RUSTON, La. – HCU baseball fell to Louisiana Tech, 17-5, in its 2026 season opener on Friday evening at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.
The Bulldogs (1-0) jumped out to a quick lead in the bottom of the first when Colby Lunsford hit a two-run home run to left. LA Tech extended its lead with a big seven-run third inning that was capped by a grand slam off the bat of Cade Patterson.
In the top of the fourth,
Rhett Hendricks laced a one-out double to right center and scored two batters later on an
Anthony Avalos double to put HCU (0-1) on the board. LA Tech then pushed its lead to 12-1 on Lunsford's second homer of the day, a three-run shot in the bottom half of the fourth.
After the Bulldogs tacked on one more in the fifth, the Huskies responded with a four-run sixth.
Jeremy Rader drew a leadoff walk followed by
Katcher Halligan reaching on an error and a walk to Hendricks to load the bases with nobody out. Two batters later, with one out,
Levi Castilleja drove a double to the gap in left center to bring home three runs. Two batters later,
Tyree Jackson singled up the middle to cut HCU's deficit to 13-5.
Patterson then plated four more runs with his second grand slam in the bottom of the sixth.
Avalos went 3-for-4 in his Husky debut with an RBI while Castilleja drove in three runs and scored one. Hendricks finished the day with two runs scored.
Joshua Caravalho suffered the loss for the Huskies, allowing nine earned runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched. Declan Dahl struck out six while walking none across five innings to earn the win for the Bulldogs.
HCU and LA Tech will play a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 14, with the first game slated to begin at noon.
