Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Florida Atlantic
ETSU
Owls Secure Spot in A-Sun Tournament
5/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 19, 2006
Florida Atlantic University's baseball team earned a berth in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament with an 8-6 win over East Tennessee State University on Friday night. The team honored three seniors before the game and saw Tim Mascia go 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI as the Owls improved to 28-26, 13-16 A-Sun, while the Buccaneers fall to 29-24, 14-15 A-Sun.
"Senior day is the passing of one group as the team turns over to another," said head coach Kevin Cooney. "Mascia is a senior and finished with three RBI and William Block is a freshman who finished with three RBI. Today the old gave way to the new."
ETSU held its only lead of the game in the first inning after FAU pitcher Brandon Cooney walked the leadoff batter Chuck Hargis. After Hargis stole second and advanced to third on a groundout, the shortstop scored on a sacrifice fly off of the bat of Shane Byrne.
Mascia regained the lead for Florida Atlantic in the bottom of the frame as he delivered his fourth home run of the season over the scoreboard in right field. The hit gave FAU the lead as Tyler Stevens scored from first after reaching on a single.
Stevens went on to single in his next three at bats to finish the night 4-for-5 at the plate.
Block picked up two of his RBI in the third inning to give the Owls a 4-1 cushion. With the bases loaded and two outs, Block singled through the left side to allow Stevens and Anthony Albano to score.
In the fifth, Block picked up his 30th RBI of the year by teaming with Mike McKenna on back-to-back doubles.
The Buccaneers threatened with three runs in the sixth inning as the first three batters reached on free passes to chase FAU starter Brandon Cooney from the game. Cooney earned the win to improve to 4-6 after five innings of work where he allowed three runs on four hits.
A run in the seventh inning depleted the lead to three runs and ETSU made the contest interesting by bringing the go ahead run to the plate in the ninth inning. Joel Schmal picked up the save for FAU after he worked the ninth inning and held East Tennessee State to two hits.
Darren Caldwell fell to 1-1 for ETSU after he lasted three innings and allowed four runs on four hits.
Matt Traylor led the Buccaneer offense with a 3-for-4 showing offensively.
"We have had a lot of good teams at FAU but I don't know if there is one that I am prouder of," said Kevin Cooney. "We felt that if we could hang in there during the season and hold it together until the young players became seasoned we might have a chance. I felt we might be playing our best baseball at the end of the season going into the conference tournament."
The series and regular season will conclude on Saturday in a 1 p.m. matchup between the two teams at FAU Stadium.
The win guarantees FAU a spot in the A-Sun tournament next week in DeLand, FL. With a win on Saturday the team would enter the tournament as the four seed. If ETSU wins the meeting, the Owls would enter the tournament as the five or six seed depending on the outcome of the Campbell/Kennesaw State game on Saturday.
Senior contributors Tim Mascia finished the game 2-for-4 with three RBI. Anthony Albano earned two walks and scored a run. Will Man worked one inning out of the bullpen and allowed one hit.
