RUSTON – It had been exactly 15 hours from when the series opener was halted Friday night until resuming play on Saturday, but the Diamond 'Dogs (26-18, 13-7) prevailed with a 9-2 win to open the series. A narrow and thrilling 6-5 victory clinched the weekend for Tech in the second game, with nine of the game's 11 combined runs being scored across the final four frames.
 
Game 1
The 'Dogs jumped out to an early lead with a six-spot in the opening frame of the series opener against Missouri State (26-14, 14-6 CUSA). Back-to-back doubles from Colby Lunsford and Trey Hawsey opened the home half to put the first run on the board. A two-out double poked into right from Sebastian Mexico doubled the lead before an RBI knock from Wesley Scott made it a 3-0 game.
 
Cade Patterson legged out a double to give the 'Dogs runners on second and third, followed by both being driven in on Casey McCoy's third triple of the season. McCoy then scored on a wild pitch the next at-bat to cap off Tech's six-run frame. It is the most runs the 'Dogs have scored in the opening frame since scoring seven in the first at Western Kentucky on May 4, 2025.
 
Tech now has consecutive seasons boasting a player with at least three triples in a single season for the first time since the 2021-22 seasons.
 
Trey Hawsey snuck his 12th homer of the season over the left field wall to extend the Bulldogs' lead to seven in the second. With his homer, Tech now has a 'Dog with at least 12 homers in each of the last six seasons.
 
A sacrifice fly in the fourth and a solo homer in the fifth from Missouri State cut Tech's lead to five before a two-out RBI knock from Hawsey pushed the lead to 8-2. After a pair of strikeouts to lead off the top of the seventh, Friday's contest was halted and suspended at 8:07 p.m. CT due to persistent lightning in the area.
 
Play resumed at 1:07 p.m., and Thomas Allen began the restart with a groundout back to the bump to end the visiting half. Eli Berch led off the bottom of the seventh with a base hit and Sebastian Mexico was hit by a pitch before both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt put down by Patterson.
 
A subsequent walk loaded the bases and McCoy drove in Tech's ninth run of the contest with a fielder's choice. Allen closed out the remainder of the series opener, tossing a scoreless final 2 1/3 innings allowing a hit and striking out a batter.
 
Game 2
Both sides were held at bay through the opening two frames of the second game of the series until the third. The 'Dogs struck the scoreboard first for the second-straight contest with a two-spot in the third, beginning the frame with a leadoff single and a stolen base by McCoy before advancing to third on a groundout.
 
A dropped third strike and a throw to first gave McCoy a window of opportunity to score the first run of the game, diving past the Missouri State catcher to avoid the tag and give Tech a 1-0 lead. A two-out double by Hawsey followed with a triple from Coates to give the 'Dogs a two-run cushion going into the fourth.
 
Coates, who had no triples prior to the Kennesaw State series, now has three in his last six games.
 
Hudson Rowan began his start with five scoreless frames while allowing just one hit and striking out three going into the sixth. Missouri State led off the top half with a double before tying it with a one-out two-run homer, but a pair of groundouts from the Bulldog defense kept the score tied.
 
Berch went yard to lead off the home half for his first homer of the season and sixth of his Bulldog career, giving Tech a one-run lead. The frame continued with Mexico ripping his 12th double of the season and Scott reaching on a muffed throw by the Missouri State first baseman, before Patterson made it a two-run lead for Tech with a sacrifice fly.
 
The Bears closed the gap with an RBI knock in the seventh after opening the frame with a double and a walk. A fielder's choice gave Missouri State runners on the corners with one out before shrinking the 'Dogs' lead to 4-3.
 
A walk loaded the bases with one out before the 'Dogs cut down the lead runner on a fielder's choice play at the plate from a short chopper back to Luke Nichols on the mound, but Missouri State would tie it at 4-4 after a HBP with the bases still full.
 
A Lunsford single and a Hawsey walk with one out started the bottom of the seventh before a pitching change was made by Missouri State. Coates followed with a single ripped through the middle to allow Lunsford a chance at scoring the go-ahead run, but a perfect throw from the Bears center fielder put out the Bulldog third baseman at the plate.
 
Berch drew the count to 3-2 before loading the bases with a two-out walk, but a flyout to center left three stranded.
 
Riley Fisher gave the Bulldogs a perfect inning in the eighth to maintain the tie, striking out a pair while picking up the third out on a 5-3 groundout. Scott led off the bottom of the eighth with a double to give Tech the go-ahead run in scoring position before advancing to third on a groundout.
 
After a series of defensive changes and a new Bear on the mound, McCoy delivered the big swing for the 'Dogs on an 0-1 count, splitting the left-center gap for two bases and scoring Scott. Four pitches later, Lunsford doubled the lead with his 17th double of the season and third in the series.
 
Fisher began the ninth with a four-pitch walk and a wild pitch to put the runner in scoring position before a quick fly out and first-pitch lineout put the southpaw one out from a victory. A HBP put the tying run on base followed with a first-pitch double that appeared dangerous enough to even the score.
 
The lead runner scored with ease and called for the would-be tying runner to take home. Patterson gathered the ball off the wall hop and fired a relay to Coates cutting off from just beyond the infield turf. The second baseman then rocketed a throw with a single bounce to Berch at the plate, well in time to tag out the runner and secure a fourth consecutive CUSA series win.
 
It is the second-straight home series for the 'Dogs to clinch the weekend in the first two games.
 
LA Tech goes for the sweep on Sunday, April 26 at the Love Shack. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. CT.
 
Quotables
 
Head Coach Lane Burroughs:
"I just couldn't be prouder of our guys. We challenged the team on Thursday about as hard as I have ever challenged a team, and they responded. That's what makes this job worthwhile and fun. For them to come out and respond—from the first pitch last night when we had the big first inning, and Declan was phenomenal. With Thomas Allen coming in and closing out the first game for us, we weren't going to pitch him in two games in the same day. He has a lot of ball in front of him, and it wouldn't be fair to him to wear him out. There were so many big plays in high-leverage moments, where do you start? Eli Berch hits his first homer in a huge moment where they hit a two-run homer to tie the game before. Cade Patterson couldn't get the bunt down, but he found a way to get it in play to the other side and advance that runner to third who ended up scoring, which was a huge run. Reid Snider did the same thing earlier in the game as well. I thought Hudson Rowan's start was unbelievable, and the play he made. The ball from Caden Bogenpohl, who's going to be a first-rounder in the MLB Draft and one of the best hitters in the country, smokes one off of Hudson's arm but keeps playing and gets the out. We only struck out once in Game 1 and six in the second game. And then obviously the game ends on a double cut relay. I'm a baseball fan too, and that's my favorite play in baseball. Eli did a good job of holding the ball and getting that out. It just had the feel of a postseason game, two really good teams going at each other."
 
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