AUSTIN, Texas – No. 2-seeded Louisiana Tech begins regional play versus No. 3-seeded Dallas Baptist tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
REGIONAL INFORMATION
Dates and Times: June 3 at 6:30 p.m.
Location: UFCU Disch-Falk Field (Austin, Texas)
TV: ESPN+
Radio:
Dave Nitz on KNBB 97.7 FM
Audio: LA Tech Athletics App
Live Stats: LATechSports.com
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (42-19, 20-10 C-USA)
LA Tech clinches their 10
th regional appearance in school history after securing an automatic bid when winning its first ever C-USA Tournament Title. The Bulldogs went 4-1 over the tournament and are 9-2 in their last 11 games.
Senior shortstop
Taylor Young has been incredible in the leadoff spot starting in all 61 games and having started in 246 games in his career (most all-time at LA Tech). Young currently leads the nation in runs scored at 86 and broke his single-season runs scored record he set last year at 83 (also led the nation last year). The West Monroe native leads the team with a .358 batting average and earned First-Team All C-USA honors and received Tournament MVP in Hattiesburg. Young is a Brooks Wallace Award finalist.
Center fielder
Cole McConnell is second in the conference in RBI at 75 and broke the single-season record at LA Tech over the tournament. He leads the team in doubles with 22 and cleans up the Bulldog batting order. The Beaumont, Texas native also earned First-Team All-Conference honors.
Steele Netterville and
Walker Burchfield both came up with walk-off knocks in the semifinal and title game in the tournament. Burchfield came up in a pinch-hit appearance in the bottom of the ninth and the bases loaded and delivered a liner over the shortstops head scoring the tying and winning run. Netterville came up with two outs in the ninth on Sunday and grounded a 3-2 pitch down the first base line to send the Bulldogs home as conference champions.
Bulldog closer
Kyle Crigger has now appeared in a team-leading 35 games while sporting a 1.79 ERA in 65.1 innings pitched out of the bullpen. Crigger broke the all-time appearance record his last time out and is fifth in the nation in ERA with a minimum of 25 appearances.
Senior left-hander
Cade Gibson will get the nod against the Patriots. Gibson is coming off one of his grittiest performances of the season in the conference tournament. The Ruston native tossed the first three innings in his game one start against Charlotte, proceeding to sit through a five-hour and 20-minute rain delay, then to come back out and toss another two scoreless innings. Gibson fanned seven 49ers and allowed no runs on just three hits.
PROBABLE STARTER
Friday – LHP
Cade Gibson (6-4, 4.87 ERA)
ABOUT DALLAS BAPTIST (34-22-1, 11-9-1 MVC)
The Patriots are coming off of a 1-2 run in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament and have lost four of their last six contests. The majority of the year, DBU led the nation with the highest RPI and still sit with the ninth toughest schedule in the nation.
Eight Patriots were named All-Conference honorees with infielder Luke Heefner taking home MVC Freshman of the year. Through 57 games the offense is batting .276 with Cole Moore and Jace Grady leading the club each hitting over the .300 mark.
Right-hander Bubba Hall will make just his second start of the season on Friday as he recorded his best outing last time out going 4.2 innings and punching out eight in a win versus Bradley in the conference tournament.
PROBABLE STARTER
Friday – RHP Bubba Hall (3-2, 3.47 ERA)
THE SERIES
The Bulldogs and Patriots will meet for the 24
th time on Friday night with DBU and the first time these two will face off in postseason play. LA Tech leads the all-time series 13-10. It had been nine years since the schools played until they met this season in Ruston for a Tuesday night midweek contest. DBU came out victorious 7-4 back on March 29.
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