Ninth Inning Comeback Propels Owls to Series Finale Win

Sunday, April 18

Birmingham, Ala.

12:30 PM

Florida Atlantic

18-18, 7-9

UAB

12-23, 5-11

Florida Atlantic

UAB

Photo by: Mercedes Oliver

4/18/2021 4:56:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Florida Atlantic University baseball team's four-run ninth-inning rally earned a split of the weekend series with UAB, as the Owls won on Sunday, 5-3.

Quotable
Head Coach John McCormack:
"What a game. Our back was against the wall, there's no secret what we're going through. Javi (Rivera) comes out, gives us another good start, and that top of the ninth was really fun, scoring four to take the lead. Baseball has a funny way of coming back to you. Nick Toney had a really rough weekend, and then he gets the pinch-hit appearance and (gets) the two-run triple. And then Shane Magrann, who continues to impress, singles, and it looked like we were going to need every one of those runs. I certainly am really really excited about the way we played today, and it was a good day."

The Beginning
Javi Rivera did not allow a hit in his first four innings of work, but a single and double to start the fifth gave UAB (12-23, 5-11 Conference USA) a 1-0 lead. They added another run in the sixth, but Bobby Morgensen's home run, just fair down the rightfield line, sliced the deficit in half in the seventh.

The Turning Point / The Finish
With one down in the top of the ninth, the Owls worked back-to-back walks, and Steven Loden's sacrifice fly tied things up, though that was the second out of the frame. Another walk was issued, and then Nicholas Toney tripled the opposite way, off the rightfield fence, for two runs and the lead. Shane Magrann followed with an RBI single for insurance.

Though UAB scored one with two outs in the home half, Rivera finished off his complete game by pumping three fastballs past Jake Killingsworth for the 27th and final out of the matchup.

The Arms

Rivera's (4-0) second straight CG saw him scatter six hits, walk just two, and strike an FAU-best eight
The first batter to reach against him was an error in the third, but immediately Magrann cut that Blazer down attempting to steal
Rivera had four 1-2-3 innings, and notched six of his eight K's in the last three innings, including all three outs in the ninth

The Bats

Morgensen's sixth homer of the year was part of a 2-for-3 day, along with a walk
Also with two hits was Jalen DeBose. He is 7-for-18 (.389) over the last two weekends, in six games, with hits in all but one of those starts
Toney's first career triple was his second successful pinch-hit of the season, and he now has seven RBI in at-bats off the bench

What's Next
The Owls head south next weekend to take on FIU for a four-game set. The team's next games at home are April 30-May 2, also against the Panthers. Get tickets by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS or by logging on to FAU's baseball tickets website.