MIAMI – Florida Atlantic baseball will go for the sweep of FIU on Saturday after an 8-4 win over the Panthers in game two on Friday. The Owls have won five straight overall and nine of the last 10.
THE BEGINNING
After three scoreless frames to start, the Owls opened the scoring in the fourth. For the fourth consecutive game, Nolan Schanuel hit a home run. Leading off the inning, the Boynton Bomber went to the opposite field with a line drive for his 13th big fly of the season. Later in the inning, after singles by Jackson Ross and John Schroeder, Daulton Frank lined a double into the left field corner to make it 2-0.
THE TURNING POINT
FIU loaded the bases with one out against FAU starter Jacob Josey in the ensuing half inning but came away with only one run out of it.
In a 2-1 game in the sixth, Caleb Pendleton connected for his fourth home run of the season and Armando Albert tacked on an RBI single. The Owls would then break the game open in the seventh. Back-to-back hit by pitches put two on for Schroeder who launched a three-run blast just out of the reach of the right fielder.
THE FINISH
With a 7-1 lead in tow, Evan Waterbor pitched the final three innings in relief of Josey. Though he conceded a two-run homer in the ninth, Waterbor preserved the victory and earned the save.
THE ARMS
- Josey improved to 4-2 with six innings and just one earned run allowed. He struck out three, walked one, and conceded six hits.
- Waterbor recorded three strikeouts and allowed three hits and two runs.
THE BATS
- Schanuel finished 4-for-5 with a home run and three singles. He’s reached base successfully in 27 straight games.
- Frank matched Schanuel with a career-high four hits including a double and three singles.
- Schroeder’s 3-for-5 line included a home run and two singles.
- Pendleton also singled in addition to his solo home run.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Owls will look for the sweep with a 5 p.m. first pitch on Saturday evening.
TICKETS
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