CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University pitching quartet of Adrien Reese, Mitchell Hartigan, Sam Drumheller and Dante Visconti combined to shut out Miami, on just six hits, in the Owls’ regular season finale, 3-0 on Tuesday night at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.
Quotable
Head Coach John McCormack:
“That was a really good college baseball game played by both teams. Our pitchers were superb tonight and the defense made all the plays. Offensively we were able to get some hits when it counted. Nice way to end the regular season and head to the C-USA Tournament.”
The Beginning
Reese drew the start for FAU (30-23), his first of the year, and threw four scoreless innings, scattering three hits. The Owls took the early lead, in the third, when Jalen DeBose led off by doubling into the leftfield corner, and scored five pitches later on a Jackson Wenstrom single through the right side.
The Turning Point
The Owls doubled their advantage in the seventh when Bobby Morgensen led off with a triple, and came in on a DeBose squeeze bunt. In the bottom half, following Hartigan’s two scoreless innings (seven batters faced, six retired), Drumheller worked his way out of a one-out jam with runners on the corners. He got a strikeout and an inning-ending fielder’s choice to keep the two-run edge.
The Finish
The Owls added on in the eighth on a solo shot to left by B.J. Murray, and in the home half, after a leadoff walk, Drumheller retired the next three Hurricanes (29-17) in order. Then it was Visconti’s turn, and he was nearly flawless, striking out the side in order to cap off the shutout.
Tuesday marked the second time in program history the Owls have shutout UM, the other time on April 2, 1993. It also sent Miami to their first midweek loss of the 2021 season.
The Arms
- In his best outing of the year – and longest as an Owl – Reese (3-1) saw just one batter reach third base in his four scoreless, with two strikeouts
- He utilized two double plays: a strikeout/throwout by Nicholas Toney in the second, and a lineout snagged by Murray in the third. He left two on in his final inning of work, with the frame ending on a flyout to center
- Hartigan threw a 13-pitch, 1-2-3 fifth, and only allowed a single in an 11-pitch sixth
- In Drumheller’s two zeroes, he gave up just two hits. He and Hartigan each had a strikeout
- Visconti only needed 11 pitches for three straight K’s and his third save in four outings
The Bats
- The Owls’ eight and nine hitters, DeBose and Wenstrom, combined for four hits, and along with a walk to DeBose, reach five times
- Murray’s home run was his 14th of the season, and Morgensen’s triple his first of 2021
What’s Next
The Owls are off until a week from tomorrow, playing in the opening matchup of the 2021 Conference USA Championship on Wednesday, May 26, against Old Dominion.
