BOCA RATON, Fla. – Five runs in the first inning, and another sparkling start by Matt Sparling, eventually gave the No. 20 Florida Atlantic University baseball team a 7-5 series finale win over Indiana State on Saturday afternoon.
QuotableHead Coach John McCormack:
“We don’t want to say this was a must-win, but it was certainly imperative that we play well and ultimately come away with a victory, the way things have gone this week; not pitching well at Miami, and then the last two nights here. But this was important. Two (finales) in a row, we’ve been able to put some runs in, in the first to give us a little bit of cushion … I thought (Matt) Sparling did great, (Brock) Helverson was good in his inning, DO (Dylan O’Connell) bailed us out in the eighth. We ended up coming away with a victory, and that was important.”
The Beginning/The Turning Point
After Sparling needed just 10 pitches for three quick groundouts in the top of the first, the Owl (9-4) bats immediately gave him plenty of support. Wilfredo Alvarez and B.J. Murray both walked, and both scored on Nolan Schanuel’s long hit to center (Schanuel was said to have missed first base, and was retired, but was credited with two RBI on the play). Bobby Morgensen followed with a long solo home run, and after a walk to Mitchell Hartigan, Caleb Pendleton’s two-run shot made for an early 5-0 lead.
The Finish
A two-run homer in the fourth was all ISU (9-4) managed off of Sparling, and Jackson Wenstrom got one of those back with a blast to center in the fifth. The Sycamores added three runs late, two in the ninth, but two straight strikeouts ended any more potential of a threat.
The Arms
- Sparling (2-0) gave up three hits, and two runs (one earned), in six innings. He struck out eight against just one walk
- Brock Helverson dealt a perfect seventh, needing just 12 pitches
- After a leadoff walk in the eighth, Dylan O’Connell utilized a doubled play and flyout to allow just one run to score
- Mike Entenza got the last two K’s, to total 11 on the day for Owls’ pitching
The Bats
- Four Owls had two hits apiece: Pendleton (homer and double), Wenstrom, Alvarez and Sam Low
- For Alvarez, that’s five straight multi-hit games
- Schanuel now has a team-high 19 RBI
- Morgensen has taken over the team lead with four homers; Pendleton and Wenstrom each hit their third on Saturday
- Eight of the nine Owls in the lineup reached base, led by Alvarez, Murray and Low, on three times apiece
- To that end, those eight players had all reached base by their second plate appearance, and at the latest, in the third inning
What’s Next
The next four for the Owls are on the road: Tuesday at UCF, and a three-game weekend series beginning next Friday, March 19, at USF. The return home is Tuesday, March 23, in a game that has reached capacity, ticket-wise, against Miami, and then it’s the first Conference USA series of 2021, hosting Marshall from March 26-28. For those games, and all other future home games, buy tickets by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS or by logging on to FAU’s baseball tickets website.
