Box Score April 10, 2018
BATON ROUGE, La. - The No. 25 Louisiana Tech baseball team saw another brilliant start from junior David Leal, but No. 19 LSU registered just enough offense, while silencing the Tech bats, taking a 2-0 triumph on Tuesday evening from Alex Box/Bertman Field.
LA Tech (24-11) once again received a quality start from its midweek southpaw. Leal was dominant throughout the evening, scattering six hits, while striking out seven and walking none. The junior transfer has now struck out 53 batters, while walking only five across a team-best 57.0 innings pitched.
The Tigers (21-13) brought home the only two runs of the night in the bottom of the sixth on a pair of RBI singles from Zach Watson and Antoine Duplantis.
The Bulldog defense was solid behind Leal all evening, turning two key double plays. In the bottom of the fourth, Watson drew a leadoff walk, and then stole second. Leal got a crucial out number one via a strikeout, and then centerfielder Parker Bates made possibly the play of the night. Duplantis lined a ball into shallow center that Bates made a spectacular diving catch on, while having the presence of mind to throw behind Watson at second, ending the inning.
LSU then had runners at second and third in the bottom of the seventh, but Dalton Skelton caught a hard-hit line drive, and flipped the ball to Tanner Huddleston at third, ending the threat.
Tech got a pair of runners on in the eighth after Mason Robinson and Taylor Young drew back-to-back walks. However, pinch-hitter Steele Netterville struck out swinging, ending the only legitimate Tech threat of the night.
Freshman AJ Labas (4-1) picked up the win, tossing six shutout innings, while giving up just two hits. Labas did not walk or strike out a batter while throwing 63 pitches.
The Bulldogs return to action back home this weekend, hosting the Charlotte 49ers in a three-game Conference-USA series. Tech has won four-consecutive league-series for the first time in school history, and will be looking to build on the early momentum and stay among the top of the conference.
