By Drew Parsley, Louisiana Tech Associate Director Strategic Communications; featured photo courtesy of Wichita State Athletics
WICHITA, Kan. — The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs dropped the second game of the weekend series, 15-6, to the Wichita State Shockers on Saturday at Eck Stadium. It was Louisiana Tech’s first loss allowing double digits and the first time giving up at least 10 runs in a loss since March 28, 2024.
The start to Saturday’s contest looked a little different than Friday’s series opener, as the Shockers led 2-0 after the first inning. A hit-by-pitch, walk and a double put the Shockers’ first run on the board before a fielder’s choice gave them their two-run advantage.
Through a scoreless second frame, the Bulldogs and Shockers exchanged runs in the third. Brody Drost led off with a four-pitch walk before reaching third base on a wild pitch and a balk. A single through the right side of the Wichita State infield from Will Safford put the ‘Dogs on the board, but the Shockers answered back with a double and an RBI knock to give them a 3-1 lead through three frames.
Three walks loaded the bases for the Bulldogs in the top half of the fourth before Reid Snidermade it a one-run game with a sacrifice fly in his first collegiate start. Tech’s pitching staff held Wichita State in check with zeroes on the board in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. With the Shockers’ offense held at bay, the ‘Dogs took their first lead of the day with a four-spot in the top of the sixth.
Colton Coates, Eli Berch and Sebastian Mexico loaded the bases with no outs by means of a single, walk and another single. Drost then drew his second walk of the afternoon to bring the game to a 3-3 tie. The Bulldogs kept rolling in the inning when Snider hit a hard grounder to the Shocker third baseman for an infield RBI base hit and give the Bulldogs their first lead of the game. Two batters later, Cade Patterson plated another run on a fielder’s choice before Garrison Berkley’s RBI knock capped off the inning.
Tech held on to a 6-3 lead up until the home half of the seventh. The Shockers drew five walks in the inning, four of which came with the bases loaded and resulted with a run coming in on each of them. A leadoff walk, hit-by-pitch and a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt loaded the bases for Wichita State with no outs before three-straight walks followed after to tie the game at 6-6. Another walk was drawn after a pitching change to allow the Shockers to regain a lead that they did not give up the rest of the game. A three-run triple and an infield RBI knock capped off the eight-run inning.
The Shockers added some insurance in the eighth on a two-run double and another run on a base hit to secure the Saturday victory and even the series.
The eight runs allowed in the seventh were the most runs allowed in an inning since Tech allowed nine runs on the road to No. 8 Arkansas on March 12, 2023. The Bulldogs also allowed 11 walks on the day, the most given up this season and the most in a game since walking 13 batters against Florida Atlantic on May 13, 2023.
The rubber match is set for Sunday, March 16 at 1 p.m. CT at Eck Stadium.
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