RUSTON, La. (Interstat) — Wesley Scott hit two home runs and drove in five runs to lead Louisiana Tech to an 8-2 victory over Sam Houston on Friday night at J. C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.

Scott, playing center field before shifting to left, connected on a solo shot in the seventh inning and sealed the win with a grand slam in the eighth. His second homer capped a four-run outburst that broke open a one-run game. Trey Hawsey also homered twice and drove in three runs for the Bulldogs, who improved to 33-22 overall and 33-22 in Conference USA play. Sam Houston fell to 23-32.

The Bearkats struck first in the top of the fourth. Jeric Curtis singled, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Louisiana Tech shortstop Ethan Houston. Kason Bazmore followed with a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Curtis for a 1-0 Sam Houston lead.

Louisiana Tech answered quickly. After Sam Houston starter Tate Hickman retired the first batter of the bottom of the fourth, Hawsey homered to right field to tie the game. The Bulldogs took the lead in the third when Hawsey crushed his second homer, a two-run shot that also scored Trey Lunsford, who had doubled.

Sam Houston tied the game in the top of the seventh. James Orth was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on D.H. Martinez’s single through the left side. The Bearkats had runners at the corners with two outs but failed to push across the go-ahead run.

That set the stage for Scott. Leading off the bottom of the seventh, he drove a 1-0 pitch over the left-field wall to put Louisiana Tech ahead 4-3. The Bulldogs then sent the game out of reach in the eighth. Hawsey led off with a double, and after a hit by pitch and a pitching change, Scott delivered his grand slam to right field, scoring Hawsey, Taylor Coates and Houston.

Louisiana Tech’s pitching staff was effective throughout. Starter Hudson Rowan threw five innings, allowing two singles with no earned runs while striking out five. Riley Fisher followed with 2 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out four, and Landon Fontenot worked 1 2/3 innings, surrendering one unearned run. The Bulldogs’ bullpen held Sam Houston to four hits after the fourth inning.

Sam Houston’s Ryan Franden went 2 for 4 with a double, and Martinez drove in the Bearkats’ only earned run. Hickman took the loss despite throwing four scoreless innings; he allowed no hits but was charged with three earned runs after the bullpen allowed inherited runners to score. Jakob Holzer and Mason Murphy combined for four innings, giving up three earned runs each.

Both teams finished with seven hits. Louisiana Tech’s Hawsey led all hitters with three hits and three RBIs.

The game was the second of a three-game series. Louisiana Tech won the opener 2-1 on Thursday. The teams meet again Saturday.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Louisiana Tech 6, Sam Houston 4, and its ELO system gave the Bulldogs a 69.90 percent probability to win.