Baseball: Owls defeat Louisiana Tech 8-6 to remain alive in C-USA Tournament

Tyler Frank recorded a career high five RBIs

Tyler Frank. Alex Rodriguez | Features Editor

Matt Brown, Contributing Writer
May 25, 2018

FAU baseball remains alive in the C-USA tournament following an 8-6 win over Louisiana Tech Friday night.

After trailing 4-1 after 3.5 innings No.3 FAU (38-16-1) outscored the Bulldogs 6-2 the rest of the game.

No.2 Louisiana Tech (39-20) is eliminated from the tournament and will have to wait to see if they can receive an at large bid to the College World Series

FAU starting pitcher Vince Coletti allowed just two hits in the first 1.2 innings but was pulled before the second after allowing three runs on three straight singles.

Facing its largest deficit of the tournament trailing by three, the Owls threatened to score in the bottom of the second with runners on second and third with no outs.

Bulldogs pitcher Logan Robbins eventually got his team out of the jam, recording three straight outs to leave the runners stranded.

FAU center fielder Cody Wilson’s RBI double got the Owls on board in the third, making it 3-1.

Left fielder Mason Mallard led off the next inning with a solo homerun to right field to push the Bulldogs lead back to three.

In the bottom half of the fourth with two runners on FAU shortstop Tyler Frank sent his first hit of the tournament over the fence to tie the game at four. Later in the inning left fielder Eric Rivera’s RBI double gave FAU their first lead of the game, 5-4.

Louisiana Tech answered right back in the fifth, tying the game at five after center fielder Parker Bates RBI single through the right side.

In the sixth Frank hit his second homer of the game, this time a two-run shot, to put the Owls up 7-5.

Wilson added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 8-5 heading into the ninth.

Down to their final three outs Louisiana Tech got runners on first and second with no outs to start the inning.

They only could score one though eventually falling 8-6.

“Unbelievable, unbelievable.” said FAU Head Baseball Coach John McCormack to Madi Morris of C-USA following the game.

Drew Peden got his ninth win of the year for FAU, allowing just one hit in 1.2 innings of relief.

Zach Schneider got his 15th save of the year. He allowed one hit and a run in the final two innings.

Eight of the nine Owls starters recorded at least a hit, with three recording two or more.

Frank led the Owls going 2-for-5 with two homeruns and a career high five RBIs.

“He’s carried us all year.” said McCormack on Tyler Frank’s performance. “When he hits everybody feels good about themselves, and they hit, and we play well.”

Wilson also went 2-for-5 with an RBI and one run scored.

Left fielder Eric Rivera was 3-for-4 with an RBI.

The Owls will now take on No.7 Rice in a rematch tomorrow afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1:30 pm. est. If the Owls were to win they would have to play Rice again later that night with the winner of that game advancing to the championship on Sunday.

Matt Brown is a contributing writer with the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @mattyb407