Matt Miller pitches LA Tech past Middle Tennessee, 5-1

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Louisiana Tech baseball team utilized a strong eight-inning start from redshirt senior Matt Miller en route to a 5-1 Conference USA triumph over Middle Tennessee on Friday evening from Reese Smith Jr. Field.

LA Tech (13-8, 1-3 C-USA), who did not see a starter pitch past the third inning last weekend, received a much-needed quality start from its captain. Miller pitched eight complete innings, allowing just one run on four hits, while striking out seven Blue Raiders. The right-hander did not walk a batter in the Bulldog’s longest outing by a starter this season.

“He’s (Miller) the player of the game, no doubt about it,” head coach Lane Burroughs remarked. “That’s what he’s capable of doing for us, and we needed every bit of it tonight. “It seemed like he got stronger as the game went on. You could see his body language change and his confidence grow. He definitely earned it tonight. We made some good plays defensively as well. It was good to come on the road and get that first conference win out of the way. I’m very proud of our team and our coaching staff tonight.”

Middle Tennessee (7-14, 1-2 C-USA) also saw its starter, Carson Lester, pitch eight innings. The right-hander gave up three runs (two earned) and also struck out seven, without walking a batter.

As impressive as Lester was, the Tech offense did just enough in earning its first conference win of the season – specifically a pair of two-out RBI hits from Tanner Huddleston and Parker Bates.

In a scoreless ballgame through the first three innings, the Tech offense finally broke through in the fourth. Steele Netterville reached via a one-out single up the middle, followed by an HBP from Mason Robinson. Both runners moved into scoring position after a wild pitch, then with two outs, Huddleston lined a single into centerfield, plating both for the first two runs of the game.

The Blue Raiders cut the Tech lead to one in the ensuing half inning on a solo home run to right from Aaron Antonini for the home team’s first hit and run of the game. However, Miller buckled down and limited the inning to just the one run, maintaining the Tech lead.

In the top of the fifth, the Bulldogs capitalized on a pair of dropped pop ups and got the run right back, extending the lead back out to two at 3-1.

In the top of the ninth, Tanner Huddleston led things off with a free pass via an HBP, followed by the first walk of the game drawn by either team, as Graham Hackbarth worked a four-pitch free pass. Taylor Young successfully moved both runners into scoring position via a sac bunt, and then the team-leader in RBI in Parker Bates, came through with a two-out single flared into center, scoring a pair of key insurance runs.

“The Huddleston and Bates hits were difference makers,” said Burroughs. “Those were things we didn’t do last weekend. It was not an easy night to hit, with the wind blowing straight in along with the cold, but those were two huge two-out hits.”

In the ninth, Tech reliever Braxton Smith worked around a walk and a couple wild pitches, but held the Blue Raiders scoreless, preserving the 5-1 victory.

Bates and Huddleston combined for five hits and four RBI to pace the Tech offense. Five different Bulldogs scored runs in the road triumph.

The two teams will resume the three-game series tomorrow afternoon, with game two scheduled for 4 p.m.