LA Tech defeats FIU in sub-two hour game

RUSTON – It took only one hour and 54 minutes for Louisiana Tech to take game one over FIU, winning 7-5 on a picture perfect Friday night at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.

Offensively, five different Bulldogs provided RBIs with all seven of them coming through the first five innings. On the mound, it was the combination of Jonathan Fincher (6-2) and Landon Tomkins who mowed down 10 batters to seal the victory and improve to 5-0 in game ones of Conference USA series.

After both squads went three-up, three-down in the first, FIU (14-20, 3-10 C-USA) struck first as Adrian Figueroa doubled down the left field line that scored Alec Sanchez who led off the frame with a single up the middle.

The lead was short-lived for the visiting Panthers as LA Tech (17-18, 7-6 C-USA) strung together three straight singles to start the bottom of the second. Back-to-back sacrifice flies by Adarius Myers and Walker Burchfield gave the ‘Dogs a 2-1 edge.

Fincher would find his groove on the mound, retiring 12 straight batters. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs stretched their lead. Brody Drost tripled to deep center to score Dalton Davis. Then Drost came home easily on an RBI groundout by Jorge Corona to make it 4-1 after three.

LA Tech put up another crooked number in the fifth and it was Drost who did more damage, singling through the right side to plate two more runs. He later scored on a fielder’s choice by Philip Matulia after he stole second and then advanced to third on a wild pitch to go up 7-1.

The Panthers ended up figuring out Fincher in the sixth though, drilling a pair of home runs to right center by Mike Rosario and Sanchez to slice their deficit in half, 7-4.

Tomkins came out of the bullpen and shut the door on FIU, getting the three-inning save. After retiring all three in the seventh and eighth, the right-hander did run into a little bit of trouble in the ninth. The Panthers got a couple of doubles to score their fifth run and had the tying run at the plate with two outs, but Tomkins struck out Brendan Roney on a wipe-out slider for his second save of the season.

Angel Tiburcio (3-3) was credited with the loss for FIU, going 4.1 innings while allowing seven runs on eight hits. Bryan Pazos pitched the remainder of the game, not giving up a single hit to keep the Panthers in it.

Fincher went 6.0 innings, improving to a perfect 4-0 in C-USA starts.

UP NEXT
LA Tech looks to take the series from FIU in game two on Saturday at the Love Shack. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT and will be live streamed on CUSA.tv.

SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in Bulldog Baseball, follow them on Twitter (@LATechBSB), Instagram (@LATechBSB), and Facebook (LATechBSB).