Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
The Diamond ‘Dogs (28-22, 12-11 CUSA) are all set for their final week of the 2025 regular season, looking ahead to hosting the ULM Warhawks (21-30, 7-20 Sun Belt) at the Love Shack on Tuesday, May 13 at 6 p.m. CT.
Tuesday’s matchup is a rescheduled game from April 23, which was postponed due to inclement weather in the Ruston area that evening. The Bulldogs took the first of the three-game season series, 6-2, on March 18 before ULM took a midweek contest on their home field, 8-3, on April 15.
The Bulldogs are coming off their third-straight series loss at Jacksonville State after opening up CUSA play with five consecutive weekend wins. Tech was able to salvage the series finale in an 11-8 victory over the Gamecocks on Sunday, May 11. Sunday’s victory was fueled by a six-run fourth inning that was capped off with a three-run homer from Sebastian Mexico.
Zeb Ruddell provided some insurance in the seventh with a two-run homer, his second of the weekend, before Sebastian Mexico sealed the deal with sacrifice fly in the eighth to give Tech the 11-8 lead.
Mexico leads the team with a .305 average, .969 OPS, 10 homers, 49 RBI and a slugging percentage of .589. Trey Hawsey is the only other Bulldog batting above .300, carrying a .301 average into the week with nine homers, 25 RBI, five doubles, 23 runs, a .956 OPS and slugging .541.
Will Safford is tied for the most sacrifice bunts in the conference with 10, which is also among the top 20 in Division I. Blake Hooks still leads the league with seven saves and is among the top 40 nationally. Colton Coates is one of CUSA’s toughest strikeouts, fanning out only once every 9.3 at-bats.
ULM enters Tuesday’s contest in a scuffle, having lost nine-straight games and 11 of their last 13. They have been swept on the road in their previous two weekend series at Texas State and at No. 14 Coastal Carolina, including getting shut out in the final two games against the Chanticleers.
Their two wins in the last 13 games came in the series finale at then-No. 20 Troy and the series opener at home against Old Dominion. Troy snapped the Warhawks’ three-game winning streak that was capped with an 8-3 midweek win over the Bulldogs in Monroe.
After losing to Coastal Carolina in a weather-shortened series finale, the Warhawks had been eliminated from competing in the SBC Baseball Championship.
Isaiah Walker remains ULM’s top hitter coming into the week, batting .339 with 39 runs, 12 doubles, four triples, five homers and 29 RBI. His 25 stolen bases lead the team and are tied for the most in the Sun Belt with Old Dominion’s Kyle Edwards. Henry Garcia Jr. leads the team with six homers and 40 RBI and joins Walker as the only two Warhawk batters with at least 50 hits thus far.
Bryce Blaser has been a consistent piece in the ULM offense, batting .282 with 23 runs, two homers and 24 RBI. His 12 two-baggers tie with Walker for the most on the team, while Blaser leads the Warhawks with 24 walks and has started in all 49 games he has played in.
Michelle Artzberger is the only player for ULM to have started in all 51 games, batting .263 with 27 runs, eight doubles, two triples, three homers, 18 RBI and five swipes on six attempts.
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