BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic University baseball could not provide the timely hits on Saturday afternoon in a 5-1 defeat at the hands of UCONN. The Owls will try to salvage the series in the finale on Sunday afternoon.
THE BEGINNING
Jacob Josey and UCONN starter Stephen Quigley held their opposing offenses in check for five innings. The Huskies scored the game’s first run in the third inning with an error followed by a double. The Owls didn’t register their first hit until there was one out in the sixth inning.
THE TURNING POINT
UCONN tacked on one run in the seventh inning before the Owls finally generated something in their half of the frame. After Nolan Schanuel led off with a walk and Christian Adams singled with one out, Mitchell Hartigan lined a hit to right field to break the goose egg. That signaled the end of the day for Quigley.
The Owls still had a chance to tie the game against the UCONN bullpen but miscommunication on the base paths led to Hartigan being picked off to end the inning.
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THE FINISH
UCONN loaded the bases in the eighth and Bryan Padilla broke it open with a 3-RBI double into the corner. FAU put two on in the ninth before the Huskies’ Justin Willis shut the door for the second straight night.
QUOTABLE
Head coach John McCormack
“Same thing as last night. We talked about it this morning. I give credit to their guys. They are a good baseball team, very well coached. They’ve exploited our weaknesses and really driven it home.”
THE ARMS
- Josey completed 6.2 with one earned run allowed on four hits.
- Marc DeGusipe and Robert Wegielnik combined in the seventh and eighth. DeGusipe conceded his first run of the season while Wegielnik was on the mound for Padilla’s bases-loaded double.
- Tibur Rivero made his season debut with a scoreless ninth.
THE BATS
- The Owls managed a season-low five hits.
WHAT’S NEXT
The two sides will complete the series with a noon first pitch on Sunday.
