Baseball Drops Second Straight, to Miami, 5-2

Wednesday, March 1

Boca Raton, Fla.

6:30 PM

Florida Atlantic

4-3-1

No. 17 Miami

3-4

Miami

Florida Atlantic

3/1/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 1, 2017

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. - For the second straight night, the seventh inning was unkind to the Florida Atlantic University baseball team, as Miami scored four runs in the frame in taking a 5-2 win on Wednesday in front of a FAU Baseball Stadium-record 1,729 fans.

The Turning Point

The Owls (4-3-1) took a 2-1 lead into the top of the seventh inning. After a walk and a double put the first two runners in scoring position, Brandon Gali knocked in the tying run with a single to left. Two bunt hits put Miami (3-4) in the lead, and a two-run single by Johnny Ruiz closed the night's scoring.

The Finish

In the Owls' last three turns at bat, they were held to just two baserunners and one hit. Stephen Kerr doubled with two outs in the ninth inning, but Miami closer Frankie Bartow got a game-ending groundout for the save.

Notables

The Owls' two runs came in a the fifth inning, on a bases-loaded walk to Kerr (to plate Tyler Frank) and a run-scoring fielder's choice off the bat of Sean Labsan, pushing Eric Rivera across
Kerr reached four times overall in the game. Besides his ninth inning hit, he was also walked twice and was hit by a pitch
Kevin Abraham had singles in each of his first two at-bats and is hitting .375 thus far this season
The last two FAU relievers - Mark Nowatnick and Weston Clemente - pitched perfect eighth and ninth innings, respectively
Owls' starter Marc Stewart had a brilliant 2017 debut, striking out six Hurricanes in five innings, only allowing two hits and a run
The Owls left 12 runners stranded
The attendance of 1,729 is the highest at FAU Baseball Stadium since official ticketing numbers have been recorded

Quotable

"We had some opportunities with some good guys in the box and we weren't able to do it, credit to Miami," said Head Coach John McCormack. "I thought they made some really good pitches when they had to, and we've just got to be better."

What's Next

A three-game home series is on the agenda, with the Owls hosting Illinois (2-5), beginning Friday night. FAU will send Alex House out for the third consecutive Friday to face Luke Shilling of the Fighting Illini, at 6:30 p.m.