BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic baseball dropped the series opener to Dallas Baptist 10-2 on Friday night. The Owls are 22-13 overall and 7-6 in Conference USA.
THE BEGINNING
The Owls jumped in front immediately in the bottom of the first. Armando Albert led off with home half with his second home run of the season. Dallas Baptist took a 2-1 lead in the ensuing half-inning before the Owls tied it in the bottom of the second.
THE TURNING POINT
The Patriots loaded the bases in the third and designated hitter Ethan Mann delivered a big blow to FAU starter Hunter Cooley. A bases-clearing double made it a 5-2 game. They would add another on an RBI double in the fourth to spell the end of Cooley’s night.
THE FINISH
DBU sent eight men to the plate in the sixth to stretch their lead to 10-2. Offensively, the Owls had few answers for Ryan Johnson on the opposing mound. The 6’6″ righty was the projected starter but after an hour weather delay before first pitch it was announced Alec Baker would start in his place.
Johnson came out of the bullpen in the second inning instead and proceeded to hold the Owls scoreless for six innings.
QUOTABLE
Head coach John McCormack
“The stats didn’t lie with [Ryan] Johnson. He was good. We have to be better when we score to put up a zero in the next half inning. We did have opportunities to add on to what we did in the bottom of the first and the second, but we weren’t able to.”
THE ARMS
- Braden Ostrander relieved Cooley in the fourth and completed the next 1.2 innings scoreless. He struck out three, walked one, and allowed one hit.
- Max Martzolf was tagged for three runs before he could record an out in the sixth.
- Sam Drumheller put the fire out in the sixth and then pitched a scoreless seventh. The lefty struck out three.
- Dawson Ball struck out the side in the eighth and then retired DBU in order in the ninth.
THE BATS
- Albert drove in both runs for the Owls, had two of the five hits, and reached base three times.
- Nolan Schanuel was hit by a pitch twice, extending his reached-base streak to 30 games.
- Dylan Goldstein, John Schroeder, and Patrick Ward recorded the Owls remaining three hits.
- FAU left 14 on base compared to just six for Dallas Baptist.
WHAT’S NEXTThe Owls and Patriots meet for game two on Saturday at 4 p.m.
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