BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic baseball could not get the timely hit on Sunday in a 3-2 series finale defeat at the hands of Dallas Baptist.
THE BEGINNING
The Owls took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Dylan Goldstein drove a 1-2 pitch over the bullpen in right field for his sixth home run of the season. Starter Nicholas Del Prado followed with two scoreless frames in the third and fourth.
THE TURNING POINT
DBU finally got to Del Prado for a leadoff home run in the fifth to tie the game. After a walk to the second batter of the inning, Del Prado gave way to Evan Waterbor. The lefty got two outs before the Patriots’ Ethan Mann singled to left with the bases loaded to score two. Dallas Baptist had its first lead of the day at 3-1.
The Owls had two on in the bottom of the inning when Mitchell Hartigan lined a single up the middle to make it 3-2. DBU went back to its bullpen for the second time in the frame and Jackson Ross flew out with the bases loaded to quell the threat.
THE FINISH
It was a similar story for FAU in each of the final three innings. They left two on in both the seventh and eighth. In the ninth, Armando Albert drew a leadoff walk, but the rally was cut short by a game-ending double play.
QUOTABLE
Head coach John McCormack
“They get the two-out, two-strike hits when they needed it, and we weren’t able to when it was our turn. From the fifth inning on, we had a chance to score a run in every inning. We just needed one more hit. Credit to their pitchers. I thought we pitched really well. Del Prado was good. We just couldn’t capitalize on our opportunities.”
THE ARMS
- Del Prado received a no-decision after four innings with two hits and two runs allowed. He struck out five and walked four.
- Waterbor took the loss after two innings with a run and two hits against.
- C.J. Williams pitched a clean seventh and eighth inning.
- Robert Wegielnik walked the leadoff man in the ninth but worked around with two strikeouts.
THE BATS
- Hartigan singled twice, finishing the day 2-for-5.
- Schanuel walked twice (once intentionally) and was hit by a pitch extending his reached-base streak to 32 games.
- Jalen DeBose finished 1-for-4 and scored the Owls’ second run.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Owls host Miami for the third game of the season series on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
TICKETS
To purchase FAU tickets, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or click HERE. Stay informed by reading FAUSports.com, or through the baseball’s Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUBaseball.
