BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University baseball team defeated USF 8-7 on a walk-off in the 11th inning on Saturday night. Dom Presto dropped a squeeze bunt down the first base line to score Jackson Ross for the winning run.
THE BEGINNING
The Owls jumped in front in the third inning with four runs. Armando Albert led off with a double and scored on a hit by Dylan Goldstein. John Schroeder drove in two with a base hit to right field and the fourth run scored on an error.
USF came back in the following frame to tie it. Jacob Josey induced a ground out that would have ended the inning but an errant throw from the shortstop Albert extended the inning. The Bulls went on to record three straight hits leading to four unearned runs.
THE TURNING POINT
FAU built the lead back up to 7-4 but again USF battled back to tie it. A one-out solo home run in the top of the eighth evened the score at 7-7.
The Bulls loaded the bases in the top of the ninth before Robert Wegielnik escaped with a foul out. Two more runners reached with no outs in the top of the 10th but this time Marc DeGusipe came up clutch with two strikeouts and a ground out.
THE FINISH
Finally, in the bottom of the 11th, Ross led off with a double into the left field corner. He went to thirdon a wild pitch. With one out, USF elected to intentionally walk Spencer Rich and Caleb Pendleton to set up a force play. Dom Presto had other ideas however as his perfectly placed squeeze bunt down the first base line caught the Bulls’ infielders off guard. Ross crossed home for the winning run.
THE ARMS
- Josey made it through 4.2 innings. He did not allow an earned run while striking out five with no walks.
- C.J. Williams relieved Josey in the fifth and struck out USF’s Ben Rozenblum with two runners on.
- Sam Drumheller came on for Williams in the sixth and conceded two unearned runs.
- Wegielnik allowed the game-tying solo HR in the eighth but completed two frames with three strikeouts to his name
- DeGusipe earned the win with two shutout innings. He also struck out three.
THE BATS
- Albert and Nolan Schanuel each finished 3-for-6 at the plate.
- Goldstein was 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored
- The Owls totaled 17 hits
- The team combined for five errors (three for USF, two for FAU).
WHAT’S NEXT
The Owls will look to take the series in the finale on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
TICKETS
To purchase FAU tickets, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or click HERE. Stay informed by reading FAUSports.com, or through the baseball’s Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUBaseball.
