Owls Lose Thriller to South Alabama 6-5 on Saturday

Saturday, May 8

Mobile, Ala.

7:00 PM

Florida Atlantic

30-17, 18-8

South Alabama

29-19, 16-7

Florida Atlantic

South Alabama

5/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

May 8, 2010

Box Score

MOBILE, AL - The Florida Atlantic University baseball team fell in heart-breaking fashion on Saturday night with a 6-5 loss to South Alabama at Stanky Field. FAU came from behind to take a 5-4 lead in the eighth but the Jaguars were able to score runs in the eighth and ninth to secure the victory.

The Owls (30-17, 18-8) struck early and scored a run in the top of the first after Raymond Church led off the game with a double. A sac bunt by Mike Albaladejo and a sac fly by Andy Mee drove in Church and gave FAU a 1-0 lead.

However, the Jaguars (29-19, 16-7) struck back and scored four unanswered runs to take the lead. The first run came in the bottom of the first when FAU stater Mike Gipson uncharacteristically walked in a run to tie the game at 1-1.

The next three runs all came off one swing. With runners at the corners and two outs in the fourth, Gipson laid a first pitch fastball over the plate and Brent Tanner drilled it for a three-run home run. It was the eighth home run allowed this season by Gipson and it gave the Jaguars a 4-1 lead.

Eddie Cassidy responded for FAU in the sixth, blasting his fourth home run of the year. The solo shot over the left field wall brought FAU within 4-2. After Gipson threw up another zero in the seventh, FAU rallied in the eighth off South Alabama starter Lance Baxter.

Andy Mee led off the inning with a single, then Dan Scheffler tattooed a double off the wall in left-center to plate Mee and make the score 4-3. After an Eddie Cassidy walk put runners at the corners, Nick DelGuidice hit a sac fly to right which scored Scheffler and tied the game at 4-4.

The next batter, Sean Bukovich, ripped a double to right which the pinch runner, Nathan Pittman from first, and gave the Owls their first lead since the first inning at 5-4.

However, the lead was short lived as Gipson allowed a leadoff home run to Brad Hook to start the bottom of the eighth which tied the game at 5-5.

Gipson (7-1) struggled through eight innings but kept FAU in the game. The right-hander walked a season-high six batters and gave up nine hits and five earned runs with seven strikeouts.

FAU could not score in the top half of the ninth as Ryan Bernal came on in the bottom half of the inning to try to keep the score tied. After giving up two hits to put runners on second and third with one out, Bernal intentionally walked Taylor White and struck out Brad Hood to set up a bases loaded two-out situation to Brandon Brown.

However, Bernal was not able to throw a pitch to Brown, as the right-hander balked before the first offering which scored the winning run from third for the Jaguars and ended the game.

The Owls and Jaguars will play the rubber match of the series on Sunday with a matinee affair. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. eastern at Stanky Field in Mobile. The game can be heard live on www.fausports.com.