Exciting Finish Allows UALR Series Win Over FAU

Sunday, March 8

Boca Raton, Fla.

1:00 PM

Florida Atlantic

9-3, 0

Little Rock

6-7, 0

UALR

Florida Atlantic

3/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 8, 2009

Final Stats

BOCA RATON, FL - The University of Arkansas-Little Rock took a three-game Sun Belt Conference series from Florida Atlantic University, winning 6-4 Sunday after turning away a ninth-inning rally by the Owls.

Florida Atlantic (9-3; 1-2 Sun Belt) loaded the bases with one out in the ninth before UALR closer Gavin Gray was able to work out of the jam and save the game and series for the visiting Trojans.

Trailing 5-0, a terrific pitching effort by Chris Schmitt gave the Owls a chance at a late comeback. Schmitt - who earned the win over No. 17 Florida Wednesday - was fantastic in mid-relief, retiring the first 10 UALR batters he faced before allowing an infield single to Eric Hanlon to lead off the ninth.

Hanlon came around to score on a sac fly to provide Arkansas-Little Rock (6-7; 2-1 Sun Belt) with a three-run cushion heading into the bottom of the ninth. Hanlon finished the series 8-for-14 (.571 BA).

Down to their last three outs, Sean Bukovich led off the FAU ninth with a single to right field. Jeremy Griffiths doubled, scoring Bukovich and moving pinch runner Mike Albaladejo to third. Gray then walked Tyler Herrig with one out to load the bases but was able to induce the final two outs to earn his second save.

Kody Kroll finished the afternoon 3-for-4 and Tim Emmons homered to help UALR build up its lead.

Owls starter Glen Troyanowski (1-2) threw 82 pitches in 3 1/3 innings, leaving during a two-run UALR fourth. Alex Pepe bridged the gap between Troyanowski and Schmitt. Troyanowski was charged with two earned runs off five hits.

Kroll knocked in Emmons with a two-out single in the fifth off Pepe, extending the UALR lead to 5-0.

FAU put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the fifth, but UALR starter Sean Potter (2-1) needed just two pitches to get out of the jam. Potter kept the Owls scoreless through five, before leaving in the sixth up 5-1.

With Potter gone, David Wilson hit a two-out RBI single off UALR reliever J.R. Boling to cut the lead to three. The second of two muffed grounders by UALR infielders in the bottom of the sixth allowed the Owls to tack on another run, making it 5-3 UALR through six complete.

Schmitt was dominant in the later innings to facilitate the comeback bid and what turned out to be an exciting finish in front of the announced crowd of 373.

FAU will host Monmouth University Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. at FAU Stadium, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus. Buy one adult ticket and receive one adult admission free.

GAME NOTES: Each of the three UALR starters FAU faced during the weekend series was 6-foot-5 or taller... FAU 1B Travis Ozga (.409 BA) was limited to a pinch-hitting role due to a hamstring injury, his return to the lineup this week is likely... A foul ball off the bat of William Block (.302 BA) in the first inning shattered a window in the FAU press box... Block hit the next pitch into the right field corner for his 44th career double, tying All-American's Mike McKenna (2005-'08) and Robbie Widlansky (2004-'07) for 5th on FAU's career doubles list... FAU will play 6-of-8 on the road following Tuesday's home game with Monmouth... It was near perfect weather for baseball, 80 degrees and sunny at first pitch.