Owls Top Pirates for Best Home Start in Program History

Friday, March 13

Boca Raton, Fla.

6:00 PM

Florida Atlantic

20-7, 3-1

East Carolina

17-10, 2-2

East Caro.

Florida Atlantic

Photo by: Claire Kaufmann

3/13/2026 10:53:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Ben Paul

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic softball team piled on seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, on Friday evening, to defeat East Carolina 10-1, recording the best start at home in program history at 13-0 on Joan Joyce Field at FAU Softball Stadium.

After a brief delayed start due to weather, the Owls (20-7, 3-1) and the Pirates (17-10, 2-2) battled closely for most of the way before FAU broke away in the sixth frame. For the second home game in a row, senior Chloe Yeatts hit a walk-off home run to secure a run-rule win, the Owls' seventh of the season.

Senior pitcher Autumn Courtney made the start and delivered another top-notch performance in the circle, allowing just one run in five innings of work.

THE BEGINNING
With two walks and a hit-by-pitch, the Owls loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning. Junior outfielder Kiley Shelton scored senior third baseman Jesiana Mora with an RBI single for a 1-0 lead.

Courtney retired the side in the top of the second with three strikeouts. The Pirates answered in the third with a double leading to a sac fly RBI to tie the game, but sophomore Lily Holtje launched her fifth home run of the year in the bottom frame, a solo shot to centerfield to go up 2-1.

THE TURNING POINT
Back-to-back hits and a walk juiced the bases once again for Florida Atlantic in the bottom of the fifth and Shelton tacked on a RBI walk, giving the Owls cushion.

Graduate pitcher Ainsley Lambert, the conference's leader in saves, entered in the top of the sixth and delivered a 1-2-3 inning.

THE FINISH
The Owls' parade of offense in the bottom of the sixth began innocently with back-to-back singles by sophomore second baseman Destiny Johns and redshirt junior outfielder Kylie Hammonds. Mora walked for another bases loaded situation before a RBI single by Holtje.

On the next at-bat, Guzman's blooper down the left line was placed well enough to score an additional two. Shelton recorded her third RBI of the night with a sacrifice fly before Yeatts delivered the game-ending three-run blast.

NOTES/NOTABLE

In the Owls' last 15 wins, they are outscoring opponents 125-25.
Holtje has reached base safely in 19 consecutive games.
Guzman has a hit in 13 out of her last 14 appearances and multiple in four out of her last seven.
Shelton's three RBI are her most as an Owl, while Yeatts' three marked a season high.
Courtney improves to 9-4 in the circle and her season-long ERA drops to 2.75.
Lambert now has six saves on the season to grow her lead in the American.

QUOTABLE

Postgame with @CoachJordanFAU #WIP🏝️pic.twitter.com/Gq0WKB4O4O
— Florida Atlantic Softball (@FAUSoftball) March 14, 2026

UP NEXT
FAU and ECU will now take part in a doubleheader on Saturday to close the series with the two games scheduled for 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., both on ESPN+.

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.