Strong Hitting Night Isn’t Enough

Thursday, March 4

Boca Raton, Fla.

3:30 PM

Florida Atlantic

3-11

Kentucky

15-0

Kentucky

Florida Atlantic

3/4/2021 10:53:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Zoey Jones and Riley Ennis led the Florida Atlantic University softball team's offensive attack, but it wasn't enough in the Owls' 3-1 loss to No. 10/11 Kentucky and in a 9-4 loss to Pitt, on Thursday night. Both games were part of the 2021 FAU Parents' Weekend Tournament.

The evening began with FAU (3-12) facing Kentucky, the highest ranked scheduled opponent thus far. The Wildcats jumped to an early lead by playing first-inning small ball, plating one. UK added two more in the third and while FAU out hit Kentucky 8 to 5, the Owls were held to just one run and stranded eight base runners.

After playing Kentucky, which improved to 15-0 on the year, the Owls ran into Pitt, a good hitting team that capitalized on FAU's miscues. Pitt took a 1-0 lead into the top of the third, an inning that saw the Panthers score seven runs and cruise to the win. FAU had opportunities, scoring a run in both the fifth and sixth and then two in the seventh, but like the first game, the key hit never fell with the Owls leaving 10 stranded.

Joyce's Thoughts

"We played Kentucky really tough," said Joan Joyce, FAU's head coach. "We hit the ball well, again made one mistake and it cost us. In the second game, we didn't play well, made a ton of mistakes and didn't hit very well. I hope that we can shake it off and be ready to go tomorrow against Coastal Carolina."

Statistically

Game One

Zoey Jones led all hitters going 3-for-3
Three Owls went 1-for-3: Ennis, Sommer Baker and Sara Berthiaume, who recorded the team's lone RBI
Senior catcher Kaitlyn Burke was 1-for-4
Lynn Gardner started in the circle for the Owls and fell to 2-5 on the season with the complete game loss

Game Two

Ennis was 2-for-2 in the game, with a homer
Jones hit a double in her only plate appearance
The remaining hits were scattered among six players with Jalynn Ford and Cammeo Presutti driving in two and one run, respectively
Three Owl pitchers saw action in the game starting with Abigail Morgan pitching two and taking the loss. Kara Lokeinsky gave up two runs without recording an out and Donnie Gobourne tossed the last five innings

What's Next
The Owls will return to the field at 6 p.m. versus Coastal Carolina and will continue to play host to the 2021 Parents' Weekend Tournament which ends on Sunday. To follow the team socially, visit @fausoftball or for the most up-to-date information go to www.fausports.com.