Baseball: Cooley cools off Rice to keep FAU’s season alive
The Florida Atlantic Owls (34-24,16-14 C-USA) picked up a must-win victory in the Conference USA Championship Tournament against the Rice University Owls (21-37, 9-21 C-USA) to send the 8-seed team home.
In the bottom of the second inning, FAU struck first with an RBI double by junior outfielder Spencer Rich. Four batters later, junior catcher Caleb Pendleton would deliver with a towering three-run homer to put the Owls up 4-0.
FAU would continue to give Rice problems with the help of senior infielder Jackson Ross, who hit a two-run homerun in the bottom of the fourth, making it 6-0.
The X-factor of the game was FAU’s graduate pitcher Hunter Cooley, who pitched a complete game allowing one earned run with 12 strikeouts. The run Cooley gave up didn’t come in until the top of the ninth when Rice finally scored an RBI single making it 6-1 FAU.
With the victory, the Owls season will continue in another must-win elimination game on Friday, May 26 in a rematch of the first round against the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ at 6:30 pm.
Jahsheem Benjamin is a staff writer at the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email jbenjamin2021@fau.edu or tweet him @JBenzzofficial
Latest University Press
- Women’s Volleyball: Texas athletes reconnect in BocaThis season, four players on the FAU Women’s Volleyball team are all from different parts of Texas. Each knew one another, whether from being teammates in high school, in club sports or as rivals. “I honestly wanted to stay in Texas. I committed early to UTSA, and after transferring from UTSA, I knew what I...
- Recent bills frusturate LGBTQ+ communityLGBTQ+ students at FAU are concerned about the potential impact of unprecedented laws on a campus gender resource center and student-run clubs and programming on campus. Bills HB 999 and SB 266, which went into effect July 1, restrict funding for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs at all public colleges and universities in Florida....
- Women’s Soccer: FAU beats rival FIU on the roadThe FAU women’s soccer team (4-4-2) defeated rival the Florida International University Panthers (7-2-1) on Sunday night, 2-0. A slow start on both sides of the ball, as the Owls and Panthers exchanged possession for the majority of the first half. FAU took just two shots compared to FIU’s five, but no team was successful...
- Women’s Volleyball: FAU goes 1-1 in the AAC home opener over the weekendThe Florida Atlantic University women’s volleyball team (9-7) went 1-1 in the American Athletic Conference home opener weekend against the Temple University Owls (10-4). Game 1 – September 23 Despite long rallies in the opening set, Temple would take an early 14 to 9 lead, holding on to the lead until the final kill, winning...
- Hockey: FAU beats UT in the second game of the seasonThe Florida Atlantic Owls Hockey Club started the season strong, winning both games against the University of South Florida Bulls. On Friday, FAU continued their winning streak against the University of Tampa (UT) Spartans Division 2 team. The Owls continue to go undefeated. Game 1- vs. University of Tampa (8:30 PM) The Owls hustled throughout...
- Tennis: Women’s tennis back on a new campaign, set sights on the 2023 fall tournamentsThe Lady Owls concluded the previous season tumbling in their last four games, providing a bittersweet ending to their season. However, the Owls are looking forward to the 2023-2024 season, focusing on the present and the development of the players to reach their full potential. The team’s veterans completed their programs and graduated last season....