Softball Salvages Sunday Win Over Middle Tennessee

Sunday, April 14

Boca Raton, Fla.

1 PM

Florida Atlantic

18-23, 5-10

Middle Tennessee

25-18, 9-5

Middle Tennessee

Florida Atlantic

Photo by: Eric Espada/FAU Athletics

4/14/2019 4:17:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University softball team (18-23, 5-10 C-USA) picked up the Sunday win against Middle Tennessee (25-18, 9-5 C-USA) to avoid the sweep. Middle Tennessee made it a one-run game at one point, but FAU was able to sail by with an 8-6 victory.

Quotable:

"We came out and won Sunday, which is what we try to do every week," said head coach Joan Joyce. "We kind of controlled the game for a very long time and then had that one inning that almost got away from us. We are going to try to clean up walking batters this week and head onto El Paso!"

Key Plays:
With the bases loaded in the top of the first inning, Middle Tennessee struck first off a two-run single by Kirstyn Cuccia. The Owls lit it up in the bottom of the frame, which began with Madisyn Palmer reaching on an error. She would then steal second base and eventually score safely after Samantha Lageyre made her way to first base on an error. With no outs still in the inning, Mia Olson launched her eighth home run of the season to score Lageyre and help the Owls take the lead. After Fayth Davis and Jolie Duffner came up with base hits, Carolyn Rosa delivered her second double of the season to march across the Owls' fourth run of the inning.

The Owls still had more in the tank in the bottom of the second inning, as Palmer was able to score from second base following a bunt single by Lageyre. Olson would then deliver an RBI double to send home Lageyre and Duffner reached home safely following an error by the Blue Raiders' third baseman to extend the Owls' lead, 7-2. The Blue Raiders came charging in the top of the fifth inning following a base-clearing triple by Kaylyn Slatter to score three runs. The Blue Raiders would later score another run in the inning off a bases-loaded walk. FAU marched across an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, as Lageyre was hit by a pitch with the bases. The Owls were then able to hold on through two more innings with Olson in the circle to wrap up the game, 8-6.

Notables:

Lageyre, Olson and Davis each captured two hits a piece
Olson's two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning was her ninth of the season. She is now tied for fourth with Jessica Braggins in career home runs. The senior also captured her eighth double of the season, which is tied for most on the team
With Palmer's two runs scored, she is just two shy of tying for second with Nikki Myers in runs scored, as the senior currently has 142 on her career. It is also worth mentioning again that Palmer scored from second on a bunt this afternoon
Palmer is on an eight-game stolen base streak after snagging two today. With 39 steals on the season, she is nine away from tying the record she set during her junior campaign
Skylar Whitty pitched for her seventh win on her rookie season after getting through four innings. She also added in a strikeout
Olson came into the circle in the fifth to pitch 2.2 innings with two strikeouts. She captured save No. 2 on the season

Up Next:

The Owls will embark on a trip to El Paso, Texas to face UTEP this upcoming weekend and will be back home April 27 to face Charlotte for senior day. For ticket information, visit the Ticketmaster page or call 1-866-FAU-OWLS. For live updates during all of the games and for other FAU softball news, follow along on Twitter (@fauowlssoftball), Instagram (@Owls_softball) and Facebook.