RUSTON – The Diamond 'Dogs (33-23, 19-11 CUSA) dropped their final regular season contest, 6-0, to Sam Houston (24-32, 13-17 CUSA) on Saturday afternoon at the Love Shack.
 
Luke Cooley began his start retiring the first five batters he faced, including striking out the first Bearkat of the game looking and fanning a batter for the second out of the second frame. Sam Houston then registered three-consecutive hits with two singles and a double to take a two-run lead going into the third.
 
Two frames later, the Bearkats extended their advantage with a two-out triple followed with a knock to center field.
 
Casey McCoy had the lone two hits for the 'Dogs through the first five frames of the contest. Nate Crider entered the game in relief in the sixth, allowing a pair of walks but picking up three strikeouts to give the 'Dogs a scoreless frame and keep it at a 3-0 ball game.
 
The Bearkats held on to their three-run lead going into the eighth before doubling their run total. A leadoff single and a sac bunt put a runner in scoring position before a throwing error allowed the lead runner to score, extending Sam Houston's lead to four runs.
 
A second error put runners on the corners followed with a sacrifice squeeze bunt to score the runner from third, giving Sam Houston a five-run advantage. The Bearkats' scoring affair and three-run frame was capped off with an RBI knock to center to give themselves a 6-0 lead in the eighth.
 
After the conclusion of the 2026 regular season, the Bulldogs have clinched the No. 5 seed in the Conference USA Baseball Championship, which will take place at Kennesaw State's Mickey Dunn Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia. LA Tech will open up tournament play with No. 8 seed Sam Houston on Wednesday, May 20.
 
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