BOCA RATON, Fla.?Florida
Atlantic used a four-run fourth inning and held off a late ULM rally to slip
past the Warhawks 5-4 Friday night in the Sun Belt series opener at FAU Field.
The Florida Atlantic (15-7,
4-5 Sun Belt) game-winning fourth inning should have been over before any runs
crossed the plate.
With runners on first and
second and one out, David Wilson hit a lazy fly ball high into left field which
fell for a base hit between a pair of Warhawk outfielders who lost the ball in
the night sky. Troy Bubley followed with a bases loaded sac fly, which would
have been the final out of the inning. William Block then hit a line drive that
landed just inches inside the left field foul line for a two-run double and
Travis Ozga singled to center field for the final run of the inning.
Nick Wade started the Warhawk
rally in the eighth inning with a two-out single to right field scoring Ryan
McMillan, who reached on his second walk of the game. Wade ended up at second
base on the play after a throwing error by Jeremy Griffiths. Josh Gill brought
the Warhawks within one, 5-4, with a double down the line in left field.
Wade finished 2-for-3 with
three RBIs on the night for ULM. Jon Prevost added a 3-for-4 night with a pair
of doubles, while McMillan was 2-for-2.
Over the past eight games, Prevost is batting .444 (16-for-36) with four
doubles, a triple and six home runs.
After Bubley gave FAU a 1-0
lead with a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning, the Warhawks (13-11,
4-6) answered with a pair in the top of the fourth. Wade delivered a two-out
double to right-center scoring Matt Laird and McMillan, who both reached on
singles.
Mike Gipson (2-2) pitched
seven strong innings for the Owls to pick up the victory. He scattered 10 hits,
walked two and struck out three ULM batters. The Warhawks stranded eight of the
12 base runners they got while Gipson was on the mound. Glen Troyanowski picked
up his second save of the season working around a lead-off walk in the ninth.
ULM had a great opportunity to
get back into the game in the seventh inning with runners on second and third and
nobody out. However, Ben Soignier hit a sharp line drive right to Block at
second base who then doubled up Prevost at second. Gipson got Matt Collins to
fly out to deep center field to end the inning.
Keith Christensen (1-2)
suffered the loss for the Warhawks allowing five runs on 11 hits over 6.1
innings of work. The senior southpaw struck out four Owl batters and walked a
pair.
The Warhawks and Owls continue
the three-game series tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. from FAU Stadium. Justin
Anderson (3-1, 5.32 ERA) will get the start for ULM while Florida Atlantic will
counter with Barry Rooks (3-0, 3.03).
