RUSTON - The second road trip of Louisiana Tech's young season continues this weekend with a trip to Wichita State to battle the scorching hot Shockers.
 
The Bulldogs have won five straight contests coming into the weekend thanks to a 9-3 extra inning win over Sam Houston State on Tuesday. The Bearkats knotted the game at 3 to send it to extras, but Tech reeled off 6 runs in the 10th inning to come away with the road win.
 
The Diamond Dogs have now walked 10 times - a season-high - in each of their last two contests.
 
Steele Netterville led the Bulldog hitters last week with a .556 batting average and 4 home runs. The junior was named the Conference USA Hitter of the Week. He also drove in 14 runs, scored 8 more, and slugged 1.333 against Maine and then-no. 11 LSU. Netterville was also named a National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball on Monday.
 
Taylor Young also picked up some national recognition for his performance last weekend. The junior second baseman was named the Bobby Bragen Slugger of the Week after racking up 12 hits, 12 runs scored and 10 RBI. He posted six extra-base hits including a pair of doubles and four home runs.
 
Lane Burroughs will hand the ball to his regular weekend rotation against the Shockers. Jonathan Fincher (2-1, 1.42 ERA) will go on Friday with Tyler Follis (0-0, 3.86) and Jarret Whorff (3-0, 1.21) following on Saturday and Sunday.
 
Wichita State will counter with a trio of righthanders: Jake Hamilton (1-1, 4.50), Liam Eddy (2-0, 1.35), and Preston Snavely (2-1, 1.53).
 
The Shockers are coming off a two-game midweek sweep over Air Force and enter the weekend with a nine game winning streak. The series with the Bulldogs comes in the midst of a nine-game homestand for WSU
 
The Bulldogs and Shockers last met in 2017 - Lane Burroughs' first year as head coach at Louisiana Tech. The 'Dogs came away with the sweep in Ruston (6-2, 15-1, 12-10). Bulldog senior Tyler Follis and assistant coach Matt Miller both pitched on Sunday of that series.
 
Game Information
Date: March 6-8
Time: 3 p.m. | 1 p.m. | 12 p.m.
Location: Wichita Kansas
Venue: Eck Stadium
Live Stats: wichita.statbroadcast.com
Twitter Updates: @LATechBSB
 
Media
Live Video: ESPN3
Radio: KNBB 97.7 FM (Friday, Sunday) | LA Tech Athletics App (All games)
PxP: Teddy Allen
 
Noting the Diamond Dogs
 
2021 will bring plenty of changes for LA Tech baseball, including one in center field, where the Diamond Dogs will have to replace Parker Bates. Over the last three years, Bates has totaled the third most games played and at-bats among active C-USA players. This year, Bates leads Tech in home runs, RBI, hits, and extra base hits. He also is just two HBPs away from tying Louisiana Tech's career record with 33 (Brent Diaz - '15-'17).
 
With just a single season under his belt, Jonathan Fincher already owns a place in the LA Tech record books. The redshirt-sophomore set a new school record last season by striking out 14.20 batters per 9 innings, outpacing Bulldog great Eddie Holman by nearly 2 K's per 9. Now a starter, Fincher is coming off consecutive outings with ten strikeouts.
 
Junior college transfer Jarret Whorff was a late choice as the Sunday starter, but he's provided a boost to the Bulldog staff in his first two outings. The Winnsboro, Texas-native threw 16.2s shutout innings to begin the 2020 campaign before giving up a home run in the second inning against Maine.
 
Louisiana Tech debuted a throwback look as its Sunday alternate jersey in 2020 and they've been excellent while wearing it. The Bulldogs have outscored three opponents 45-3 while wearing the powder blue uniforms.