Baseball: Owls season ends after rematch against Hilltoppers

The Florida Atlantic Owls  (34-25, 16-14 C-USA) were stunned again by a late comeback from Western Kentucky University (WKU) Hilltoppers (33-25, 16-14 C-USA) on the third day of the C-USA tournament.

In the top of the first inning, the Owls wasted no time scoring with the help of a two-run home run by senior third baseman Jackson Ross.

FAU would score two additional runs in the top of the fourth with the help of senior outfielder Mitchell Hartigan, who hit a two-run single with the bases loaded.

In the top of the fifth, the Owls gained two more insurance runs with the help of a leadoff home run from junior outfielder Dylan Goldstein and an RBI double from Hartigan.

FAU looked really good going into the eighth inning. Starting pitcher junior right-hander Jacob Josey went seven innings giving up two earned runs and five hits.

The bullpen would be the downfall of the game for the Owls as they couldn’t hold onto the lead against the Hilltoppers. 

WKU would put up seven runs against the Owls bullpen which would have FAU trailing 9-6 in the bottom of the eighth.

In the top of the ninth, the Owls looked to rally with the help of an RBI double from junior outfielder Spencer Rich. That is all they could get as WKU closer graduate right-hander C.J. Weins struck out Hartigan to end the game.

With the second upset loss from Western Kentucky in the Conference USA tournament, the Owls season comes to an end.

This would be the last game Florida Atlantic plays in Conference USA as they will move into the American Atlantic Conference next year.

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