Don’t Let the Diamond Dogs Get Hot: Tech Sweeps Missouri State
Don’t let the Diamond Dogs get hot.
Behind dominant pitching, timely hitting, and a heavy dose of “Love Shack Magic,” Lane Burroughs and Louisiana Tech put together a statement weekend at JC Love Field, sweeping Missouri State Bears in a three-game set. The surge pushes the Bulldogs to 27–18 overall and 14–7 in Conference USA play—and marks 12 wins in their last 14 games.
Here’s how the Diamond Dogs got it done.
Friday: Fast start sets the tone
Louisiana Tech wasted no time taking control, erupting for six runs in the first inning. Colby Lunsford and Trey Hawsey opened the scoring with back-to-back doubles. Sebastian Mexico, returning from suspension, added a two-out RBI double, and Wesley Scott followed with an RBI single. Casey McCoy broke it open with a two-run triple and later scored on a wild pitch to cap the six-run frame.
That early cushion was more than enough for ace Declan Dahl, who delivered another strong outing against one of the nation’s top offenses. The right-hander allowed just two runs over 6.2 innings while striking out seven to earn his seventh win of the season. After a weather delay pushed the finish to Saturday, Thomas Allen closed it out with 2.1 innings of relief to secure the 9–2 win.
Lunsford (2-for-3, two doubles, two walks) and Hawsey (3-for-4, home run, three RBIs) led the offensive charge.
Saturday: Late-game execution seals the series
With a series win on the line, Hudson Rowan turned in a steady performance on the mound, allowing just two runs—a sixth-inning home run by Curry Sutherland—across 5.2 innings.
After Missouri State tied the game late, Tech responded with clutch hitting. Eli Berch broke a 2–2 tie with his first home run of the season in the sixth, and a sacrifice fly from Cade Patterson extended the lead.
The Bears answered again, but in the eighth, McCoy delivered—driving in Scott with a double before Lunsford followed with an RBI double of his own to make it 6–4.
The drama peaked in the ninth. Sutherland appeared to tie the game with a two-run double, but a perfect relay—Patterson to Colton Coates to Berch—cut down the tying run at the plate, preserving a 6–5 win and clinching the series.
Riley Fisher earned the win in relief, while Lunsford, Berch, Coates, Scott, and McCoy each recorded two hits.
Sunday: Walk-off chaos completes the sweep
Sunday delivered pure chaos—and a finish no one at the Love Shack will forget.
Trailing 1–0 in the sixth, Coates ignited the offense with a game-tying RBI double. But defensive miscues in the seventh allowed Missouri State to surge ahead 6–1, and the Bears extended the lead to 8–2 entering the ninth.
Then came the rally.
Louisiana Tech exploded for seven runs on eight hits in the bottom of the ninth to complete a stunning 9–8 walk-off victory. The comeback began with Lunsford’s bases-clearing triple, trimming the deficit to 8–6. Moments later, Hawsey crushed a game-tying home run off the right-field scoreboard.
Three batters later, after singles from Coates and Berch, Mexico delivered the final blow—a walk-off hit to seal the sweep.
Landon Fontenot turned in a solid start, allowing one run over four innings, though he did not factor into the decision.
Louisiana Tech now turns its attention to a midweek road matchup against ULM Warhawks baseball, with first pitch set for 6:00 p.m. Tuesday.
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