| BOCA RATON, Fla. – Once again, the Florida Atlantic University baseball team strung together a high-scoring inning, this time six in the third, to take a big lead over Seton Hall. On Sunday, Matt Sparling’s sterling start made it hold up, completing a three-game weekend sweep of the Pirates, 10-4. Quotable Head Coach John McCormack: “It’s always good to get a sweep, it’s never easy to win three times against the same opponent. I thought the guys played really well today. (Matt Sparling) gave up the one in the first, then he kept it together. We were a really nervous when he got hit … but all in all, a good day. I didn’t think we were real sharp offensively, but we got the hits when we needed. Other than the ninth inning, I thought we played good defense. It’s a good weekend, it’s a good thing to keep us going.” The Beginning / The Turning Point As mentioned, Seton Hall (1-4) did score in the first, but that would literally be all they got off of Sparling. The Owls (6-1) tied it on a bases-loaded walk in the third, went ahead right after on a wild pitch, and added on that frame with both a two-run single by Mitchell Hartigan, and a two-run opposite-field home run by Nicholas Toney. The Finish Hartigan pushed two more across with a scorched double the opposite way in the fifth, and Sparling worked six frames, retiring 16 of the last 18 batters he faced, while recording nine of his 10 strikeouts over that span. He gave way to Dante Visconti, who threw two scoreless innings of his own. The bats continued to back the pitching up with two in the seventh, on a sac fly and another wild pitch. The Pirates did score three in the ninth, just one earned, but a groundout with runners on the corners wrapped the series sweep. The ArmsSparling (1-0) became the first Owl pitcher to reach double digits in strikeouts since Mike Ruff in the 2019 Conference USA Championship quarterfinals, (11 K’s against WKU on May 23)He earned his first win as an Owl, allowing only three hits and a run, with one walkVisconti struck out two in two innings, and Braden Ostrander worked the ninth to end itThe BatsHartigan had two of the Owls’ seven hits, and four of the eight RBIToney knocked three in, two on his second homer of 2021Wilfredo Alvarez scored three times out of the leadoff slot, getting on base three times (twice on walks, plus a single)Owl hitters drew eight walks, the first five of which came around to scoreWhat’s Next FAU faces Florida next, Wednesday night in Gainesville. The upcoming weekend is a split set against Florida Gulf Coast, in Boca Raton Friday and Sunday, and Fort Myers in between on Saturday night. Tickets are – as of right now – still available, by visiting FAU’s baseball tickets website or by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS. |
