DENTON, Tx. – In the Conference USA Championship Tournament, the Florida Atlantic University softball team dropped a tight 6-4 ballgame.
The Owls (29-25) remain alive in the double elimination tournament and will face WKU in a win-or-go-home battle at 6 p.m. eastern time tomorrow. FAU defeated UTSA, 11-4, earlier today in the first round.
HOW IT WAS DECIDEDFAU put up a two-spot on the board in the first inning. Zoey Jones scored Cammeo Presutti with an RBI single, then Myah Murray plated Jones with a rare bunt double. Murray pushed one to the right side, and Marshall had the wheel play on. The ball rolled into the outfield and Murray reached second while Jones scored.
Marshall evened it with two in the second, but FAU had an answer with two runs of its own in the third. Murray dropped down another bunt that scored Sara Berthiaume, then Murray scored on an error after Maya Amm put the ball in play.
In the bottom of the third, FAU center fielder Kaitlyn Cunningham made highlight reel play. Marshall’s Sage Pye lifted one deep to center that seemed like it was leaving the yard, but Cunningham went full extension while leaping to rob the home run.
Marshall took the lead with a three-run homer off the bat of Aly Harrell in the fourth, then added one more with a solo shot in the fifth.
Gabby Sacco took the loss and pitched the first five innings. Abigail Morgan entered in relief and threw a scoreless sixth inning.
Berthiaume and Jones picked up two hits each, while Murray recorded the two RBI.
TOURNEY CONTINUES TOMORROWThe fifth-seeded Owls will square off against the third seeded Hilltoppers of WKU in an elimination game tomorrow. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. eastern and 5 p.m. central.
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