Championship Central | Box Score (PDF)
 
RUSTON – No. 2 DBU defeated No. 1 Louisiana Tech 17-10 in 10 innings to take the CUSA Championship title of the 2024 Super 1 Foods CUSA Baseball Championship from J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park on the campus of Louisiana Tech University.
 
The Bulldogs, who won the CUSA Championship Tournament two years ago, refused to go away quietly and plated two in the bottom of the first, three in the second, two more in the fourth and a single run in the fourth. A septet of DBU pitchers, however, combined to keep Louisiana Tech at arms’ reach.
 
Making their second consecutive title-game appearance in as many years since joining CUSA for the 2024 season, the Patriots dominated from start to finish to take home their first postseason trophy as a member of the conference. With the victory, the Patriots earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. Both teams will learn of the postseason destinations when the NCAA Selection show airs live on ESPN2 at 11 a.m CT.
 
DBU right fielder Alex Pendergrast, who went 3-for-5 with a double and three runs scored against Louisiana Tech, was named the Russell D. Anderson CUSA Championship Most Valuable Player after finishing the week hitting .615 (8-for-13) with a 1.000 slugging percentage on the strength of two doubles and a home run. He also tallied four RBI and was a perfect 4-for-4 in stolen bases.
 
The Patriots tallied six home runs against Louisiana Tech, tying the mark set by Rice in 2007 and 2010. Left fielder Ethan Mann and catcher Grant Jay launched two round-trippers apiece, with designed hitter Tom Poole accounting for the other.
 
The first four Patriot batters to step to the plate on Sunday single, including an RBI-base hit off the bat of second baseman Miguel Santos. From there, Mann hammered a grand slam to left to make it 5-0, and Jay followed with a solo homer to extend the lead with no outs yet to be recorded in the contest.
 
Pendergast scored on an RBI-single by third baseman Michael Dattalo and first baseman Chayton Krauss capped the big inning with a two-run double to left center.
 
Tech got on the board on an RBI-single by catcher Jorge Corona, and plated three more in the second when centerfielder Cole McConnell was plunked with the bases loaded, designated hitter Ethan Bates lifted a sacrifice fly to right and Corona laced another run-scoring single through the left side of the infield.
 
Solo home runs by Poole, Mann and Jay extended the DBU lead to 13-5 only to see the Bulldogs bark back with two runs in the bottom of the stanza on an error and a McConnell sacrifice fly. Krauss’ two-run home run in the top of the fourth and the Patriots added single runs in the sixth and eighth on a Krauss single and a run-scoring single off the bat of Dattalo, respectively, to account for the Patriots final runs.
 
Louisiana Tech added a single run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Grant Comeaux and got two more in the eighth courtesy of back-to-back, RBI-singles by left fielder Adarius Myers and Comeaux, but could get no closer.
 
Patriot reliever Nick Wilson was credited with the win after scattering three runs (two earned) on four hits and a pair of walks while tallying a strikeout in 3.2 innings out of the bullpen. Tech starter Reed Smith was saddled with the loss after allowing six runs on as many hits before being lifted from the game.
 
Russell D. Anderson MVP
Alex Pendergast, DBU
 
All-Tournament Team
C: Jorge Corona, LA Tech
INF: Michael Dattalo, DBU
INF: Miguel Santos, DBU
INF: Grant Comeaux, LA Tech
INF: Dalton Davis, LA Tech
OF: Ethan Mann, DBU
OF: Alex Pendergast, DBU
OF: Camden Troyer, Liberty
P: Jerrod Jenkins, DBU
P: Cole Hertzler, Liberty
P: Ethan Bates, LA Tech
P: Michael Watson, Sam Houston
DH/UTL: Ethan Lizama, WKU