Owls Get Dramatic Sweep at Dunkin' Donuts Classic

Friday, February 17

Boca Raton, Fla.

6:00 PM

Florida Atlantic

Ole Miss

2/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Feb. 18, 2006

Final Stats

BOCA RATON, FL - A drama-filled evening at FAU Softball Stadium as the Florida Atlantic softball team swept its first two games at the 2006 FAU Dunkin' Donuts Classic.

Freshman Kathryn Stauffer (Pembroke Pines, FL) recorded her first career victory in the opener, getting the 3-0 shutout of Mississippi, as the Rebels left 11 runners on base, including five at third base. Stauffer struck out five in moving her record to 1-3 on the year and helping the Owls end a four-game losing streak.

FAU scored all three of its runs in the third inning. Sophomore Charlotte Baird (Hendersonville, TN) led off the inning by reaching on an error and stepped aside as junior Marlene Lopez (Orangeburg, NY) pinch ran.

Lopez's twin sister Jenna laid down a bunt single and both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Jessica Sachs (Chestnut Ridge, N.Y.). Mississippi chose to go home with a ground ball off the bat of Amy Bukovich (Boca Raton, FL) but the throw was dropped by the catcher, allowing Marlene Lopez to score.

Jenna Lopez would later score on a single to right field by Mandie Fishback (Banks, OR), and an error on the throw home allowed Bukovich to cross home plate as well.

Fishback, Lauren Crandall and Jenna Lopez picked up hits for FAU.

FAU 9, Missouri State 8 (10 innings)
Final Stats

The nightcap went 10 innings before FAU was able to close out Missouri State 9-8. The Owls collected 14 hits, a season high.

Freshman Vanessa Suarez (Orange Park, FL) made her first collegiate pitching appearance and went five innings of relief. She allowed one earned run to move to 1-0 on the year.

The Owls trailed 4-0 going into the fifth, when freshman Becky Brandies (Madison, FL) belted a solo home run, the first of her career and the first for the Owls this season. FAU came back with three more runs in the sixth, thanks to a single by Bukovich, triple by Fishback and single by freshman Christine Houghtaling (Miami, FL).

Houghtaling eventually scored on a groundout to tie the game at 4-4 going into the seventh. Both teams scored solo runs to end regulation at five runs each.

Solo runs from both teams in the eighth led to drama in the ninth. With the Owls not yet having a run on the board in the inning, Sachs was called out on a tag while running out a soft grounder.

After both teams had cleared the field based on what was called the last out of the inning for FAU, the umpires met and ruled that Sachs was actually safe on the play. Crandall scored the go-ahead run on the play, and Sachs eventually stole second base and came home when the catcher's throw down to second went into the outfield.

Missouri State responded with two runs in their half of the inning, leading to the 10th and final at-bats for both squads. Starting pitcher Jen Musillo (Tequesta, FL) took her talents to first base and made a winner out of Suarez by delivering an RBI single in the 10th that scored Bukovich with the game-winning run, as the Bears went down in order in the 10th.

Brandies had three hits in the game, while Sachs, Bukovich and Fishback had two hits each. All four players scored at least one run and batted in one run each.

FAU (3-4) will face Long Island (0-2) at 6:00 p.m. and nationally ranked Alabama (7-0) at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday evening during day two of the tournament.

Friday, February 17th
9:00 am Alabama 5, Long Island 1
11:00 am Alabama 8, Florida International 1
1:00 pm Florida International 5, Long Island 2
4:00 pm Missouri State 1, Mississippi 0
6:00 pm Florida Atlantic 3, Mississippi 0
8:00 pm Florida Atlantic 9, Missouri State 8 (10)

Saturday, February 18th
9:00 am Ole Miss vs Florida International
11:00 am Florida International vs Missouri State
1:00 pm Long Island vs Ole Miss
4:00 pm Missouri State vs Alabama
6:00 pm Florida Atlantic vs Long Island
8:00 pm Alabama at Florida Atlantic

Sunday, February 19th
9:00 am #5 vs #6
11:00 am #3 vs #4
1:00 pm #1 vs #2