Epic Comeback Caps Day Two Of Pepsi Classic

Saturday, February 24

Boca Raton, Fla.

6:00 PM

Florida Atlantic

Illinois

2/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Feb. 24, 2007

The Florida Atlantic University softball team split their two games on the second day of the Pepsi Classic.

The Owls lost their first game to Illinois 1-0 in a classic pitchers' duel between FAU's Jen Musillo and Illinois' Vicky Brown. The two starters allowed a total of four hits and combined for 13 strikeouts. The only run of the game came when a fielding error allowed Illinois' Shanna Diller to score.

The Owls staged a thrilling comeback in the final game of the evening to defeat Texas Tech 8-7. FAU was held to four hits through six innings by freshman Texas Tech pitcher Ashly Jacobs. The Owls entered the bottom of the seventh inning needing seven runs to tie the ballgame.

Mandie Fishback got the inning started with a leadoff double, after a Jennifer Musillo strikeout, Lauren Crandall got hit by a pitch and Blair Bodenmiller walked to load the bases. Melissa Moore got a two-run single that ended pitcher Ashly Jacobs' night. Sarah Losleben took the mound and loaded the bases with a walk of Charlotte Baird. An Amy Bukovich strikeout put the Owls just one out away from defeat when the floodgates opened.

Ambar Jones reached on an error by Red Raider shortstop Heather Parker that allowed Bodenmiller to score. Jenna Lopez drew a walk that plated Moore and pulled the Owls within three runs, 7-4. That made way for Fishback's second at-bat of the inning and she once again belted a double, this one came close to being a walk-off homerun. Jenna Lopez, who represented the tying run, narrowly missed being thrown out at home when Texas Tech catcher Robyn Wike successfully blocked the plate but was unable to secure the ball when attempting to tag Lopez.

Jennifer Musillo was intentionally walked in her second appearance of the inning, bringing up Lauren Crandall. Fishback, who had advanced on the Lopez play, stood at third. Crandall hit a bloop single to right center that drove in Fishback and gave the Owls an 8-7 victory and sent the crowd at FAU Softball Stadium into a frenzy. The inning featured four hits, four walks, a hit batter and eight runs scored, including six with two outs.

Championship Sunday starts at 9 a.m. with the fifth-place game between Bethune-Cookman and Jacksonville University. Florida Atlantic, which lost a tiebreaker due to runs allowed will face James Madison in the third-place game at 11 a.m. Texas Tech will face Illinois in the Championship game at 1 p.m.