FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Atlantic baseball was clipped in a back and forth 8-7 defeat at the hands of Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday night.
THE BEGINNINGThe Owls scored first in the opening frame when Nolan Schanuel singled with two outs and stole second. Schanuel and Dylan Goldstein executed a double steal and, when the throw to second caromed into center field, Schanuel trotted home from third. FGCU tied it in the second, but FAU went back on top in the third with an Armando Albert solo home run.
The teams began trading the lead back and forth from the fifth inning on. The Eagles took a 3-2 advantage on a two-run homer in the fifth before Goldstein made it 4-3 with a two-run shot of his own in the sixth. The visitors added two more in the sixth via a Caleb Pendleton opposite field single to lead 6-3.
THE TURNING POINTFGCU answered with four runs in the ensuing half inning to lead 7-6. The Owls tied it again without a hit in the top of the seventh. Three walks and a passed ball allowed Albert to score.
The Eagles finally grabbed the advantage for good in the bottom of the seventh. A single, a double, and an error brought one across.
THE FINISHThe Owls had one last opportunity in the top of the ninth. Again, three consecutive walks to start the inning loaded the bases. But after a mound visit, Eagles’ closer LJ McDonough racked up three straight strikeouts to deny the comeback attempt.
QUOTABLEHead coach John McCormack
“Incredibly disappointing loss. I accept full responsibility, did a poor job tonight managing the bullpen. We had opportunities to cash in, needed a sac fly or a ground ball. But poor bullpen management cost us tonight.”
THE ARMS
- The Owls used seven pitchers starting with Brandon Smith for two and a third innings. Smith allowed one run on three hits.
- Sam Drumheller recorded the final two outs of the third inning.
- Danny Trehey pitched the fourth plus the first two outs of the fifth. He allowed a two-run homer.
- Braden Ostrander pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth and got the first out of the sixth before conceding two runs.
- Evan Waterbor allowed a base hit to the only man he faced.
- Jacob Josey made his first relief appearance of the season. He took the losing decision with two runs allowed in two-thirds of an inning.
- Hunter Cooley struck out five in two innings of work in the seventh and eighth.
THE BATS
- Christian Adams and Caleb Pendleton each finished with two-hit nights.
- Schanuel walked twice and singled to extend his reached-base streak to 44 games.
WHAT’S NEXTThe Owls return to Boca for the final weekend home series of the season. Louisiana Tech visits for a three-game series starting Friday.
TICKETSTo 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.
