RUSTON – The Bulldogs started the week off on a high note after a 19-0 seven-inning run-rule shutout over the Nicholls Colonels on Fat Tuesday at the Love Shack.
LA Tech's 19 runs were the most runs scored in a game since Tech scored 22 runs in a 20-run victory over Houston Baptist, now known as Houston Christian, at the Love Shack on March 11, 2022. The Bulldogs' 19-run margin of victory is also the largest since that same game, and the most unanswered runs scored on an opponent since the shortened 2020 season against Maine on February 29.
Tuesday's route was the second shutout of the season for the Bulldogs and first run-rule victory in 2025.
Kade Parker was dominant in his first start with LA Tech, tossing six scoreless frames allowing just three hits and one walk with six strikeouts.
CJ Sturiale notched his first collegiate relief appearance and first strikeout in the seventh inning to secure the shutout.
After Parker retired Nicholls in order to start the game, Tech jumped out to a 3-0 lead through the first four batters of the home half. After
Cade Patterson led off with a four-pitch walk and reached second on a balk,
Garrison Berkley tripled for the second time this year to the right-center gap to score the first run of the game.
Michael Ballard then scored Berkley with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 with one out in the bottom of the first.
Colton Coates followed by belting his second homer in the last three games over the right field fence.
Sebastian Mexico stepped up and drew a four-pitch walk with the bases empty before reaching second on a wild pitch. Mexico stole third with two outs before
Zeb Ruddell drove him in to make it a 4-0 ballgame heading to the second inning.
The Bulldogs tacked on another run in the third on three singles before making it 6-0 in the fourth on an RBI knock by Berkley.
Tech exploded for 13 runs in their final two innings after drawing 11 walks in that span, nine of which came in the sixth inning. A pair of bases-loaded walks and an infield single added three runs to the 'Dogs' advantage before a fielder's choice and throwing error by the Nicholls pitcher allowed two more to come across. A fielder's choice and an RBI capped off the six-run frame.
The scoring did not slow down as the Bulldogs rattled off seven more runs in the sixth. Just one of those six runs were scored off of a hit—two runs were scored on bases-loaded walks, two off of wild pitches and one from a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by
Will Safford.
Tech's consecutive innings with at least six runs scored is the first time it has occurred since the 'Dogs played New Mexico State on the road on May 3, 2024. The last time the Bulldogs scored at least seven runs in an inning goes back to March 10, 2024 in a home clash with Southern Miss.
The Bulldogs and the Colonels close out the two-game midweek series on Wednesday, March 5 at 6 p.m. CT at the Love Shack.
Head Coach Lane Burroughs' comments on Tuesday's victory:
"Obviously a big night for us. We needed a win in the worst way. I thought we were in total command from the get-go. We had some quality at-bats all through the night. The early innings there—we hit the four-spot in the first [and] just great at-bat after great at-bat.
Kade Parker was unbelievable … he only had one inning under his belt [this year before tonight]. This young man from West Ouachita that came to our camps when he was a little kid, and him and his brother—he's had a long journey. Copiah-Lincoln Community College to Stephen F. Austin [then] surgery and came to a camp this summer. [He] just wanted to be here, and he pitched really good in this building. We took a chance on him and all he's done is continue to work and get better. I couldn't be more proud of him. You're always concerned when somebody's making their first start how they're going to react and respond, and I thought he was electric tonight. He was in total command of the game. His velocity was up—I think he was up to 93 [miles per hour]. [His] breaking ball was really good, and he had some long innings just sitting over there, too. Just very proud of him.
CJ Sturiale got in the game—long journey for him too. It was good that one inning he got. He's been with us for three years—Tommy John surgery. Great student here—engineering major, and very proud of him to get out there and get those last three outs. We were able to play a lot of guys, and that can be tough too because you're sitting over there on a chilly night and you feel like it's slop-and-mop at-bats. But when you get those opportunities, make the most of them. I just thought we were in command of the game. We had a great team meeting at 10 a.m. today—we're on break so they don't have class, and the whole message was 'have fun, relax, stop pressing.' Tomorrow will be different. [Nicholls] is not that bad of a ball club. They swept Little Rock earlier in the year. They're not 19-0 that bad of a baseball team, I promise you. But I couldn't be more proud of our guys, just the response from this weekend and we've been scuffling. I thought, again, the score is going to say 19-0 but I thought our at-bats were good from the get-go and the pitching was outstanding."
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