SEGUIN, Texas -- The Texas Lutheran Bulldogs rushed the ball 53 times for 300 yards and sacked Louisiana College quarterback Easton Melancon fives times in limiting him to 123 yards passing in a 38-14 TLU home win Saturday at Bulldog Stadium.
The Bulldogs (2-1) trailed 14-10 with 10:49 to play in the second quarter before scoring four unanswered touchdowns to run away with the non-conference victory over the Wildcats (0-2).
Senior running back
A.J. Saucedo rushed 19 times for 138 yards and scored a career-high three touchdowns. He had scoring runs of one, 13 and 16 yards. Saucedo averaged seven yards per carry.
Saucedo's 16-yard run in the fourth capped a five-play, 94-yard drive. His 13-yard scamper completed a six-play, 80-yard drive.
Saucedo's fellow running back
Marquis Barrolle rushed for 68 yards on 15 carries and added an 11-yard TD reception in the second quarter.
Barrolle and Saucedo combined for 11 receptions and 93 yards.
The Bulldogs produced 35 first downs (to LC's 14) and 519 yards of total offense (to LC's 263). TLU ran 88 plays to LC's 55.
TLU scored on all five red zone chances.
Bulldog quarterback
Trenton White threw TD passes to Barrolle and
Logan Thompson (42 yarder in the third quarter). White was 19-for-33 for 206 yards.
White's counterpart, Melancon, was harassed into an 8-for-26 night. He was intercepted once (by TLU's
Jordan Sims) and constantly pressured by the Bulldog defensive front.
Senior defensive tackle
Dominick Stives recorded six tackles and a half-sack. Junior linebacker
Darian Candler added five tackles and a sack for eight yards.
Jonathan Olonade,
Justus Parker and Tre LaGrone each registered sacks against the Wildcats.
The Bulldogs had five pass breakups and three other quarterback hurries. Melancon scrambled 11 times and netted one yard.
TLU held the ball for 38:11 and had three quarters with more than 10 minutes of possession.
TLU returns to action next Saturday with a 6 p.m. home game against NAIA program Southwestern Assemblies of God. The Bulldogs and Lions meet at TLU's Bulldog Stadium. TLU will have live video and live stats on tlubulldogs.com. KWED 1580 AM will have the call and an audio-only webcast on seguintoday.com.
