HOUSTON, Texas – Florida Atlantic baseball was in control on Wednesday until a late comeback from Western Kentucky ended in a 10-9 defeat. The Owls will play an elimination game against Rice on Thursday for the right to continue in the Conference USA tournament.
THE BEGINNING
WKU scored twice in the first inning before FAU starter C.J. Williams settled in. Nolan Schanuel tied the game in the third inning with his 19th home run of the season, a two-run shot to right centerfield.
After WKU regained the lead in the bottom of the third, a two-RBI single by Armando Albert in the fourth gave FAU its first advantage of the night. Another run would score in the inning on a wild pitch to make it 5-3.
THE TURNING POINT
Mitchell Hartigan hit a solo home run in the fifth and Spencer Rich connected for a three-run blast in the seventh. The Owls were in seemingly ideal shape with a 9-3 lead and nine outs to go.
In similar fashion to the first series between the Owls and Hilltoppers back in April, WKU refused to go away. They scored three runs off Sam Drumheller in the bottom of the seventh and then tied the game with a three-run home run off Robert Wegielnik with two outs.
THE FINISH
Despite momentum going in the wrong direction, the Owls still had a chance to go in front in the ninth. After a single and two walks, the bases were loaded for Schanuel. A deep fly out to the track in left field, however, ended the threat.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Tops got back-to-back one out singles followed by a walk to load the bases. After a strikeout, a base hit up the middle gave WKU a walk-off win.
THE ARMS
- Williams lasted 5.1 innings and tied a season high with seven strikeouts.
- Drumheller allowed three earned runs an inning and a third.
- Wegielnik conceded his first earned run in over 30 innings. He struck out three and allowed five hits and two runs.
THE BATS
- Rich finished 4-for-5 with two singles (one of them a perfectly placed bunt) and a home run.
- Schanuel homered and walked three times. He extended his reached-base streak to 52 games.
- Schanuel’s homer was the 46th of his career putting him one away from tying the program record.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Owls will face Rice on Thursday in an elimination game. First pitch is tentatively scheduled for 5 p.m. EST. Keep an eye on @FAUBaseball on Twitter for the latest updates.
