RUSTON – The calendar flips to May as Louisiana Tech plays eight of its last 11 regular season games at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park. The Bulldogs play the next five games at the Love Shack, starting with a Tuesday night matchup against Northwestern State.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Tuesday, May 2 | 6 p.m. CT
Location: J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park (Ruston, La.)
TV/Stream: CUSA.tv
Stats: LATechSports.com/Stats
Radio: Sportstalk 97.7 FM | LA Tech Athletics app
Tickets: LATechSports.com/Tickets
 
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (22-23)
LA Tech is coming off a series win over Middle Ten­nessee, taking two of three from the Blue Raiders in Murfreesboro. After the teams split the first two slugfest games (combined for 46 runs scored), the Bulldogs won the rubber match with a 3-1 victory on Sunday. Over the last three seasons, the 'Dogs have either won or split 11 of the 13 road C-USA series.
 
Jorge Corona was nearly unstoppable at the plate this past week, batting .588 with 10 total hits. He registered multiple hits in all four games, which included four total doubles (now has a team-high 15 doubles this season, which also ranks third in C-USA). He had two three-hit performances in the two victories over Middle Tennes­see and is now batting a team-high .303.
 
Landon Tomkins improved to 5-0 after going a career-long 6.0 innings in his second career start on Sunday. He ranks fourth in C-USA in ERA at 2.84 while opponents are batting .221 against him.
 
Reed Smith is expected to get the start on the mound for the Bulldogs.  The right-hander has made 13 appearances, including nine starts.  He is 2-3 on the season with his last victory coming against No. 24-ranked Southern Miss.  
 
ABOUT NORTHWESTERN STATE (23-18)
NSU has won four of its last six games, including a series win over Nicholls State where the Demons took two of three from the Southland Conference leader.  All four of those victories came at home, a place where the Demons are 17-6 this season.
 
They are anchored offensively by Michael Dattalo who is batting .375, which ranks second in SLC and 92nd in the country.  He also leads the team in total hits (60), doubles (14), total bases (89), walks (24), OB% (.458), and OPS (1.014). 
 
Ethan Francis is scheduled to get the start for the Demons.  The right-hander has made only one start this season in 13 appearances while sporting a 6.75 ERA in 22.2 innings pitched.
 
THE SERIES
LA Tech and NSU finish up their midweek home-and-home this season. The Demons took the first game in Natchitoches back on April 4, coming back from one run down in the 13th to win, 8-7, in a game that took 3:56.
 
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