Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

LA Tech Athletics

LA Tech Athletics

Events

Matt Miller
5
Winner Louisiana Tech LATECH 23-10, 9-4 C-USA
3
Florida Atlantic FAU 23-10, 11-2 C-USA
Winner
Louisiana Tech LATECH
23-10, 9-4 C-USA
5
Final
3
Florida Atlantic FAU
23-10, 11-2 C-USA
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Louisiana Tech LATECH 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 5 9 1
Florida Atlantic FAU 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 3 9 0

W: Miller, Matt (5-0) L: Blake Sanderson (7-1) S: Smith, Braxton (8)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Brock McKee

LA Tech Defeats FAU, 5-3, in Series Opener

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Louisiana Tech baseball team extended its winning streak to nine consecutive games on Friday evening, defeating the host Florida Atlantic Owls, 5-3 from FAU Baseball Stadium.
 
With the win, LA Tech (23-10, 9-4 Conference USA) remained in sole possession of the nation's longest active winning streak, while snapping the Owls' (23-10, 11-2 C-USA) seven-game winning streak. Tech has now won eight consecutive league games after beginning the year 1-4 in C-USA.
 
Tech's streak of nine consecutive wins is the longest for a Bulldog baseball team, since the 2007 season (10-consecutive wins).
 
"We needed every run tonight," head coach Lane Burroughs said. "That's a very good ball club over there. I was so proud of the way we fought and competed tonight. This was our whole team's first trip down here, and we know it's a tough place to play. They play well at home year in and year out, so I was just proud of the way our guys playing hard. There's nothing like winning a Friday night game in conference play. You can point to so many guys who made a difference tonight. (Matt) Miller was outstanding again, and (Braxton) Smith was electric against a really scary lineup."
 
The Bulldogs saw yet another strong start from senior RHP Matt Miller, who pitched into the seventh inning for his fourth consecutive start (all league games). The Tech captain was again exceptional, tossing 6.2 innings, allowing just two runs on seven hits, while striking out a season-best nine and walking just one. Miller is now 5-0 on the season, while lowering his season ERA to 3.35.
 
Over his last four starts, Miller has posted an ERA of 1.55 over 29.0 innings (7.25 IP avg.). The redshirt senior has allowed just five earned runs over that span, while striking out 31 and walking just seven. Opponents are hitting .155 off the Friday-night starter over his last four starts.
 
Meanwhile, the Tech offense did just enough behind Miller, plating five runs off previously undefeated Florida Atlantic starter, Blake Sanderson (7-1).
 
Tech got the scoring started in the top of the first as the top of the lineup continued to cause havoc to opposing pitching. Leadoff man Taylor Young got the offense going with a leadoff single back up the middle, and then came home to score from second on a slow infield hit from Tanner Huddleston. The Tech third baseman, rolled a high, slow chopper over to first base, easily beating out the play. Young, who was at second, did not hesitate rounding third, and scored easily, catching the Owl defense off guard for the game's first run.
 
FAU would get a run back in the bottom of the fourth, before the Bulldogs surged back out ahead in the fifth. Young again led off the frame with a single, followed by a Hunter Wells walk, bringing up Tech's leading hitter in Mason Mallard, who wasted no time in cranking his sixth home run of the year well over the fence in the left field corner, putting Tech back out in front at 4-1.
 
After holding FAU scoreless in both the fifth and sixth innings, Miller went back out for inning number seven, and allowed a solo home run to Mitchell Hartigan, cutting the Tech lead down to 4-2. Miller would get two outs in the frame, before giving way to Kyle Griffen, who won out on his lefty-lefty matchup, retiring his man with a swinging strikeout.
 
The Tech bats again had an answer for the FAU run, as Tanner Huddleston went yard for the second time this season, launching a no-doubt solo blast to left, pushing the Bulldogs back out to a three-run edge.
 
Griffen would run into some trouble in the eighth, loading the bases after a walk and a pair of singles with one out. With the bases loaded, Tech called on reigning C-USA Pitcher of the Week in senior Braxton Smith. The Tech closer allowed a run to score on a bases-loaded walk, but preserved the Tech lead, getting a pair of strikeouts to leave the bases full.
 
Smith came back out in the ninth and issued a leadoff walk, but subsequently sat down the next three batters, all representing the tying run, while picking up his conference-leading eighth save of 2019.
 
Young led the Tech offense with a 4-for-5 effort at the plate, notching four leadoff singles, while scoring a pair of runs. Both Mallard and Huddleston finished with multi-hit and multi-RBI games.
 
Tech pitchers struck out 14 FAU batters on the evening, while issuing just four walks as a staff.
 
The Bulldogs will look to clinch its fourth consecutive league series tomorrow in game two of this weekend set, sending LHP Logan Robbins to the bump for a 3 p.m. CT first pitch.
 
Be sure to follow @LATechBSB on Twitter for all breaking news, in-game updates and other items of interest pertaining to the 2019 Diamond 'Dogs.
 
Print Friendly Version