CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Florida Atlantic baseball came from behind to defeat Charlotte 10-9 on Saturday afternoon. The win secured the series and gives the Owls a chance for a sweep on Sunday.
THE BEGINNING
For the second straight day, Charlotte opened the scoring in the first inning. Five straight hits to start the bottom of the first led to four runs before an out was recorded. They tacked on two more in the second to lead 6-0.
The Owls cut the deficit in half in the third. After a Nolan Schanuel RBI groundout, Dylan Goldstein connected for a two-run homer – his 10th HR of the season – to make it 6-3.
THE TURNING POINT
The 49ers built the lead back up to 9-4 after seven innings. In the eighth, Goldstein and John Schroeder drew walks to start the frame. Spencer Rich lined a one-out double down the third base line to bring both runs home.
After stealing third, Rich scored when Christian Adams grounded out to second base. Caleb Pendleton reached on a throwing error with two outs to keep the inning going and Armando Albert and Jackson Ross followed with base hits to make it a 9-8 game.
Charlotte loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth, but for the second straight day, Robert Wegielnik eluded the damage with a strikeout and a foul out.
Goldstein drew another walk to start the ninth, but the Owls found themselves down to their final strike with Rich at the plate. On a 2-2 count though, Rich turned on a high fastball and sent it into the left field trees for a two-run go-ahead homer. FAU had its first lead of the day at 10-9.
THE FINISH
Wegielnik walked one in the bottom of the ninth before inducing a game-ending 4-3 double play to secure the victory.
THE ARMS
- Jacob Josey started and conceded six runs on eight hits before turning it over to Tyler Murphy
- Murphy went the next four innings and allowed hits to the first three batters he faced before settling in to retire nine in a row.
- Danny Trehey pitched a clean seventh inning and recorded the first out of the eighth.
- Wegielnik earned the decision for the second straight day with an inning and two-thirds scoreless.
THE BATS
- Goldstein finished 3-for-3 and came up just a double short of the cycle.
- Ross doubled, singled twice, and scored two runs.
- Rich went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBIs.
- Schanuel singled in the first inning to extend his reached-base streak to 42 games.
- With a single and two walks, Albert has reached base safely in 20 straight games.
WHAT’S NEXT
The series finale between the Owls and the 49ers is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
TICKETS
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