Louisiana Tech to face Dallas Baptist
AUSTIN, Texas – No. 2 seed Louisiana Tech begins regional play versus No. 3 seed Dallas Baptist tonight at 6:30 p.m. at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (42-19, 20-10 C-USA)
Louisiana Tech clinched their 10th regional appearance in school history after securing an automatic bid when winning its first-ever Conference USA Tournament title. The Bulldogs went 4-1 over the tournament and are 9-2 in their last 11 games.
Senior shortstop Taylor Young has been incredible in the leadoff spot starting in all 61 games and having started in 246 games in his career (most all-time at Louisiana Tech). Young currently leads the nation in runs scored at 86 and broke his single-season runs scored record he set last year at 83 (also led the nation last year). He leads the team with a .358 batting average and earned First-Team All Conference USA honors and was the tournament MVP.
Center fielder Cole McConnell is second in the conference in RBI at 75 and broke the single-season record at Louisiana Tech over the tournament.
Bulldog closer Kyle Crigger has now appeared in a team-leading 35 games while sporting a 1.79 ERA in 65 1/3 innings pitched out of the bullpen.
Crigger broke the all-time appearance record his last time out and is fifth in the nation in ERA with a minimum of 25 appearances.
Senior left-hander Cade Gibson will get the nod against the Patriots. Gibson is coming off one of his grittiest performances of the season in the conference tournament.
He tossed the first three innings in his game one start against Charlotte, proceeding to sit through a fivehour and 20-minute rain delay, then to come back out and toss another two scoreless innings. Gibson fanned seven and allowed no runs on just three hits.
ABOUT DALLAS BAPTIST (34-22-1, 11-9-1 MVC)
The Patriots are coming off of a 1-2 run in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament and have lost four of their last six contests. The majority of the year, Dallas Baptist led the nation with the highest RPI and still sit with the ninth toughest schedule in the nation.
Eight Patriots were named All-Conference honorees with infielder Luke Heefner taking home MVC Freshman of the year. Through 57 games the offense is batting .276 with Cole Moore and Jace Grady leading the club each hitting over the .300 mark.
Right-hander Bubba Hall will make just his second start of the season on Friday as he recorded his best outing last time out going 4 2/3 innings and punching out eight in a win versus Bradley in the conference tournament.
THE SERIES
The Bulldogs and Patriots will meet for the 24th time on Friday night with Dallas Baptist and the first time these two will face off in postseason play.
Louisiana Tech leads the all-time series 13-10. It had been nine years since the schools faced off until they met this season in Ruston on March 29 with Dallas Baptist coming away with a 7-4 win.