Softball Falls to Kent State 12-8

Saturday, February 26

Boca Raton, Fla.

6:00 PM

Florida Atlantic

Kent State

2/26/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Feb. 26, 2011

Final Stats

BOCA RATON, FL - Florida Atlantic University's softball team, scheduled to play the final two games Saturday night, in the FAU "Strike out Cancer" softball tournament, fell to Kent State University 12-8 in game one.

Jordan Stoval and Carly Speerin were 3-for-4 on the night with a home run and a triple, respectively, to provide the bulk of FAU's offensive attack.

The Owls were the visiting team on the scoreboard. FAU spotted Kent State two runs in the bottom half of the first. The Owls struck back in the top of the second. Brittany Walker led-off the inning with a single. Pitcher Taylor Fawbush sacrificed her to second and she moved to third on another infield single. Senior Hailey Broyles was credited with a sacrifice RBI with a ball hit deep in right field foul territory.

FAU couldn't hold the lead allowing two runs in each of the first three frames and one in the fourth.

The Owls loaded the bases in the top of the fifth. Relief pitcher Kim Diaz drove in a run via a sacrifice. Carly Speerin then belted a two-out triple to score both Rose Gressley and Joshlyn Martinez to pull FAU within three at 7-4.

The three-run margin was short lived as the lead-off hitter in the bottom of the fifth sent the first pitch over the left field fence for Kent. The Golden Flashes went on to score four in the bottom half of the fifth to take a commanding 11-4 margin.

Kent State walked the first two batters of the sixth and then saw Stovall send the next pitch deep into the night over the centerfield trees, her first collegiate home run, to pull FAU within four. The following two hitters were retired on groundouts before another rally was mounted and cut short with a fly out to center, stranding two.

Kent State used the bottom half of the inning to add one run and have at least one run representing each half inning of their offensive work.

FAU closed out Saturday night versus Pittsburgh. The games are a part of a six team tournament which the Owls have billed as "Strike out for Cancer" and are collecting funds as well as selling t-shirts in an effort to raise money for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. The donation will be made in the name of Keilly Pike, a young lady that the FAU softball team mentored until her battle with brain cancer took life at the age of 17, last November.

The tournament will conclude on Sunday.