RUSTON – Despite a strong third inning, a multi-home run performance, and consistent pitching to start the game, Louisiana Tech could not hold its lead during Saturday's contest, dropping the second game of the conference series against Dallas Baptist, 14-7, on a clear day at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.
 
LA Tech (14-13, 4-4 C-USA) had an early hero in the form of Jorge Corona, who gunned out runners at second base in each of the first two innings. He would collect the first hit of the game for the Bulldogs in the second (and would also go on to throw another runner out later in the game). Pitcher Alec Sparks carried the Bulldogs well against Dallas Baptist (18-9, 5-3 C-USA) through the third inning, holding them to a single run before the Bulldog offense powered up in the bottom of the third.
 
It started when an Ethan Bates fly ball was caught but resulted in the collision of two DBU outfielders, allowing Logan McLeod to tag up all the way from second base and score. That was followed up by a Philip Matulia solo home run over the right field wall. Corona would bring home Dalton Davis with an RBI single later that inning, and Corona himself would trot across the plate when a Brody Drost blast capped the five-run inning.
 
DBU would fight their way back, however, loading the bases in the fourth inning, where Tech pitcher Ryan Harland would limit the damage to a 2-RBI double.
 
Each team put up a run in the fifth, Tech's coming from Matulia's second solo shot of the game, but the Patriots pulled ahead in the sixth inning on Tech's Reed Smith (1-3) with three runs spread over two homers. They would add two runs in the seventh inning and spent the top of the ninth inning launching a grand slam and a solo home run to create more distance on the scoreboard. Tech got one back on a Matulia RBI single that scored McLeod, but that was it. The Bulldogs were unable to be thrifty with their bullpen in this game, sending six pitchers to the mound over the course of the contest.
 
Head coach Lane Burroughs said the pitching "imploded," but he also said he's liking how well the Bulldog bats have been working at the plate lately.
 
"Our hitters are in a good place," Burroughs said. "If we can get a good start, I like where we are offensively. We're facing elite arms, too … This is the best pitching staff in our league, I think, and we're going toe-to-toe with them."
 
Burroughs noted that the game being stretched was unfortunate but knows that the series finale on Sunday presents an important chance for the Bulldogs to take down a stout conference foe.
 
UP NEXT
The rubber match of the home series against DBU is set for Sunday, April 2, at noon. Tech will travel to face in-state opponent Northwestern State Tuesday, April 4, before heading to Houston for a Thursday-Friday-Saturday conference series against Rice.