By TILISHA T. ALEXANDER

Sports Writer

Tech baseball will begin the season tomorrow when the Bulldogs host McNeese State at 6 p.m. at J.C. Love Field.

The Bulldogs return three players who started a total of 79 games last season.

The Bulldogs also added several junior college transfers and three freshmen who redshirted last season that will be competing for playing time.

Head coach Wade Simoneaux said the team is excited about its first game and feels the outfield will be the strong point.

"I feel good about our depth, and four or five of the outfielders will travel while eight will dress at home," Simoneaux said.

Senior Jeremy Alford will begin as the starting centerfielder. Last season, Alford led the Bulldogs by hitting seven home runs.

In right field, the Bulldogs will use Gil Laird, a transfer from Blinn Junior College, and senior Jeff Walker, who posted a .276 average last season.

Two newcomers will battle for left field.

Will Wade joined the team at the beginning of the winter quarter from Alvin Junior College, while Dusty Bastion was redshirted a year ago.

Two junior college transfers have become the top two starters for the Bulldogs.

"Clayton Meyer and Dustin Griggs will start the first two games of the series," Simoneaux said. "We have some great players coming this season, and I'm sure our season will be a good one."

Meyer is a junior college transfer from Blinn College that attended high school at Victoria Memorial High School in Texas.

"Meyer was one of the top guys at Blinn in a very good junior college conference last year," Simoneaux said.

"He has a tremendous mound presence. Clayton does not throw extremely hard but can get all three of his pitches over for strikes."