Duffner Hits First Homer As Owls Capture First CUSA Win

Friday, March 6

Charlotte, N.C.

5 PM

Florida Atlantic

7-11, 1-0

Charlotte

11-13, 0-1

Florida Atlantic

Charlotte

Photo by: JC Ridley/Owlpix.com

3/6/2020 8:40:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Florida Atlantic University softball team (7-11, 1-0 CUSA) defeated Charlotte 9-5 during the first game of the three-game series to open up the C-USA portion of the schedule.

How It Was Decided

On her first at bat of the day, Jolie Duffner sends a solo shot over the right-center field fence to put the Owls up 1-0. During the bottom of the first, the Niners tied the game 1-1, but didn't stay tied long as FAU took a 2-1 lead from a sac bunt to score Danielle Bieberle after moving around the bases with a stolen base and a sac bunt.

The 2-1 lead was short lived for the Owls as the 49ers went on a run scoring two in the third and fourth to lead 5-2 after four innings of play. FAU gets the fifth inning started with two speed demons bunting and reaching on back-to-back singles. Gretchen Ebert and Ashleigh Jennings score on an error to cut the lead for Charlotte and make it a 5-4 game.

In the top of the sixth, Kaitlyn Burke doubles to deep right field putting her in scoring position. Claire Blount reaches on an error from the Niners third baseman placing two runners in scoring position. With no outs, Myah Murray singles to score Burke and tie the game at five all. Sommer Baker hits a sac fly to score Blount and FAU takes a 6-5 lead.

FAU was not finished yet in the top of the seventh as Fayth Davis singled to start a chain reaction. Davis moved around the bases and scored on two Niner errors, and putting runners in scoring position for Blount. On a 1-1 count, Blount doubles to left-center field bringing in two runners to close out game with a 9-5 win to start off the weekend series strong.

Notables

• Duffner hit her first collegiate home run for the first hit of the game off a 1-2 count to go 1-3

• Murray and Jennings each went 2-3 from the plate with an RBI for Murray and run scored for Jennings

• Burke and Blount each hit doubles both going 2-4 from the plate

• In the circle, Kara Lokeinsky collected her third win of the season, pitching relief with three innings allowing just two hits with no runs while striking out one batter

• Lynn Gardner pitched four innings striking out three batters

With Myah Murray

"We started off with a bunt from Gretchen and Ashleigh followed behind her and put us in a situation where we could put some runs up," said Murray. "I was just trying to do my job and we played too good as a team for us not to come through in that situation. I really am just proud of how we played together as a team and bought into the process; it is going to be a good weekend."

– FAUSports.com –

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Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Lokeinsky, Kara (3-1)

L: WRIGHT, Madelyn (3-4)

Florida Atlantic

Batting:

2B: Burke, Kaitlyn 1 ; Blount, Claire 1

HR: Duffner, Jolie 1

RBI: Duffner, Jolie 1 ; Burke, Kaitlyn 1 ; Blount, Claire 2 ; Murray, Myah 1 ; Baker, Sommer 2

SH: Davis, Fayth 1 ; Duffner, Jolie 1 ; Murray, Myah 1 ; Baker, Sommer 1

SF: Baker, Sommer 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Davis, Fayth 1 ; Berthiaume, Sara 1 ; Duffner, Jolie 1 ; Burke, Kaitlyn 2 ; Blount, Claire 1 ; Bieberle, Danielle 1 ; Ebert, Gretchen 1 ; Jennings, Ashleigh 1