PINEVILLE, La. -- Texas Lutheran committed five first-half turnovers (six total for the game) and dropped a 58-28 decision Saturday night to Louisiana College in Wildcat Stadium.
The Bulldogs fell to 0-3 overall with the non-conference loss. Louisiana College improved to 2-1.
TLU trailed 30-14 at the break after the deficit was just 16-14 with 4:46 to play in the second quarter.
LC scored on a 61-yard pass from Easton Melancon to Lawrence Williams at the 3:50 mark of the second quarter and then added a Lamar Carroway six-yard run with 43 seconds to play in the half. The TD pass to Williams came off a TLU deflection.
The first half scoring for LC also included a 98-yard interception return for a touchdown by Willie Smith and a 60-yard Melancon to Shedrick Davis connection.
Tre Scallion scored twice for TLU in the first half (on runs of one and two yards). He added another TD run, of 29 yards, in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs also received a scoring run from sophomore quarterback
Kyle Grona, who crossed the goal line on a 22-yard scamper in the fourth quarter.
TLU fumbled five times and lost four. The Bulldogs threw two interceptions.
Scallion and
Marquis Barrolle each rushed over 100 yards for the Bulldogs. Scallion carried the ball 13 times for 112 yards, and Barrolle rushed 27 times for 117 yards.
TLU went 20-for-34 through the air with
Zach Galindo and Grona. Galindo passed for 161 yards with 14 completions in 23 attempts and one interception. Grona completed 6-for-11 for 49 yards and one interception.
TLU gained 501 yards on 85 plays but allowed 604 yards on 72.
Melancon threw for 414 yards and five touchdowns. Davis caught six passes for 170 yards and had two scores. Lawrence Williams posted four catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns.
Darian Candler led TLU with 14 total tackles.
Serrick Preston Jr. added 13.
TLU faces Top 25-ranked Hardin-Simmons next week in Abilene, Texas at HSU's Shelton Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. with pre-game coverage on KWED and tlubulldogs.com beginning at 12:30 p.m.
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