ARLINGTON, Texas — The 12th-ranked Louisiana Tech bowling team sits in eighth after the opening day of the Prairie View Invitational at the International Training and Research Center on Friday.

The Bulldogs (42-27) went 2-3 on the day but had a total pinfall of 5,070 for a 202.8 average during the Baker portion of the tournament.

Louisiana Tech started the day against the defending national champions, No. 2 Jacksonville State. The Bulldogs finished with the second-highest set of the opening match, but they happened to bowl against the only team with a score that would beat them. The Gamecocks won the first match 1,230-1,059. Tech got behind early with a couple of opens, 253-185. They would roll in the plus game two at 206, but JSU would connect on 11 strikes for a 278. LA Tech would make up ground in the third with a 233. The fourth would have both teams firing 240+, but the Gamecocks came out on top 287-249. JSU would take the final game 240-186.

The Bulldogs would have one low game that would hurt them in a 1,170-976 loss to No. 10 North Carolina A&T. Tech would open with games of 215, 204, and 232 and only down by 19. The fourth game would put Tech behind by over 100 pins with six opens leading to a 129. They would respond in game five with a 196, but it would be too late.

Tech got into the win column against No. 5 Arkansas State, 994-966. The Bulldogs took the lead early by a pin with a 203 and would extend it to 37 with 213 and 225. Both teams would struggle in the fourth, but the Tech lead would remain over 20 pins. The 'Dogs would do enough in the final game to win.

Scores continued to be high through the transition into the fourth match. LA Tech would fall to No. 9 Maryville 1,073-1,017. After game one, the Bulldogs fell behind 224-194 but quickly made up pins with a 216-206 in game two. The lead would change in Tech's favor after a 235-201 game three. However, the Saints took the lead back after a 218-185 game four and 224-187 in game five.

Tech started slow against No. 14 Duquesne but would come away with a 1,015-932 win. The Bulldogs took a 20-pin lead after a 188-166 first game. They would quickly find their mark with two consecutive games in the plus with a 200 and 206 but would find themselves down by a pin. LA Tech would regain the lead after an 184-172 in game four and close the match with a 237-267 in game five.

UP NEXT
The Prairie View Invitational continues tomorrow with five traditional games. The Bulldogs will take on No. 4 Youngstown State, Prairie View, Texas Southern, No. 8 Sam Houston, and No. 1 Vanderbilt.

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