Owls Knock Off FIU in Series Opener

Thursday, April 6

Miami, Fla.

6:30 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

20-11, 0

FIU

13-18, 0

FAU

FIU

4/6/2023 9:57:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

MIAMI, Fla. – Florida Atlantic baseball came from behind to defeat FIU 8-4 on Thursday in the first of a three-game series.

THE BEGINNING

The Owls opened the scoring in in the top of first when Nolan Schanuel lined the first pitch he saw over the right field fence for a two-run homer. FIU responded with one in the bottom of the opening inning. It remained 2-1 until the Panthers posted three runs in bottom of the fifth.

THE TURNING POINT

FIU reliever Ryan Cabarcas had the Owls number for four innings until the bats finally woke up in the seventh. A double by Jalen DeBose and a single by Armando Albert sparked the rally. After Schanuel made it 4-3 with an RBI ground out, Jackson Ross connected on a 1-0 pitch to put the Owls ahead 5-4.

FAU scored three more in the eighth. Again, Ross came through with an RBI double. Dylan Goldstein drove in two more to make it 8-4 with a line drive single up the middle.

THE FINISH

Nicholas Del Prado held FIU scoreless in the sixth, seventh, and eighth before turning it over to C.J. Williams for a 1-2-3 ninth.

QUOTABLE

Postgame with @FAUCoachMac #WinninginParadise pic.twitter.com/popODngPcA
— FAU Baseball (@FAUBaseball) April 7, 2023

THE ARMS

Hunter Cooley received a no-decision after a four-inning, 82-pitch start.
Sam Drumheller relieved Cooley in the fifth and posted a scoreless frame.
Del Prado walked one and did not allow a hit. He struck out four to earn the win.
Williams needed just 10 pitches to get through the ninth.

THE BATS

Ross, Schanuel, and Goldstein combined to drive in all eight of the FAU runs.
Schanuel extended his reached base streak to 26 games. He also scored three runs.
Ross and Mitchell Hartigan scored two runs each.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Owls and Panthers play game two at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night in Miami.

TICKETS

To purchase FAU tickets, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or click HERE. Stay informed by reading FAUSports.com, or through the baseball's Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUBaseball.