RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech won the series against Northern Colorado by defeating the Bears 3-2 in Game 2 and 5-3 in Game 3 of a four-game series.
game 1
In the first game, the Bulldogs (3-0) won 3-2 in a 13-inning pitcher's battle against the Bears (0-3). The Bears took the lead in the top of the third inning when Jake King's RBI single scored Jackson Romero. UNC's lead increased to 2-0 in the top of the fourth inning when Kai Wagner scored on a double play.
Tech fought back and tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning on doubles by seniors Logan McLeod and Ethan Bates. Bates continued his streak of 25 consecutive games on base with a double. First baseman Dalton Davis extended his current hitting streak and on-base percentage to 12 on both streaks. The Diamonds Dogs ended the game with the bases loaded in the 12th inning and a throwing error by Northern Colorado, which led to a run by senior Dalton Davis. The run that wins the game.
Louisiana Tech took the mound and had 10 strikeouts. Sam Brodersen, the official D-1 starter, had six strikeouts and one walk. Brodersen pitched 4.1 innings in his first relief pitching of the season and earned the relief win. Brodersen, who transferred to Wingate, gave the only walk to Kai Wagner in the top of the 12th inning. Luke Nichols, who transferred to Jefferson University, allowed four hits, four strikeouts, and just one walk in his first start.
game 2
Tech came out in the second game, with Ethan Bates hitting a two-run homer into the right field seats. Bates extended his streak on base to 26. Northern Colorado's Kai Wagner hit a home run to center field in the fourth inning, cutting the lead to 2-1. Thaxton Burch's single added another run to Tech's lead (3-1), and Michael Ballard scored a run in the fourth inning. Garrett Fisher of the Bears scored one run in the fifth inning with a home run into the left field seats.
The Diamond Dogs followed with a single by Dalton Davis, who then scored. After this single, Davis reached base in 12 games, extending his hitting streak to 13. Redshirt freshman Grant Comeau extended Louisiana Tech's lead to two points from first base to third base. Northern Colorado continued to take the lead over Louisiana Tech (4-3) on Zane Ginicola's RBI, forcing Carson Gross to score. Catcher Carson hit a double to help the Bulldogs score two runs for a 5-3 lead in the sixth inning.
Turner Swistak had a career-high eight strikeouts in his first start of the year, allowing just three hits and only an unearned run. On that day, Swistak faced 18 batters and earned his first win while pitching 4.2 innings. Ryan Haaland and Ethan Bates were on the mound for Louisiana Tech on Saturday. Haaland faced only one batter, and that batter lined out to second base. Bates had four strikeouts, two walks, one hit, and made one save on the day. Bates, a utility player, pitched 2.0 innings and faced 10 batters.
Next is next
The Bulldogs will be back in action tomorrow when they take on Northern Colorado at 1 p.m. to wrap up a four-game home opener weekend.
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