| 3/28/2024 | Baseball | Box Score MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Florida Atlantic baseball missed opportunities in the eighth and ninth innings on Thursday night in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Memphis. The Owls will look to even the series in the middle game on Friday. THE BEGINNING Memphis opened the scoring in the second inning. With two outs, a solo home run off the bat of Pierre Seals made it 1-0. After a walk, a double off the left field wall added another to the Tigers’ tally. The Owls got one back in the fourth. Andrew McKenna drilled the first pitch he saw over the left centerfield wall for his first home run as an Owl. THE TURNING POINT FAU starter C.J. Williams issued five walks but did not allow another hit after the second inning. He pitched out of trouble with strikeouts in both the fifth and sixth.The Owls’ offense showed signs of life in the eighth. Memphis starter David Warren finally started to tire, walking Emilio Gonzalez and Daulton Frank with one out. After a pitching change, McKenna also drew a BB to load the bases with two outs. John Schroeder lined out to center field however to end the threat.The roles were reversed in the bottom of the inning. The Tigers put runners on second and third with no outs. An intentional pass with one out loaded the bases but senior lefty Sam Drumheller would find a way out. A pop up to short and fly out to right ended the threat. THE FINISH The Owls had one last chance in the ninth. This time, Jake Millan lined a one-out double into the right field corner. A Memphis throwing error then made it runners on second and third. The Tigers intentionally walked Gonzalez to load the bases but Patrick Ward and Daulton Frank both went down on swinging strikeouts to end the game. QUOTABLE Head coach John McCormack “Tough night. We need to capitalize when opportunities present themselves. C.J. and Sam were outstanding on the mound. They kept us in the game. We must be better in the box.” THE ARMS Williams finished with six strikeouts in six innings. He took his first loss of the season and is now 4-1.Drumheller is yet to allow a run in 8.2 innings so far this season. THE BATS The Owls outhit Memphis 5-3. Frank, Gonzalez, and Christian Adams had the other three hits in addition to Millan and McKenna. WHAT’S NEXT First pitch for game two is scheduled for 7 p.m. again on Friday. 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. |
