Bryan Conger enters the season at the helm of the Tarleton Texan. He had a very successful first season where he led the Texans into their first trip to the LSC postseason tournament in six years and turned heads, upsetting the No. 1 seeded and nationally ranked-Cameron Aggies in the first round.Check out his blog here.
Spotlight
Player of the Week Brian Rike Louisiana tech
While the New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez is on pace
to put up one of the best single months in the history of
baseball, Louisiana Tech right fielder Brian Rike (Richmond,
TX) is posting one of the greatest seasons in Bulldog and
Western Athletic Conference (WAC) history.
In 2007, the “do-everything” junior has been
an offensive monster, leading LA Tech in runs scored (66),
runs batted in (59), on-base percentage (.482), slugging percentage
(.794), on-base plus slugging percentage (1.276!), base on
balls (32), hit by pitch (12) and stolen bases (15). Most
impressive is his power stroke as he has connected for 20
home runs in just 35 games. (Rike has knocked a pitch out
of the park every 8.5 at bats this season.) Overall, the 6-foot-2,
200-pound Rike is hitting .359 with 61 base hits.
With 13 regular-season games remaining, Rike is just one
home run short from tying the Louisiana Tech school record
for home runs in a season.
Rike also has answered when called upon to take the mound
for the Bulldogs. In five appearances covering five and two-thirds
innings pitched, Rike has notched a save while failing to
allow an earned run, striking out seven while allowing just
a single hit.
In 2006, Rike hit at a .322 clip while appearing in 51 games
for Louisiana Tech. Rike’s hot streak may have started
last summer in the Jayhawk League as Rike was named team MVP
and first-team All-Jayhawk after hitting .370 with five home
runs for the Liberal (KS) Beejays.
The Bulldogs already have posted 30 wins this season and
sit just one-half game behind Fresno State for the top spot
in the WAC. Upon their return from Hawai’i, Louisiana
Tech will step out of conference to face in-state opponent
Northwestern State before returning to conference play at
home against San Jose State.
