Owls Lose Two on Final Day of Kick-Off Classic

Sunday, February 10

Boca Raton, Fla.

9:00 AM

Florida Atlantic

Michigan

2/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Feb. 10, 2008

Box Score

BOCA RATON, FL - The Florida Atlantic softball team lost both of its games on the final day of the FAU Kick-Off Classic.

The Owls (2-2) did not play on Saturday due to both of their games being rained out. In the first game of the day, the Owls lost to no. 12 ranked Michigan 5-2 in nine innings. FAU led 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth with runners on first and second when Maggie Viefhaus hit a blooper to left field in the direction of shortstop Blair Bodenmiller. Bodenmiller was unable to make the catch, however, leftfielder Lauren Crandall had backed up the play and her throw to third appeared to beat Angela Findlay for the forceout. Instead, the home plate umpire ruled that Crandall's throw had pulled Caitlyn Bliss off the bag and declared Findlay safe. The call was immediately challenged by the FAU coaching staff, but after an officials' conference the call stood. Rather than runners on first and second with one out, the Owls were faced with a bases loaded, none out predicament. A Wolverine sacrifice fly tied the game and then Dorian Shaw hit a three-run homerun to win the game for Michigan.

In their second game of the day, the Owls faced UMass in the nightcap. The Minutewomen struck in the top of the first when Sarah Reeves doubled in Stacy Cullington to take a 1-0 lead. FAU answered in the bottom of the first when, with Blair Bodenmiller on second after a walk and a sacrifice bunt, an Amy Bukovich single led to a UMass throwing error, allowing Bodenmiller to score. A Kerry Croney single put runners on the corners, when the Owls successfully executed a double steal, taking a 2-1 lead. UMass tied the game in the second on a Davina Hernandez RBI single. UMass struck again in the fifth when they pushed two runs across to take a 4-2 lead. The Minutewomen added another run in the seventh inning to provide the final margin.

FAU will host its second annual "Strike Out Cancer" tournament. A fundraiser will be held in conjunction with the tournament, with proceeds benefiting Relay for Life. Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Long Island, Missouri State and North Carolina State will be participating in the tournament.