Feb. 20, 2009

Box Score

RUSTON -- Behind great pitching, a solid offense and sound defense, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs defeated Grambling State Friday evening by a score of 15-3 in front of 1,072 fans at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.

Junior John Anderson received the start and earned the win for the Bulldogs. After the first inning, the native of Shreveport, La. recorded two strikeouts and forced a harmless ground out to first baseman Alex Williams.

It did not take too long for Tech to score their first run of the 2009 season as senior Chris Kersten ripped an RBI double down the left field line that scored fellow senior Kevin Winn from second base in the bottom of the first inning.

In the bottom half of the following inning, senior Matt Combs hit Tech's first home run of the year, a line drive to left-center to increase Tech's lead, 2-0. Sophomore Clint Ewing added a solo home run to center field in the third inning and then Kersten finished off Tech's home run total with a solo home run to center field in the bottom of the 5th. Kersten's round-tripper put the Bulldogs ahead by a score of 6-0.

Anderson went on to pitch six innings and finished the evening allowing only four hits, two runs, one earned and eight strikeouts.

"John is a competitor," Tech head coach Wade Simoneaux said. "He is going to be in the strike zone and he is going to come at his opponents with his best stuff."

Redshirt freshman Mike Jefferson relieved Anderson in the 7th inning and struck out three Tigers in two innings. He also received offensive support as the Bulldogs scored three runs in the sixth inning on a Williams RBI single, a wild pitch and a Combs RBI single to center field.

The Bulldogs seven, eight and nine hitters (Ewing, Combs and Clint Stubbs) went 8-for-13 on the evening.

"We have some threats in the bottom of our order with the three guys that hit the ball very well for us tonight," Simoneaux said.

Redshirt freshman Graham Meyers pitched the ninth inning and sealed the victory for Tech. The redshirt freshman from Monroe, La. struck out three and gave up one run in the inning.

"I thought our pitchers did a good job of attacking the strike zone tonight," Simoneaux said. "Collectively, our hitters made solid contact and executed throughout the game. When our lineup begins to consistently see different types of pitchers, we are going to have several threats in our batting order."

Another senior Patrick Thomas went 2-for-6 on the evening with a run scored and three RBI. Combs also had three RBI of his own and was 4-for-5 at the plate with two runs scored.

Each Tech position starter totaled at least one hit on the evening. Pinch hitter Clay Alexander contributed to the hit parade by recording a double in the eighth inning.

The series will shift to Grambling Saturday as freshman Jeb Stefan will make his first collegiate start and oppose the Tigers' Destin Hardy. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Tiger Stadium in Grambling.

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