Schanuel Leads Owls Past Bulldogs in Series Opener

Friday, May 12

Boca Raton, Fla.

6:30 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

29-21, 0

Lousiana Tech

25-26, 0

LA Tech

Florida Atlantic

Photo by: JC Ridley

5/12/2023 10:22:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic baseball got off to a fast start on Friday night in route to a 9-5 series opening victory over Louisiana Tech. With five games remaining in the C-USA schedule, the Owls are in fourth place, a half game behind Charlotte for third.

THE BEGINNING

The Owls took a 2-1 lead in the second inning when Spencer Rich led off with a double and John Schroeder roped a triple to the gap in right center. Christian Adams brough Schroeder in with a sacrifice fly.

THE TURNING POINT

The Owls broke the game open in the next inning. Armando Albert led off with a single and Jackson Ross drew a walk. That brought Nolan Schanuel to the plate with no outs. In a matchup of the Preseason C-USA Player of the Year (Schanuel) and the Preseason C-USA Pitcher of the Year (LA Tech's Jonathan Fincher), it was the former who won the battle. Schanuel connected on an 0-1 pitch for his 18th home run of the season to make it a 5-1 game. He would deliver again in the fourth with a two-RBI single.

PLAY OF THE GAME

💣 from the Boynton Bomber.... @NSchanuel absolutely destroys this one for career homer No. 45!

E3 I FAU 5, LTU 1 pic.twitter.com/YRRPwFkOiD
— FAU Baseball (@FAUBaseball) May 12, 2023

THE FINISH

LA Tech chipped away with three runs in the top of the sixth but a Dylan Goldstein two-run double in the bottom of the frame put FAU back up 9-4. The Bulldogs had two on in the ninth before Robert Wegielnik came on to record the final two outs.

QUOTABLE

Postgame with @FAUCoachMac #WinningInParadise pic.twitter.com/10RB1ArSsO
— FAU Baseball (@FAUBaseball) May 13, 2023

THE ARMS

C.J. Williams made his fifth start of the season and lasted six innings – a new season-high.
Williams allowed one earned run on six hits with three strikeouts.
Hunter Cooley pitched the seventh and recorded the first out of the eighth.
Sam Drumheller worked out of a jam in the eighth, stranding two runners on. Drumheller went back out for the ninth and got the first out.
Wegielnik picked up his fifth save.

THE BATS

Schanuel finished with five RBIs, tying a career high. He reached base four times, extending his consecutive games streak to 45.
The home run was the 45th of his career. The program record of 47 has stood since 1984.
Albert, Schroeder, and Adams all finished with two hits apiece.
Adams also scored two runs.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Owls and Bulldogs meet for game two at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Prior to first pitch, the Owls will recognize this year's 11 seniors.

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.