Owls Split Doubleheader with Rice

HOUSTON, Texas – Florida Atlantic baseball won the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader with Rice 6-5 before dropping the second game and the series finale 5-4. All three games in the series were one-run games.
 

Apart from a one-out solo home run in the second inning, Florida Atlantic (25-24, 11-13 AAC) freshman Trey Beard turned in a solid start with a career high six innings. He tied a career high with five strikeouts. After the home run, Beard retired nine straight.
 
The offense gave the freshman run support with three runs in the third inning. An RBI single by Jake Millan was the key hit in the inning to make it a 4-1 game. A Daulton Frank RBI double and a sac fly from Emilio Gonzalez in the seventh added some insurance and the visiting Owls needed all of it.
 
With two singles and a walk, Rice loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth and a grand slam turned a five-run FAU lead into a one-run lead. Rice put the tying run on but Danny Trehey saved the day by inducing a pop up on the infield to end the game.
 

Florida Atlantic got off to a shaky start defensively in game two and it would ultimately be the difference. The first three Rice batters in the bottom of the first laid down bunts. The latter two reached base on wild throws. The home Owls emerged from the inning with two runs.
 
FAU starter Brandon Smith settled in and pitched into the sixth inning. After a leadoff single, Smith gave way to the bullpen and Rice took advantage of more unforced FAU mistakes. A hit by pitch and a walk, both with the bases loaded, brought home a pair of runs. Rice totaled two hits in the inning but added three runs to their total to lead 5-1.
 
The visiting Owls chipped away. Jalen DeBose drove in two with a double off the wall in the seventh. A sacrifice fly in the eighth brought in another run to make it 5-4. In the ninth, Nick Garagozzo pinch-hit and drew a leadoff walk. Pinch-runner Spencer Rich moved to second on a sac bunt. With one out and an 0-2 count on DeBose, Rich broke for third. DeBose swung and missed and Rich could not beat the tag to third. After a replay review, the call was confirmed, and the game was over.
 

Head coach John McCormack
“We spotted them four runs. Two in the first and another two in the sixth. Walks with the bases loaded. Hit by pitch with the bases loaded. We can’t play catch in the first inning. It’s disheartening. We talk about it all the time. Just play catch. Long day of baseball though. We put together a late charge here and it just wasn’t enough.”
 

• Christian Adams finished game one with two hits and added another in game two.
• Patrick Ward singled twice in game one and added a sacrifice bunt.
• Emilio Gonzalez had a hit and an RBI in game one and two hits and an RBI in game two.  

• Beard was credited with the win in game one to improve to 3-3.
• Trehey earned his sixth save of the season in game one.
• Smith allowed three runs, only one of which was earned in game two.
• Braden Ostrander contributed a season high 2.1 innings with one hit, one walk, and three strikeouts.

The Owls play their final midweek game on Tuesday at Florida Gulf Coast. The regular season comes to close next weekend when UTSA visits Boca Raton.
 

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