RUSTON, La. – The Florida Atlantic University baseball team moved into third place in Conference USA with a 5-2 win over Louisiana Tech on Sunday.
THE BEGINNING
Nolan Schanuel’s two-run home run in the first inning spotted the Owls a quick 2-0 lead. With two outs in the second, Nicholas Toney doubled to left center and scored when Armando Albert ripped the first pitch he saw to right field.
THE TURNING POINT
It was still 3-0 in the fourth when La. Tech loaded the bases via two singles and a walk. FAU starter Tyler Burnham came up with a clutch strikeout of the Bulldogs’ Thaxton Berch to escape the jam.
The Owls added on with two runs in the top of the sixth. Again with two outs, Toney went to the opposite field for his second home run of the season. Albert was then hit by a pitch and Gabriel Rincones, Jr. singled up the middle. That brought Schanuel to the plate and the sophomore came through once more with a double to the right field corner.
THE FINISH
Burnham allowed a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth before giving way to Robert Wegielnik. Wegielnik struck out the side on 10 pitches in the seventh. He allowed a run in the eighth but pitched a clean ninth to earn his sixth save of the season.
QUOTABLE
Head coach John McCormack
“Fantastic win today. The guys played great. Impressive work from Burnham and Wegielnik to keep that offense to two runs at home in that ballpark. Offensively, Nolan got us off to a great start with a homer in the first. Toney had a great day as well. It was just a really good team victory, proud of the guys.”
THE ARMS
- Burnham allowed three hits and one run in six innings. He struck out a season-high seven and walked four
- The impressive outing from the graduate senior came nearly a year to the day since he pitched a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts for Seton Hall last season
- Wegielnik recorded five strikeouts in route to his second nine-out save of 2022
THE BATS
- Schanuel finished 2-for-5 with three RBI and launched his 13th home run of the season
- He raised his C-USA leading batting average to .380
- Toney went 3-for-3 and scored two runs
- The Owls knocked out La. Tech starter Jonathan Fincher after just 1.2 innings
WHAT’S NEXT
The Owls will finish the season series with FGCU on Tuesday in Fort Myers before returning home for senior weekend against Charlotte on Friday.
TICKETS
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