BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Florida Atlantic baseball continued to thrive offensively in a 16-5 victory over UAB on Thursday night. The Owls have won three straight, scoring double-digit runs in each.
THE BEGINNING
Jackson Ross’ solo home run in the first inning was the first of what turned out to be a season high 21 hits for FAU. The Owls would send 10 men to the plate in the second inning with six coming across to score. Christian Adams drove in two with a double, Caleb Pendleton connected for a three-run homer, and Nolan Schanuel drove in Armando Albert with another double.
THE TURNING POINT
FAU kept the foot on the gas in the third, effectively putting the game on ice. RBI singles by Pendleton and Ross preceded a grand slam by Dylan Goldstein. It was 13-1 after just three innings.
THE FINISH
An hour and 18-minute weather delay interrupted the top of the seventh. When play resumed, John Schroeder launched a two-run homer – his fourth hit of the night – to make it 15-4. An RBI groundout by Spencer Rich in the ninth would complete the scoring.
THE ARMS
- C.J. Williams pitched the first 3.2 innings before turning it over to Braden Ostrander for the last out of the fourth.
- Hunter Cooley earned the winning decision two scoreless frames before the weather delay ended his night.
- Jacob Josey pitched the last three innings to earn the save.
THE BATS
- Schroeder finished 5-for-5 with a home run and four singles.
- Schanuel and Ross recorded three hits each. Schanuel doubled three times and walked twice to extend his reached-base streak to 49 games.
- Goldstein’s grand slam boosted his RBI total to 60 – just two behind Schanuel for the team lead.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Owls and Blazers play game two on Friday at 3 p.m. EST.
