RUSTON, La.  – Louisiana Tech put up three runs in the first inning and never looked back, remaining undefeated on the season with an 11-3 victory over Xavier on Tuesday night at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park. 

The bats stayed hot for LA Tech (12-0) as the Bulldogs put up double-digit runs for the sixth time in the last eight games. On top of the crooked number in the first, they plated one run in the third, two in the fourth, broke it open in the sixth with four runs, and added another one for good measure in the seventh.

LA Tech wasted no time jumping on Xavier (6-6). After Caden Copeland went 3-up, 3-down for the first of his four innings pitched, the first four Bulldogs at the plate reached base.

After a leadoff single by Kasten Furr and a Cole McConnell walk, Dalton Davis delivered the first run of the game,  with an RBI single up the middle. Ethan Bates followed with an RBI double to the left-field corner, and then Jorge Corona capped it off with an RBI sacrifice fly. 

Davis, Bates, and Corona would account for nine of the 11 runs scored, each driving in three batters. The trio each drove in runs in the bottom of the sixth as well, which was when LA Tech broke the game open. 

Davis registered an RBI on a fielder's choice, Bates (went 4-for-5) tallied an RBI single, and then Jorge Corona crushed a 2-run homer over the left field wall for a 4-spot to make it 10-2. 

The Musketeers did collect nine hits to the Bulldogs 13. They got an RBI double from Garrett Schultz in the second and plated another run in the third off an error to slice their deficit to 3-2. 

Copeland (3-0) was able to shut down Xavier through the remainder of his outing. Greg Martinez, Grant Hubka, and Ryan Harland went the remaining five innings, allowing a combined five huts and just one run that came in the seventh.

Logan Schmidt (2-1) took the loss for the Musketeers, only going 1.0 inning while allowing the first three runs of the game.

QUOTABLES
Head coach Lane Burroughs
On the win …
"We want to have more walks and HBPs.  We have been doing a great job all year.  We had 10 freebies to just five strikeouts.  Xavier is physical and can hit.  Their outs were loud.  When they cut it to 3-2, I got a little concerned.  I thought the difference was the sixth inning with our four-spot.  The little things mattered.  Thought our guys played well.  Proud of Caden Copeland.  Thought he threw the ball well.  An all-out really good effort."

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will be back in action tomorrow against the Musketeers with the first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. CT at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.

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