Baseball: FAU finished regular season with two wins

The Florida Atlantic Owls (33-23, 16-14 C-USA) won their final series against the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Blazers (17-36, 8-22 C-USA) 2-1. Their only loss comes in the Owls’ season finale.

Game 1, May 18- FAU 16, UAB 5

The Owls torched the Blazers in the first game of the Owls’ final regular season away series in Birmingham, Al.

The Owls kicked off their series of hits with a solo home run by senior infielder Jackson Ross in the top of the first.

FAU executed more runs in the second inning, with senior designated hitter Mitchell Hartigan, junior infielder Nolan Schanuel, junior outfielder Spencer Rich, and junior infielder Armando Albert all scoring. The Owls lead 7-0.

UAB answered with a solo home run, but that did not stump the Owls heading into the third inning. Hartigan scored again due to junior catcher Caleb Pendleton’s RBI single. Junior infielder Christian Adams scored on Ross’s single, extending the Owls lead to 9-1. To top off the scoring frenzy in the third inning, junior outfielder Dylan Goldstein hit a grand slam, lighting up the scoreboard to read 13-1.

The Blazers tried to make a comeback by scoring three runs in the fourth inning. Sophomore outfielder John Schroeder prevented the Blazers from getting any closer by hitting a home run with Schanuel on base. The Blazers matched that two-run home run with a solo home run by sophomore Henry Hunter.

The Owls capped off their high-scoring offense with another run by Schroeder.

Redshirt junior right-hander Jacob Josey closed out the first game, pitching three innings and striking out four of the twelve batters he faced. Even though he only threw 25 pitches, graduating left-hander Hunter Cooley allowed no hits, no runs, and struck out one runner.

Game 2, May 19- FAU 8, UAB 3

The Owls extended their winning streak to four with a Saturday victory over the Blazers.

Unlike the last game, the Owls went scoreless in the first inning. The Blazers scored three-runs to get the early lead.

Albert got the Owls out of a two-inning slump with a solo home run. The Owls remained down until Hartigan and Rich both scored solo home runs over left and right field to tie the game with three-runs each.

The Owls got the lead in the seventh inning when Schroeder and Hartigan were both walked with bases loaded. The Owls led 5-3.

In the ninth inning, Hartigan hit a single, bringing Schanuel home. Then Ross hit a home run with junior outfielder Jalen DeBose on base, putting the Owls up five runs to cap off the game.

Game 3, May 20- UAB 10, FAU 5

The Owls closed out their final game in the regular season with a loss.

The Blazers started off the game with eight-straight runs in the first two innings of the game. The Blazers defense prevented the Owls from scoring until in the sixth inning when Adams hit a two-run home run.

FAU’s Ross followed in the seventh inning with another two-run home run to cut the Owls’ deficit in half.

In the eighth inning, Goldstein was hit by a pitch with bases loaded, allowing him to walk. The Owls cut their deficit down to three. When it seemed like the Owls were making a comeback, the Blazers scored two runs to end the eighth inning and pushed the Owls deficit down to five runs.

The Owls will participate in the Conference USA Tournament starting this Wednesday. They have been seeded at number five and will face 4-seed Western Kentucky in the opening round of the playoffs in Houston.

Maddox Greenberg is the Sports Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email maddoxblade04@gmail.com or DM via Twitter @MaddoxGreenberg and Instagram @maddoxblade04.