| 4/23/2024 | Baseball | Box Score CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Florida Atlantic baseball got off to a fast start on Tuesday night but leveled out in a 5-2 defeat at the hands of Miami (Fla.). The sides split the season series 2-2 with the home team winning all four for the second straight season. THE BEGINNING Jalen DeBose led off the game with a double, stole third base, and scored on a throwing error. Two batters later, Christian Adams lined a single to left field to make it 2-0. And that would be the extent of the Owls’ offense for the night. THE TURNING POINT FAU starter Brandon Smith was solid for the second week in a row, holding the Hurricanes hitless for three innings. When Smith departed prior to the fourth, however, Miami jumped on the bullpen. A walk and two doubles against Braden Ostrander tied the game. With one out, Ben Gilbert relieved Ostrander and UM added another run on a safety squeeze play.The Owls’ best chance to respond came in the top of the fifth. A leadoff single by Patrick Ward was followed by back-to-back walks to John Schroeder and Adams. The Owls could not convert though and eventually left the bases loaded. Miami added one in the bottom of the fifth and another in the seventh. The Owls never registered another hit. QUOTABLE Head coach John McCormack “Offensively… we get off to a fast start – this is not the first time – but when the opponent makes an adjustment and we just don’t adjust back. Two big chances to score in the third and fifth and get nothing out of it. It’s a shame because it was a well-pitched game. They are really good at home if you look at their numbers. For us to keep them to five hits, no home runs… if you would have told me that on the way down here I would have said we’ve got a pretty good chance to win.” THE BATS DeBose and Ward had two hits each and scored the Owls’ two runs.The Owls left eight on base, struck out five times, and walked six times. THE ARMS Smith held the opposing bats scoreless for the third time in his last four starts.Ostrander took the loss. He conceded three runs on two hits and two walks in a third of an inning.Gilbert pitched one full inning with one hit and one run against. He walked two.Dawson Ball contributed an inning and two-thirds scoreless with three strikeouts.Justin Gay gave up an unearned run in the seventh after two walks and a throwing error on a pickoff play at second base.Sam Drumheller and Max Martzolf combined for the final two outs of the seventh plus the eighth.Defensively, the Owls turned a season high three double plays. WHAT’S NEXT The Owls return to conference play on Friday at USF. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. THE TICKETS To purchase FAU tickets, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or click HERE. Stay informed by reading FAUSports.com, or through the baseball’s Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUBaseball. |
