FAU Opens C-USA Play in Hattiesburg

Florida Atlantic at Southern Mississippi at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Details	Friday, March 18, 7 p.m. EST Saturday, March 19, 3 p.m. EST Sunday, March 20, 11:30 a.m. EST
Game Coverage	Live Stats HERE; Watch Live (ESPN+) HERE
Friday, March 18 \| 7 p.m.	FAU Hunter Cooley (LHP) vs. USM – Tanner Hall (RHP)
Saturday, March 19 \| 3 p.m.	FAU Tibur Rivero (RHP) vs. USM – Hunter Riggins (RHP)
Sunday, March 20 \| 11:30 a.m.	FAU Tyler Burnham (RHP) vs. USM – Hurston Waldrep (RHP)
FAU Links	News \| Roster \| Schedule \| Stats
Southern Miss. Links	News \| Roster \| Schedule \| Stats

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University baseball team (13-5) begins conference play this weekend with a trip to Mississippi. The Owls head to Hattiesburg for a three-game series with the team picked first in the Conference USA preseason poll, the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (11-6).

OWLS IN REVIEW

After sweeping Sacred Heart last weekend, the Owls saw their seven-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday in a 12-3 defeat to North Dakota State. Gabriel Rincones, Jr. and Nolan Schanuel each homered and finished with multi-hit days. Rincones enters the start of C-USA play leading the conference in RBI with 27. That also ranks seventh in the country

THE OWLS' OPPONENT

The Golden Eagles are coming off a 3-2 win over Alabama on Wednesday night. Junior outfielder Reece Ewing leads the team with four home runs and 11 RBI in 17 games. He's hitting .328 for the season. Will McGillis (13) and Slade Wilks (10) are also in double figures in the RBI category. On the pitching front, Hunter Riggins and Tanner Hall have formed a dynamic one-two punch. Hall is the reigning Conference USA Pitcher of the Week after shutting out then-No. 18 Tulane is his last start. Riggins holds a team-best 0.69 ERA in four starts. He tossed a complete game shutout against Louisiana on March 5.

WEEKEND PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS

Friday | FAU – Hunter Cooley (LHP) (3-0, 3.65 ERA) vs. Southern Mississippi – Tanner Hall (RHP) (2-0, 0.84 ERA)
Saturday | FAU – Tibur Rivero (RHP) (3-0, 4.74 ERA) vs. Southern Mississippi – Hunter Riggins (RHP) (3-1, 0.69 ERA)
Sunday | FAU – Tyler Burnham (RHP) (1-0, 3.38 ERA) vs. Southern Mississippi – (RHP) (1-1, 3.86 ERA)

OPPONENT HISTORY

The Owls are 11-14 all-time against the Golden Eagles. The teams split last season's four-game series in Boca Raton, highlighted by a dramatic late-inning Owls comeback in the final home game of the 2021. FAU trailed 5-1 in the bottom of the seventh before rallying for six runs to claim the lead. They would go on to win 9-6.

OWLS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Follow along with the team on Twitter @FAUBaseball, on Instagram and "like" FAU baseball on Facebook.

AFTER THIS

The Owls return home for a midweek non-conference matchup against Miami next Wednesday. Conference USA play resumes at the FAU Baseball Stadium on Friday, March 25 against Texas-San Antonio.

TICKETS

Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS or visiting FAU's baseball tickets website.

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Players Mentioned

Tyler Burnham

Hunter Cooley

Gabriel Rincones, Jr.

Tibur Rivero

Nolan Schanuel

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