Rough start dooms LA Tech in opener at FIU

MIAMI – Early runs in the second inning led to Louisiana Tech falling in a 13-4 loss to FIU in the series opener on Thursday night at FIU Baseball Stadium.

LA Tech (21-7, CUSA 3-1) gave up six runs in the second inning and five in the six to fall to FIU (14-12, CUSA 5-2) on the road.

FIU opened up the scoring in the game after putting one run on the board following an RBI single to right field from Alex Ulloa in the first inning. Grant Comeaux picked up an RBI after he grounded out, forcing Adarius Myers to score. Before scoring, Myers earned his seventh stolen base of the season after taking second base while advancing to third following a throwing error from FIU’s catcher.

Eventually, FIU unleashed a furry of runs by scoring six in the bottom of the second inning. The Panthers tallied four hits in the inning while picking up four RBIs from multiple singles and hit-by-pitches that led to their 7-1 lead. However, all six runs scored were unearned following a throwing error from pitcher Luke Nichols to first-basemen Comeaux.

LA Tech fought back in the game after a Kasten Furr sacrifice fly led Brody Drost to score, who reached on a double to right field, putting the game at 7-2. In the fourth inning, Comeaux (2-for-4, 3 RBI, HR) earned his first home run this season after powering a two-run bomb over the right field wall, cutting FIU’s lead to 7-4.

Then, in the fifth inning, the Panthers put the game out of reach, scoring five runs on five hits. Pitcher Blake Hooks tallied four earned runs that inning, increasing his season ERA to 7.88. Hooks did earn four strikeouts on Thursday night. Pitcher Isaac Crabb fanned down three batters and allowed three hits with one earned run.

UP NEXT
Louisiana Tech will look to bounce back and regroup on Friday evening against FIU. The first pitch to Friday’s game will be at 5:30 PM CT at FIU Baseball Stadium.

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