Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Florida Atlantic
29-17-1, 15-10
WKU
15-35, 5-20
Baseball Toppled in First Game in Bowling Green, 6-4
5/12/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - The Florida Atlantic University baseball team couldn't convert multiple opportunities in the series opener against WKU, stranding 12 runners in a 6-4 loss Friday night at Nick Denes Field.
The Turning Point
The Owls (29-17-1, 15-10 Conference USA) tied it at 3-3 in the sixth before WKU (15-35, 5-20 C-USA) scored two in their half. The top of the seventh saw FAU load the bases with one out, but a strikeout and groundout ending the inning with no runs coming across.
The Finish
The eighth was yet another golden chance for FAU that was turned away. A sacrifice fly by Tyler Frank scored Pedro Pages to make it 5-4, and the bases were empty with two outs. But Jared Shouppe singled and Esteban Puerta was walked for the fourth time in the game. On a 1-0 pitch, David Miranda singled to bring Shouppe around third. Earlier in the game, Shouppe avoided a tag play at the plate, but was unable to do so this time, as Thomas Peter's throw from right cut him down as the potential tying run. The Owls were retired in order in the 9th to end it.
Notables
- Miranda, Pages and Austin Langham each had two hits
- Pages and Frank both had solo home runs; Pages scored twice and Frank had two RBI
- All but one Hilltopper had a hit in the game, totaling 11 for the team
- WKU snapped a 13-game conference losing streak with the win
Quotable
"What a tough night, we have got to be better in all facets of the game," said Head Coach John McCormack. "We got down two in the bottom of the first and were never able to recover. We must capitalize on the opportunities given to us (and) we have to regroup and win tomorrow."
What's Next
Game two between the Owls and Hilltoppers begins at 2 p.m. EST on Saturday. Blake Sanderson will make his third start of the season for FAU, battling against Paul Kirkpatrick of WKU.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ryan Thurston (4-5)
L: House, Alex (5-4)
S: Jackson Sowell (4)
Batting:
2B: Pages, Pedro 1
HR: Frank, Tyler 1 ; Pages, Pedro 1
RBI: Frank, Tyler 2 ; Langham, Austin 1 ; Pages, Pedro 1
SH: Poore, Jordan 1
SF: Frank, Tyler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Frank, Tyler 1 ; Shouppe, Jared 1 ; Pages, Pedro 2
Batting:
2B: Thomas Peter 2 ; Wyatt Featherston 1
HR: Kaleb Duckworth 1 ; Thomas Peter 1
RBI: Kaleb Duckworth 1 ; Hunter Wood 1 ; Thomas Peter 2 ; Chris Rogers 1 ; Kevin Lambert 1
SH: Tyler Robertson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Colie Currie 1 ; Kaleb Duckworth 1 ; Hunter Wood 1 ; Thomas Peter 2 ; Chris Rogers 1
SB: Colie Currie 1 ; Tyler Robertson 1
PO: Kevin Lambert 1
