RUSTON - The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs will look to continue their strong start to the 2020 season when they travel to Lake Charles, La. to take on McNeese in a midweek contest.
 
Tech opened the year with a weekend sweep of UL-Lafayette and Southeastern Louisiana. The Diamond Dogs outscored the two teams 14-1 in two games against ULL and one vs. SLU.
 
Bulldog pitchers were nothing short of outstanding in the sweep, allowing just one run and eight hits over the three games on Saturday and Sunday. Jarret Whorff was rewarded for an outstanding performance in Sunday's win with the season's first Conference USA Pitcher of the Week award.
 
Greg Martinez will make his Bulldog debut as Tech's Tuesday starter. The true freshman will toe the rubber after finishing his high school career with a 2.55 ERA and 3.05 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
 
McNeese will counter with Daniel Hecker, who has already made his first appearence of the 2020 season. The senior tossed a scoreless frame against Mississippi Valley State, striking out two in the process.
 
The Cowboys are also undefeated heading into Tuesday's matchup. McNeese easily dispatched of Mississippi Valley State last weekend, winning all four games by at least nine runs.
 
Tuesday's game will be the 120th meeting between McNeese State and Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs own a 74-45 advantage all-time and have won four of the last five games. The two teams split last year's contests with Tech winning 10-4 in Ruston and McNeese countering with a 5-3 win in Lake Charles.
 
Game Information
Date: Tuesday, February 18
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Lake Charles, La.
Venue: Joe Miller Ballpark
Live Stats: mcneesesports.com
Twitter Updates: @LATechBSB
 
Media
Live Video: mcneesesports.com/watch
Radio: KNBB 97.7 FM | Louisiana Tech Athletics App
PxP: Dave Nitz
 
Noting the Diamond Dogs
 
After an April 25th tornado resulted in the loss of Tech's baseball facility, the Diamond 'Dogs will play "home" games at three locations in 2020. All non-conference home tilts will be played at Ruston High School with conference series split between Smith-Wills Stadium in Jackson, Miss. (Middle Tennessee, Rice, and Old Dominion) and Warhawk Field in Monroe, La. (Florida Atlantic and FIU).
 
Since 2017, the Bulldogs have posted a 49-32 mark away from home. Last year, Tech ended the regular season with the most true road wins of any C-USA team with 15. The 'Dogs will play 32 road games this season. That's the most since 1982 when Tech went 22-11 away from home.
 
Since 2016, the Bulldogs have played 39 games against Top 25 ranked opponents. Tech has won 23 of those contests (23-16), including five triumphs over ranked SEC foes (Three vs. Arkansas, One vs. Texas A&M, One vs. LSU). Under head coach Lane Burroughs, the 'Dogs are 12-9 vs. ranked competition, including a 2-0 record in 2020.
 
The Bulldogs have dominated non-conference play since Lane Burroughs arrived in Ruston for the 2017 season. The 'Dogs have a 56-31 record against non-conference opponents, including a winning record against teams from the SEC (5-4) and AAC (3-0). Tech has also posted better than .500 marks  against the Sun Belt (21-7), Southland, (15-4), SWAC (7-0), Ohio Valley (2-1), and Pac-12 (1-0) conferences since 2017.
 
To say the Louisiana Tech gloves were solid last year would be quite an understatement. The Bulldogs set a school record for fewest errors in a season (57) and maintained the league's best fielding percentage at .984 in C-USA play. The 'Dogs committed just 17 fielding miscues over the course of the 30 game league slate.
 
Tech batters have a knack for getting on base  every way possible, especially via the HBP. The Bulldogs have led Conference-USA in the category in four of the past five years (94 in 2019, 103 in 2018, 84 in 2016, 89 in 2015) including a program record of 103 in 2017. Since 2014, the 'Dogs rank third in the nation in HBPs with 474. Only Campbell (506) has been hit more.