ULM Evens Series with FAU, Winning Big Saturday

Saturday, March 28

Boca Raton, Fla.

4:00 PM

Florida Atlantic

15-8, 0

ULM

14-11, 0

ULM

Florida Atlantic

3/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 28, 2009

Final Stats

BOCA RATON, FL - The University of Louisiana-Monroe cruised to an 11-4 victory over Florida Atlantic University Saturday at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton. The weekend Sun Belt Conference series is now even at one game apiece.

Game Three will start two hours earlier than scheduled Sunday, with first pitch moved up to 11 a.m. The teams are hoping to avoid rain showers which have been forecasted to fall in Palm Beach County Sunday afternoon.

Louisiana-Monroe (14-11; 5-6 Sun Belt) leadoff hitter Boomer Blanchard went 3-for-4 and scored four times and Ryan McMillan drove in three runs. The Warhawks are attempting to repeat as the Sun Belt Conference regular season champs.

Florida Atlantic (15-8; 4-6 Sun Belt) committed four errors and previously-unbeaten starter Barry Rooks induced just two outs before he was lifted after 39 pitches.

A sloppy first inning by the FAU defense resulted three unearned ULM runs and a quick 3-0 Warhawks lead. Rooks (3-1) pitched to seven ULM batters prior to being replaced in an opening half-inning which included a lead-off single, an FAU fielding error, a bases on balls, a balk and two more ULM singles - all before Alex Pepe was called upon to record the final out.

With ULM leading 3-0 in the fourth, an RBI fielder's choice and another FAU fielding miscue accounted for two more Warhawk runs. Four of the first five ULM runs were unearned. Of those five runs, just one ULM base-runner who scored earned his way on with a hit.

Pitching with a comfortable lead ULM lefty starter Justin Anderson faced just two over the minimum through four innings. Anderson (4-1) scattered seven hits in six-plus innings, allowing just two runs, only one of which was earned.

ULM batted-around during a four-run sixth inning which put the game out of reach. McMillan hit a two-RBI single with the bases loaded in the sixth and both Blanchard and Matt Laird added solo homers in the late-innings.

GAME NOTES: A 27 MPH wind was blowing in from center field... Eight of the 15 runs scored on Saturday were unearned... William Block (.282 BA) moved into sole possession of third place for career doubles (47) at FAU... 3B Troy Bubley (.346 BA) and SS Nick DelGuidice (.361 BA) are the only two Owls to have started in all 23 games this season... OF Colby Gratton (.378 BA) got his second-straight weekend start in right field... Pepe's unconventional relief outing Saturday was his team-leading 12th appearance this season and 71st for his four-year FAU career. Only two other pitchers in FAU history have made more appearances as an Owl than Pepe. The senior from Deerfield Beach elected to return for his senior season at FAU despite being selected by the Texas Rangers in the 2008 MLB Draft.