Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Florida Atlantic
Michigan State
Owls Blank Spartans 3-0, Fall to Bobcats 4-2
3/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 16, 2007
BOCA RATON, FL (March 16, 2007) - Three errors haunted the Florida Atlantic University softball team as the Owls lost to Quinnipiac, 4-2, in their first game of the Parents' Weekend Tournament, but a spectacular pitching performance by Jen Musillo guided the team to a 3-0 win over Michigan State in the nightcap Friday at FAU Softball Stadium.
An error cost FAU a run on an infield single in the bottom of the second that allowed the Bobcats to take a 1-0 lead. QU would push that advantage to 3-0 thanks to another error that allowed the fourth inning to continue, and Angela Casella made FAU pay with a two-run single.
The Owls would battle back with a pair of two-out runs in the top of the fifth. Ambar Jones singled with one out in the inning, stole second with two out and rode home on the Mandie Fishback triple. Fishback scored when Brandies followed with a single to cut the deficit to one, 3-2.
Sami Allendorfer would stretch the lead back to two with a solo home run to left center in the bottom of the fifth to provide the final margin.
Kathryn Stauffer (4-2) took the loss despite not allowing an earned run in four innings of work. Jessica Skaare (2-1) got the win and Kristin Sheriff earned her first save of the season with two innings of scoreless relief.
Musillo was dazzling in game two, allowing just two singles and four walks to the Spartans while striking out five. Caitlin Mahoney singled leading off the fourth and Nicole Mercado singled with a runner on first in the seventh as the only safeties against Musillo. The Spartans had runners on first and second with nobody out in the seventh but failed to push a run across.
The Owls scored single runs in the first three innings. Becky Brandies singled to lead off the first and came home on a Jenna Lopez triple. Three consecutive singles in the second produced a run on an RBI single by Lauren Crandall, and the Owls added an insurance tally on a two-out double by Musillo.
FAU (15-11) will face Rutgers at 6 p.m., before facing no. 4 Texas A&M at 8 p.m. on Saturday at FAU Softball Stadium as round-robin play continues in the Parents' Weekend Tournament.
