BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University baseball team (20-11, 6-4 C-USA) dropped a 4-3 pitcher’s duel to UAB (20-9, 6-4 C-USA) on Friday night. The Owls hit two home runs and received eight solid innings from Hunter Cooley, but it wasn’t enough as the Blazers pulled even with FAU in the Conference USA standings.
QUOTABLEHead Coach John McCormack
“I thought our guys played well but we just need to be better in the little things. We had some opportunities to drive runs in and we didn’t do it. We’ve got to be better.”
THE BEGINNINGHunter Cooley got the first two outs in the first inning in short order. The Blazers then worked a walk, a single, and a three-run homer to draw first blood. The Owls cut the deficit to one in the fourth inning when Dylan Goldstein lined a two-run HR over the right field fence.
THE TURNING POINTAfter a one-out double in the second inning, Cooley retired 19 of the next 20 hitters. He didn’t allow another hit the rest of the night.
The Owls had their best opportunity to tie the game or take the lead in the eighth. Shane Magrann led off with a single. After two outs and a pitching change, Armando Albert hit a hot shot to short and beat the throw to first. UAB avoided the damage, however, when Gabriel Rincones, Jr. bounced out to first.
THE FINISHCooley departed after eight innings and 111 pitches. UAB scored an insurance run off Max Martzolf in the ninth. In the bottom of the ninth, Nolan Schanuel launched a leadoff solo home run, but the next three were retired in order.
THE ARMS
- Cooley took a hard-luck loss (4-2) despite nine strikeouts and just one walk
THE BATS
- Albert singled twice (2-for-4) to extend his reached-base streak to 28 games
- Goldstein responded to a move into the cleanup spot in the order by going 2-for-4
- Schanuel’s home run in the ninth was his 10th of the season, a team-high
WHAT’S NEXTThe Owls and Blazers meet for game two of the series at 4 pm on Saturday.
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