FAU Earns 40th Win, Advances in C-USA Tourney

Friday, May 22

Hattiesburg, Miss.

7:30 PM

Florida Atlantic

40-16

Southern Miss

36-18-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Southern Miss	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	1	0	4	7	1
Florida Atlantic	0	0	0	1	0	4	0	0	X	5	8	1

5/23/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

May 23, 2015

Box Score

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Facing elimination in the 2015 Conference USA Tournament, the Florida Atlantic University baseball team pieced together a late-inning rally to knock out host and No. 3 seed Southern Miss Friday night with a 5-4 win.

The Owls (40-16) also reached the 40th win mark for the 13th time to maintain the best record in Conference USA.

"That was a great game," FAU Head Coach John McCormack said. "It is a shame people have to lose and go home, but that is part of it. Southern Miss played their behinds off. I know Scott (Berry) is real proud of them. I am proud of my guys. That game got a little tense. Our guys answered and I am really, really proud of them."

Junior Kyle Miller struck out two to open the game and did not allow a Golden Eagle runner to reach scoring position until the fifth inning.

FAU struck first in the bottom of the fourth as C-USA Player of the Year Brendon Sanger hit a one-out double and came in to score on a single by Roman Collins.

Two walks and a single allowed USM to load the bases before Miller recorded a four-pitch strikeout to maintain the lead for FAU.

In the sixth, however, the Golden Eagles posted three runs on three hits to take their first lead of the game.

The Owls responded with a rally in the bottom of the frame as Stephen Kerr led off with a single and scored on a Billy Endris double. Ricky Santiago drove in Endris before he and Esteban Puerta came in to score on a two-RBI single by CJ Chatham to increase the lead to 5-3.

USM scored a run to cut the lead in half on a single and an FAU error in the eighth, but junior Seth McGarry recorded a strikeout to leave the tying run in scoring position.

McGarry closed out the game to earn his fifth save of the season, striking out two without giving up a hit in 1.1 innings of work. Senior Reily Monkman took home his sixth win of the year, also striking out a pair in 1.2 innings.

FAU moves on to face UAB Saturday at 1:30 ET. With a win, the Owls would face the Blazers Saturday night at 8:30 ET for the right to play in Sunday's title game.