Bulldogs Make it Ten Straight Over Grambling

RUSTON—Six Louisiana Tech pitchers combined to hold Grambling State (6-12) to one run while Tech hitters pounded out 16 hits to help propel the Bulldogs(10-10) to an 11-1 win over the Tigers Tuesday night at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park. Six Tech pitchers threw at least one inning in the game while starter Josh Barrett (1-1) received the win. In his second career start Barrett threw a pre-determined two innings and did not give up a run while only allowing two hits and striking out two. Grambling’s Jesus Favela was charged with the loss after giving up seven runs in three innings of work. “I thought the pitchers we sent out tonight all did well,” Tech head coach Wade Simoneaux said. “Our goal was to keep them all under 15 pitches per inning and they all did that tonight with the exception of (Caleb) Dudley in the last inning.” Holding onto a 3-0 lead with Tech’s pitchers seemingly cruising through the Tiger lineup, the Bulldogs broke the game open with a four run fourth inning inning. Tech started the inning with back-to-back singles by Ashton Hughes and Kyle Roliard and then advanced the two on a sac-bunt by Mark Threlkeld. However, Grambling attempted to throw Hughes out at third and was unsuccessful allowing Threlkeld to reach safely and load the bases. Alex Williams singled in Hughes and Devon Dageford brought Roliard home on a sac-fly to increase the Tech lead to 5-0 before Will Alvis knocked in Threlkeld with a single up the middle. Joey Ford picked up the final RBI of the inning by driving in Williams on a fielder’s choice to make it 7-0 going into the fifth inning. Alex Williams hit his team leading fifth homerun of the season in the first inning for the Bulldogs. Williams recorded three RBI in the game. Senior Jonathan Mire came in to pinch hit for Williams in the eighth and led off the inning with a solo shot to rightfield for his first homerun of the season and the second of his career. Center fielder Clint Stubbs totaled a season high two RBI in the game while going 2-for-4 at the plate. “You can’t overlook a team like Grambling,” Tech head coach Wade Simoneaux said. “They have a good ball-club and there’s a cross-town rivalry mixed into the match-up as well. We got a so called confidence boos t with the win tonight and now we have to look forward to Minnesota.” Tech will now prepare to travel to Minneapolis, Minn. to face the University of Minnesota in a three game series beginning Friday at 6: 30 p.m. CT at the Metrodome. Game two of the series on Saturday is scheduled to be the first ever game played in the Twin’s brand new Major League Baseball facility, Target Field.