Diamond Dawgs win 9-7 in 2003 opener

[OmahaDawg]

Just final...Dawgs win 9-7 today. I did not have time to get details...sorry.

[Tech77]

This was a miserable day for baseball. If we didn't get anybody's arm hurt I'll take an opening win by any score and be happy.

[Crowley Cajun]

Congrats on your first win with your new coach Sim!

Geaux Cajuns!!!!
Hustle up and Bustle up!!!!

[Soonerdawg]

I got there late (third inning), and when I got there, it was sleeting. The game was played in an intermittent rain/sleet. However, it was not as cold as it usually seems in the stadium.

I didn’t get a roster, so I don’t know all of the player’s names. Also, I had several people come talk to me during the game, so I really don’t know when the pitching changes were made, as I normally would.

It is always difficult to evaluate a team from a first game. I would summarize it by noting that Tech scored a few almost every inning, while Centenary scored their runs in large rallies.

Coach is definitely working to establish an aggressive team. We took extra bases at every opportunity, and we were thrown out only once, I think.

Defensively, it was obvious we had worked hard on our situations. Our relays were crisp, and the right decision was made each time. Again, because Centenary had large rallies to get their runs, we had numerous opportunities to work on that portion of the game. If there was one thing to be impressed with, it was the fact that we had that portion down this early in the season.

Again, it is early, and we don’t need to jump to conclusions, but tonight, our pitching seemed a little suspect. We allowed Centenary to string a lot of hits together. Remember, I did not see the first three innings, and we did hold the Gents scoreless during that time. I have no idea how the starter did.

Another fan told me that our starting second baseman was suspended for the opening game for a violation of team rules. He told me that the rule violation would not have even been a rule violation last year. Again, I don’t know the fan, and I hope I’m giving you good information. In any event, the second and third string second basemen split the time in the game. In the eighth inning, the third string second baseman, I think his name was Woods, was in the game. A fairly hard hit ball was hit up the middle. The pitcher instinctively reached out with his pitching hand on his right (shortstop) side to catch the ball. When he realize it was hit as hard as it was, he pulled his hand back at the last minute, making the ball pass by the pitcher on the shortstop side. The third string second baseman made a spectacular play getting the ball just across the shortstop side of second. He broke his momentum by sliding into the ground, standing, and throwing out a runner who possessed average speed. It was clearly the play of the game.

The field did keep in what would have been a homerun last year. Unfortunately, it was one of ours.

We also had a decent crowd for a 3:00 start on a rainy, sleety Wednesday afternoon.

[aubunique]

That sounded like the sort of weather one would expect in Fayetteville for early season baseball but not in Ruston.
Please keep giving up reports when you get to attend games!

[EJ]

See The News-Star article that I posted on the front page at www.latechbbb.com

[ARKDAWG02]

Thanks for the game report. Baseball is tough to play this time of year and the conditions at this game sounded pretty miserable.