. 19, 2018 RUSTON, La. - Coming off a weekend split at Pepperdine, the Louisiana Tech baseball team will head home to the friendly confines of J.C. Love Field for the 2018 home opener against McNeese, this Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Tech Overall Stats
McNeese Overall Stats
This will be the first of the two meetings between the two clubs, as the Bulldogs will make a return trip over to Lake Charles, Louisiana, on March 27.
Tech (2-2) ended opening weekend on a high note, as the bats finally came through for the pitching staff, striking the Waves for nine runs en route to a 9-3 win and a series split in Malibu.
However, it was strong pitching from both the starting rotation and the bullpen that paced the Bulldogs throughout the weekend. All four starters in Matt Miller, Logan Robbins, Tyler Follis and Logan Bailey gave the 'Dogs quality starts, and kept their team in ballgames.
Miller led the starting staff with a seven-inning gem on Friday night. The right-hander gave Tech seven innings of two-hit ball, while striking out 10 and allowing just one unearned run.
LA Tech's team ERA of 1.49 is the second-best mark in Conference USA and ranks 17th among national leaders.
Head coach Lane Burroughs will look to junior southpaw David Leal on Tuesday, who will make his first career start as a Bulldog. The junior college transfer tossed 76.1 innings for Wharton County JC in 2017, while striking out 75. He posted a 5-6 record along with a 5.07 ERA.
At the dish Tech will look to replicate Sunday afternoon's offensive output, behind strong play from all three outfielders. Parker Bates (.357), Mason Mallard (.353) and Mason Robinson (.313) own the squad's top three batting averages so far, and have combined for 16 of Tech's 33 total hits.
McNeese (0-3) comes to Ruston after a three-game sweep at the hands of Wichita State. In the three games, the Cowboys collected 30 total hits with nine of those going for extra bases, including four home runs.
The Cowboys are slated to throw freshman lefty Adam Goree on Tuesday, in his first collegiate start. Goree tossed one inning in relief in Friday's opener, allowing one run with a strikeout in one inning.
Louisiana Tech owns a 71-44 all-time edge over McNeese, winning the most recent matchup last season by an 8-7 final.
This will be Tech pitching coach Cory Barton's first game against his former club, where he served the same position for three years.
Tuesday night's game will be live streamed on CUSA.TV and broadcast on ESPN 97.7 with Dave Nitz on the call. In game updates will be provided by following the Bulldogs on Twitter @LATechBSB.
