Bulldogs ready to host Hilltoppers
RUSTON, La. – We are headed down the home stretch as there are just 13 games remaining for Louisiana Tech Baseball in regular season play, with three coming this weekend as the Bulldogs host Western Kentucky for three games beginning on Friday afternoon at 6 p.m.
LA Tech last took the field nearly a week ago when the Bulldogs took two-of-three games from UAB over the weekend, powered by a six-run bottom of the eighth in the series finale on Sunday evening.
This past week, marked the first without a midweek game scheduled.
Three Bulldogs will enter the weekend with batting average of .340 or better.
Brent Diaz and Sean Ullrich are each hitting.346 for the season, while Raphael Gladu currently holds a .343 average.
Ullrich leads the team with a .467 on-base percentage, while Diaz leads the Bulldogs with a .596 slugging percentage.
Cameron Linck will get the start on Friday night.
Linck has tossed just over 47 innings for the Bulldogs this season and holds an ERA of 3.45.
In what will come as no surprise, LA Tech fans should expect to see Nate Harris on the bump at some point during the weekend.
Harris holds an incredible 1.05 ERA this year and has made 17 appearances. Harris currently leads Conference USA in both wins and saves.
Colie Currie and Tyler Robertson both currently hold batting averages over .300 for WKU, while Thomas Peter has driven in a team-high 30 runs.
Peter also holds a team-best .539 slugging percentage.
While no rotation has been set, Paul Kirkpatrick and Ryan Thurston both have started 10 games this season for the Hilltoppers which lead the team.
Kirkpatrick, who has tossed a complete game already this season, has pitched the most innings for WKU with 60.1.
Kirkpatrick has a 5.97 ERA for the year, while Thurston holds a 6.05 ERA.
Game one of the series is set for Friday at 6 p.m. and game two will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
After this weekend, the Bulldogs will begin a four-game road trip, starting at Florida International next weekend in Conference USA play.