4/26/2025 | Baseball | Box Score
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Florida Atlantic baseball hit three home runs on Saturday en route to an 8-5 victory over Charlotte. The Owls (28-14, 10-7) and the 49ers (24-18, 10-7) will meet in the rubber game at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.
THE BEGINNING
An RBI single by John Schroeder in the top of the first got the Owls off and running. Charlotte tied the game on a sacrifice fly in the ensuing half-inning. FAU starter Tyler Murphy settled in after that and held the 49ers scoreless for the next four innings.
TURNING POINT
The Owls went back in front in the fourth and never looked back. Emilio Gonzalez teed off for his first home run of the season – a 387-foot two-run blast into the trees in right field. Gonzalez connected again in the sixth inning. This time, a towering fly ball to straightaway center field narrowly snuck over the wall for a three-run homer.
Charlotte scored two in the sixth, but a double play ball with the bases loaded ended the threat with the Owls still leading 6-3.
THE FINISH
Schroeder lined a two-run homer in the seventh inning to restore the five-run lead. Charlotte answered with a two-run shot of their own in the bottom of the inning to make it 8-5, but that was as close as the 49ers would get. MJ Bollinger recorded the final six outs to log his ninth save of the season.
THE BATS
- Making just his fifth start of the season and his first at first base, Gonzalez finished 2-for-4 with five RBI.
- Schroeder took over the team lead in home runs (11) and RBI (36).
- Kyle Boylston doubled and was hit by a pitch. He scored two runs.
- Ayden Garcia singled and walked and has reached base safely in 26 straight games.
THE ARMS
- Murphy earned the win to improve to 4-2.
- The junior went 5.1 innings and allowed three runs on eight hits.
- Kide Adetuyi walked one before inducing the double play that ended the threat in the sixth.
- Ryan Buckler recorded the first out of the seventh before Joey Abbazia took over and struck out both batters he faced.
- Bollinger walked one and struck out three in his two shutout innings.
QUOTABLE
Postgame with @FAUCoachMac #WIP pic.twitter.com/arLqmO7EBl– Florida Atlantic Baseball (@FAUBaseball) April 26, 2025
WHAT’S NEXT
First pitch for Sunday’s series finale is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+. The winner will take over third place in the American Athletic Conference.
