BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic baseball defeated Florida Gulf Coast 15-5 in eight innings on Tuesday afternoon. The Owls’ 25th home victory of the season clinched the season series with FGCU (3 to 1).
THE BEGINNING
FGCU scored first in the second inning but the response was quick from the Owls. In the bottom of the second, Patrick Ward lined a double off the centerfield wall to tie the game. Caleb Pendleton followed with an RBI groundout to make it 2-1.
THE TURNING POINT
The Eagles tied it in the fifth before the Owls broke the game open in the home half. With runners at second and third, John Schroeder roped a two-RBI single up the middle. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded and two outs, Jackson Ross connected for his second grand slam of the season. The six-run frame gave the Owls an 8-2 lead.
FGCU cut the deficit in half in the next half inning but again, the Owls responded. This time, an Armando Albert three-run homer put FAU up 11-4.
THE FINISH
The Owls enacted the run-rule in the eighth inning with a two-RBI double off the bat of Ross and a sacrifice fly from Spencer Rich.
THE ARMS
- Bryan Boully made his first start of the season and allowed one run in two innings.
- Boully struck out four of the nine batters he faced (a new career-high)
- Hunter Cooley handled the third through fifth innings and earned the winning decision.
- Cooley conceded one run on two hits.
- Braden Ostrander pitched the sixth inning before handing off to Sam Drumheller for the seventh.
- Drumheller needed just 10 pitches to post a clean frame.
- Danny Trehey allowed a leadoff homer, a double, and a walk in the eighth but ultimately limited the damage to just one run.
THE BATS
- Ross and Albert combined for nine RBIs.
- Ross finished 3-for-5 and drove in six. Albert was 2-for-5 with three runs scored.
- John Schroeder posted a 2-for-5 line with three RBIs.
- Christian Adams finished with two hits while Caleb Pendleton totaled three.
- Nolan Schanuel singled and walked twice to extend his reached-base streak to 48 games.
- The Owls now have 15 or more hits in three straight games.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Owls conclude the regular season in Birmingham, Ala. with a three-game series against UAB beginning Thursday.
