Huddleston mashes LA Tech to 7-6 victory over FIU

RUSTON, La. – Tanner Huddleston drove in six runs on a pair of three-run homers, as Louisiana Tech defeated FIU, 7-6, in front of a crowd of 1,723 from J.C. Love Field on Friday evening.

With the win, Tech (21-8, 6-2 C-USA) evened the weekend series with the Panthers (13-15, 4-4 C-USA) setting up a pivotal rubber match for Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.

Huddleston’s six RBI were the most by a Bulldog this season, and his multi-home run game was also Tech’s first in 2018. The Lucedale, Mississippi native also racked up eight total bases (a season-high) and extended his on-base streak to 26-consecutive contests.

“Tanner Huddleston absolutely came to the park ready to play tonight,” head coach Lane Burroughs said. “He left the bases loaded last night without getting a swing off, and when I pulled up this morning, he was in the cages getting work in with his dad. Coach Creel also works with him so much – they go way back, and it’s showing. He came ready to play, and those two three-run homers were huge for us.”

Logan Robbins (6-0) picked up the win, and maintained his perfect record as a collegiate pitcher. Robbins is 6-0 in the red and blue this season, after combining for an 18-0 record in two years at Jones County Junior College.

“Logan just does what he does,” Burroughs added. “It’s not always the prettiest, but he fills up the strike zone. When he’s commanding that glove-side fastball and his breaking ball is working, he’s hard to beat, and I think that’s what happened tonight. I’m very proud of him and the effort that he gave us tonight.”

Sophomore right-hander Tyler Follis picked up his first save of the 2018 season, and Tech’s third three-inning save this season. Follis was solid out of the pen, giving up four hits and three unearned runs on a pair of miscues from the Tech defense. However, with the game in the balance, Follis worked a perfect 1-2-3 ninth inning, slamming the door on any chance of a Panther comeback.

“Follis was outstanding tonight,” Burroughs noted. “The ball was exploding out of his hand there at the end of the game. He pitched a great clean ninth, and I’m proud of him and our team for holding the rope, and finding a way to beat a very good FIU club.”

The Panthers struck for the first run of the ballgame, after Jose Garcia lifted a sac fly into left, scoring Eddie Silva for the early FIU lead.

However, in the bottom of the fourth, Tech started to make some noise against Panther starter Logan Allen (4-2). Dalton Skelton was plunked with one out, followed by a single to left from Mason Mallard. Huddleston then strolled to the plate and turned on a 2-2 fastball, sending it deep into the apartments in left field, giving Tech a 3-1 lead.

The Bulldogs would tack on another run after Mason Robinson (who singled after the Huddleston bomb) came in to score on a mishandled ball that Steele Netterville dribbled back to mound, extending the Tech lead to 4-1.

The Panthers would not go quietly, as in the top of the fifth, Silva pounded a two-run blast to right field, cutting the Tech lead to one at 4-3. However, Robbins would not be deterred, and made it through the rest of the fifth and the sixth unscathed.

In the bottom of the seventh, Skelton and Mallard once again served as the table-setters for the heart of the lineup, as with two outs, Skelton laced a single into right, and Wells walked, bringing up Huddleston, this time against Panther reliever Everett Hurst. The Tech third baseman worked a 3-1 count, before depositing his second three-run blast (and fourth of 2018) into left center, extending the Tech lead to 7-3.

FIU would tack on three in the top of the eighth, on a pair of miscues from the Tech defense, but Follis recovered nicely and closed down the inning and the game in the ninth, preserving the 7-6 triumph.

The two teams return to action at 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon for the series finale. Tech is slated to send left-hander Logan Bailey (3-1, 2.51 ERA) while FIU is scheduled to pitch right-hander Nick MacDonald (1-1, 4.68 ERA).

The game will be broadcast on SportsTalk 97.7 with Dave Nitz on the call, and will be streamed through CUSA.tv (subscription required).