No. 25 Owls Pick Up Two Wins on the Road

Friday, February 21

DeLand, Fla.

9:30 a.m.

Florida Atlantic

11-2

LIU

1-9

Long Island

Florida Atlantic

Photo by: Christian Proscia

2/21/2025 7:57:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Ben Paul

DELAND, Fla. – The No. 25 Florida Atlantic softball team opened day one of the Stetson Invitational on Friday with two victories, taking down LIU by a score of 11-8 and host Stetson, 8-5.

The 12-2 Owls' offensive prowess was on full display, scoring 19 combined runs in the outings against 1-10 Sharks and the 8-4 Hatters.

The opening matchup against LIU saw FAU tally multiple runs in four of their six innings of batting, while all eight for the Owls in the second game came via out of the park home runs, including the team's first grand slam of the season.

GAME 1

After a scoreless first inning from both teams, the Owls struck first in the bottom of the second with a leadoff single from sophomore shortstop Kiley Channell. After advancing off the sacrifice bunt from sophomore outfielder Kiley Shelton, Channell found her way home off a wild pitch for the first run. Sophomore catcher Corin Dammeier, coming off two important sacrifices in the team's previous outing, launched a SAC fly to score a second runner.

LIU responded with four unanswered runs in the following two innings to take a 4-2 lead. The bottom of the fourth began with back-to-back singles from junior third baseman Jesiana Mora and Channell, and Shelton brought both home with a double down the right field line. Two more runs were found in the same frame, first with a bases loaded walk from sophomore first baseman Bella Cimino followed by the first career run for freshman pinch runner Annika Segedi.

The Owls scored five runs in the next two frames, set up by a third hit from Channell and another bases loaded walk to eventually bring in two runners in the bottom of the fourth, while FAU's final round of at bats saw three runs scored off errors.

Making her collegiate debut, freshman pitcher Emma Grace Williams entered the circle in the top of the fourth right before the Owls took their lead to give her the first win of her career.

GAME 2

A leadoff walk from redshirt sophomore OF Kylie Hammonds set up immediate offensive excellence. The next three Owl batters found their way on base, culminating in a grand slam from junior catcher Chloe Yeatts.

Hammonds did her job at leadoff yet again in the top of the fifth with a solo shot to right field to build a 5-1 lead. In the next round of at-bats, it was freshman Destiny Johns' turn, launching the three-run bomb to extend the score to 8-1.

Junior pitcher Jaden Martinez made a solid start in the circle, retiring the first six Stetson batters and later helping the Owls out of a bases loaded jam. She allowed just two hits in 3.2 innings of work. Junior Autumn Courtney entered in relief and picked up her conference-high sixth win, now 6-1 on the season.

QUOTABLE

🎙️ Coach Clark's thoughts on day 1⃣#WIP🏝️ pic.twitter.com/GTBat4J0Vq
— Florida Atlantic Softball (@FAUSoftball) February 21, 2025

NOTES/NOTABLE

Florida Atlantic's 12-2 start to the season has only been done three times prior in program history
The Owls now have five home runs on the season from five different players
Yeatts took the team lead for RBI, currently standing at 13
The Owls recorded a season-high 10 walks against LIU
Freshman OF Bella Foran has recorded a hit in nine out of her last 10 games, and currently leads the American Athletic Conference with 21
Channell and Foran each tallied a three-hit game, the former against LIU and latter against Stetson. Six Owl batters have now recorded three hits in one game this season

UP NEXT

Florida Atlantic will take the field on Saturday, once again at 9:30 a.m. against LIU, followed by a 12 p.m. first pitch against Marist (8-2).

FOLLOW THE OWLS

For the Owls' complete schedule, click HERE. To follow the team socially, visit @fausoftball, or for the most up-to-date information go to www.fausports.com.