Owls Drop Series Opener to ISU

Thursday, March 11

Boca Raton, Fla.

6:30 PM

Florida Atlantic

8-4

Indiana State

8-4

Indiana State

Florida Atlantic

Photo by: Jim Rassol/Owlpix.com

3/11/2021 10:45:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – A back-and-forth affair saw Indiana State come out on top in the end, topping No. 20 Florida Atlantic University baseball on Thursday, 7-5.

Quotable

Head Coach John McCormack:
"Until we start pitching better, (losses) are going to happen. They scored seven runs, six were on walks or hit-by-pitch ... Their guys pitched really well, I really appreciate from a collegiate baseball – or any baseball – standpoint, they weren't afraid, they didn't pitch around, they went after guys."

The Beginning
FAU (8-4) took a 3-0 lead in their first turn, on a Bobby Morgensen blast to right-center in his first start back in six games. But ISU (8-4) clawed back to tie with three of their own – one in the second and two in the third.

The Turning Point
The Sycamores took the lead on a wild pitch in the fourth and added on with an RBI single in the sixth. Steven Loden tied it up momentarily with two-run single in the FAU seventh, but a walk-sacrifice bunt-single swung the momentum back to ISU in the top of the eighth.

The Finish
With runners at second and third in the home eighth, ISU got a key strikeout to keep their one-run edge. They added another run in their next turn, and utilized another punchout – of the tying run at the plate – in the bottom of the ninth.

The Arms

Javi Rivera started and went three innings
Combining for a scoreless seventh – the only inning ISU didn't score, other than the first – were Thomas Haggerty and Dylan O'Connell
Hunter Cooley (2-1) took the loss

The Bats

Morgensen's home run was his third of 2021 and 17th as an Owl
His three RBI gives him 10 on the year, becoming the fourth FAU player to reach double digits
Loden's two RBI were the first in his FAU career
Wilfredo Alvarez had his second straight two-hit showing, third straight multi-hit game, and sixth such effort of the season
B.J. Murray walked in the sixth and has reached base in 15 straight games

What's Next

Game two between the Owls and Sycamores is at 6:30 p.m. again tomorrow, Friday night. That game has reached capacity already. As of Thursday night, tickets remain for Saturday. Get tickets on FAU's baseball tickets website or by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS.