4/15/2024 | Baseball
| Florida Atlantic (19-14, 6-6 AAC) at FIU (19-17, 7-5 CUSA) | FIU Baseball Stadium | Miami, Fla. |
| Game Details | Miami, Fla. | Tuesday, April 16 I 6 p.m. | |
| Game Coverage | Live Stats HERE; Watch HERE | |
| Probable Starters | FAU — Brandon Smith (RHP) (2-2, 8.10 ERA) vs. FIU — Owen Puk (RHP) (0-2, 13.14 ERA) | |
| FAU Links | News | Roster | Schedule | Stats | |
| FIU Links | News | Roster | Schedule | Stats | |
MIAMI, Fla. – Florida Atlantic baseball has taken two of the first three from FIU so far in 2024. They will attempt to clinch the season series when the sides meet for the fourth and final time on Tuesday night in Miami.
OWLS IN REVIEW
The Owls won the series opener against Wichita State on Friday night before dropping the next two in high-scoring affairs. On Friday, John Schroeder homered twice to lead the visitors to a 4-2 victory. Saturday’s middle game was complicated by high winds blowing straight out toward left field. The result was five home runs combined between the two teams and six lead changes. Eventually, the Shockers came out on top after a six-run eighth inning to win 14-9.
Wichita State laid claim to the series on Sunday, defeating the Owls 10-5. After falling behind 7-0 in the fifth inning, the Owls clawed back to make it interesting at 7-5 before the Shockers pulled away for good with a three-run bottom of the seventh. Schroeder led the offense again with two RBI and Patrick Ward reached base five times (two singles, three walks).
WHO’S HOT
Schroeder was named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll on Monday for the second time this season. The junior went 6-for-17 in four games last week including three home runs and seven RBI in the WSU series.
Jalen DeBose has at least one hit in all seven games since returning from a two-week injury absence on April 6. The senior is hitting .381 (8-for-21) with six runs scored in the current stretch.
THE OPPONENT
FIU had a bye from CUSA play over the weekend, so the Panthers hosted Wofford in a non-conference series. The Terriers took two of three from the Panthers. FIU had won three straight against FGCU and Jacksonville State prior to that.
FIU will start righthander Owen Puk on Tuesday. The junior started against the Owls back on March 9 and conceded a first inning grand slam to John Schroeder. Puk would go on to complete three innings with seven strikeouts.
Offensively, the Panthers are led by senior Jeff Liquori with a .336 average and 36 RBI. Liquori had five hits in the series over the weekend against Wofford.
OPPONENT HISTORY
The Owls and Panthers met for the first three games of the season series back on March 8-10. The Owls won at home on Friday (4-1) and Sunday (24-2) while FIU won the middle game (7-4) in Miami.
WHAT’S NEXT
Florida Atlantic returns home for a weekend series against Tulane beginning Friday night at 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.
